Carolyn has published thirteen books on regional American food and gardening. These include the award winners and best sellers Seasons of the Vineyard, The Chile Pepper Book, The Greens Book, and The Garlic Book, as well as Herbs in the Kitchen, Classic Southwest Cooking, and The Chesapeake Cookbook. Her many articles on food, cooking, and gardening have appeared in Gourmet, Food & Wine, Natural Home, The Herb Companion, and other national magazines.

She has presented numerous seminars, workshops, and classes on food and cooking at professional conferences, cooking schools, restaurants, and venues such as the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Minnesota Arboretum. Carolyn was the first chef at Café Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA, where she created daily menus and managed the kitchen staff and suppliers. She now consults with restaurants on menu design and recipe development.

"These imaginative recipes show how just that touch of herb makes food come alive"
                Alice Waters