Against the Grain by Nancy Cain (Clarkson Potter)
After her son was diagnosed with celiac disease, Nancy Cain
made a decision that she and her family would be gluten free, a challenge with
two teenage boys, especially when homemade pizza night was a family
ritual. Cain set about learning to bake
using gluten free ingredients and was frustrated and disappointed with the
results. Learning about the ingredients
and techniques essential to quality gluten free baked goods, Cain learned how
to make gluten free products that rivaled their traditional counterparts
without chemicals or additives, such as xanthan gum. Hitting upon what Cain considered to be the
perfect gluten free pizza crust proved to be the catalyst for a new business
venture for the Vermont woman and Against the Grain Gourmet was born; this
cookbook is the result of endless hours and experiments, some successful, some
not so successful. Cain generously
shares not only her rrecipes but also her tips and advice for gluten free
baking and the reasons why certain ingredients work better than others. Cain not only includes recipes for basic
breads (using the startchiness of potatoes and their cooking water to add
structure to the bread) to more complex breads made with a sourdough starter
and ambitious bagels and donuts. In
addition to chapters on the usual quick breads and desserts, Cain includes a
chapter of dishes that use these gluten free products (such as fiesta
panzanella) and savory dishes such as lemon-thyme summer squash ravioli, a dish
that could easily be adapted for use with traditional pasta. Full of recipes that really work made with
healthful ingredients, Against the Grain
is sure to be a hit with those living a gluten free lifestyle as well as to
those just trying to eat a little more healthfully without sacrificing variety
and flavor.
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for
this review.
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