Book review: Home Dairy with Ashley English

Book Title: Home Dairy
Subtitle: All you need to know to make cheese, yogurt, butter & more
Author: Ashley English
Genre: Cooking, Home Reference
ISBN: 978-1-60059-627-8
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co, Inc.
Suggested Retail Price: $19.95

From the book:

Now you can make your own delicious dairy products, whether you keep milking animals yourself or simply buy milk fresh from the grocer. It's one of the easiest, budget-friendly and most rewarding ways of getting closer to the foods you eat.
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Home Dairy is part of a the Homemade Living Series that teaches people to embrace local, seasonal food and to have an interest in knowing how and where it's produced. It encourages becoming engaged in your community, exploring self-sustainability and enjoying fresh flavors.  Other books include Keeping Bees, Canning & Preserving and Keeping Chickens.

The first chapter takes a look at a brief history of the home creamery dating back to about 11,000 BC. It walks you though history including the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Romans.  It also talks about the growth of cheese-making into Europe with Roman colonization end explains cheese making as it impacted monasteries and abbeys in the British Isles, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It also has a very interesting chart that lists the different types of dairy products in a variety of categories (butter, cheese, cream, frozen, milk, powdered, sour & whey).

Chapter two is an interesting look at the ingredients found in various dairy products. It looks at a variety of different types of milk from the most common cow's milk to less common llama milk.  The recipes in this book have been tested using cow and goat's milk. This section also contains a number of helpful definitions of words like homogenization and pasteurization. It also explains the different types of milk from skim to whole and takes a look at the different types of starter cultures and has a great recipe for a DIY starter culture.  This chapter explains the supplies necessary to make a variety of dairy products including cultures, rennet, lipase, bacteria, molds, salts, acids, herbs, spices & flavorings, calcium chloride, ash, and kefir grains.

Chapter three is all about the necessary equipment including cheesecloth or muslin, colanders, dairy thermometer, double boiler, jars, measuring equipment, pans, sieves/ladles, etc.  It also details equipment specific to making cheese, making butter, and making ice cream & yogurt. Included is information on what type of product it's used for along with where to find it & how to care for it.

Chapter four is devoted to butter and ghee.  You'll learn a brief history and a description of each along with information on color and storage.  There's tons of information on how to make butter and ghee along with recipes to culture and compound it.

Chapter five is all about cultured dairy and explains the fermenting process. Kefir, buttermilk and yogurt are all examples of cultured dairy products and you will find many recipes for each.  This chapter even includes Quark which I find is often omitted from dairy cookbooks.

Chapter six discusses cheese making and includes the basic techniques for both hard and soft cheeses.  This is one of my favorite sections because it has so many photographs of the process. The recipe section is broken down into beginner (soft) cheeses like queso blanco, cream cheese, mascarpone, etc. and advanced (hard) cheeses like cheddar, swiss, parmesan, etc.

Chapter seven is all about ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts.    There are four recipes - one for each season.  Chapter eight features recipes that are inspired by diary like kefir cornbread and cucumber yogurt soup.   They all use one of the dairy products that you have learned to make previously.  Chapter nine is devoted to body care recipes for things like facials, masks and scrubs that use dairy products.  Also included in this book are conversion charts, equivalents, suppliers and a glossary of terms.

This is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to learn to make homemade dairy products.  It's simple enough for even a beginner to follow but has a broad enough selection of products that even someone with a background in making home diary recipes will find something new.

My thanks to the publicist for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Article first published as Book Review: Home Dairy: All You Need to Know to Make Cheese, Yogurt, Butter and More on Blogcritics.

Green Market Baking Book by Laura C. Martin

Book Title: Green Market Baking Book
Subtitle: 100 Delicious Recipes for Naturally Sweet & Savory Treats
Author: Laura C. Martin
Genre: Cooking, Baking
ISBN: 978-1-4027-5997-0
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Suggested Retail Price: $17.95

From the book:

Bake everything from cookies and cakes to pies and pastries in innovative and delicious ways - using only healthy sweeteners.  Locally produced sustainable whole foods, natural sweeteners, seasonal fruits and vegetables and nuts and grains make these treats as good for you as they are for the planet.
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The Green Market Baking Book includes over 100 recipes that will seriously tempt even the most experienced baker to try something new.  The author is a huge proponent of eating locally but was faced with the challenge of making delicious baked goods without using refined sugar, corn syrup or artificial sweeteners that most recipes call for. The recipes in this book will focus on using organic, seasonal ingredients and natural sweeteners instead.

There are a variety of sweeteners used in this book including honey and maple syrup. You'll also find sweeteners like brown rice syrup which, while not local, are much healthier for you than traditional sweeteners. This is a great cookbook for someone who is new to the localvore movement. You'll learn the answers to why local, why seasonal, why organic, why no sugar and why natural.  There is also a section with handy definitions to refer to if you're not familiar with this type of cooking. The book discusses produce, natural sweeteners, grains and flours, butter and oils and dairy along with helpful tips on how to stock your pantry with basic ingredients. There is also a guide to substitutions for refined sugar, flour, and substituting to lower fats and reduce calories.

The Green Market Baking Book is broken down by season.  Each season includes a guide to choosing produce and recipes that feature produce generally available in that season.  There is also a great section on preserving your harvest (freezing, canning, drying) and growing your own produce. The Appendix allows you to search for recipes by theme (things kids like, vegetarian dinners, casual family dinners, vegan dishes, fancy desserts and wheat free dishes). There is also a traditional index of recipes and ingredients.

The recipes themselves are well written with detailed ingredients lists and easy to follow, step by step instructions.  Recipe are marked when they meet certain dietary guidelines like dairy free or wheat free. Many of the recipes include helpful tips with substitutions or preparation suggestions.

The recipes range from traditional well known recipes like Applesauce Walnut Bread to dishes that are a bit more unique like Orange Scented Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Coconut Date Rolls. While most of the recipes are for sweet baked goods and desserts, there are quite a few that are savory as well like the Caramelized Onion & Blue Cheese Tart and the Rosemary Olive Bread. This one is definitely a keeper and will be referred to regularly.

My thanks to the publicist for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Article first published as Book Review: Green Market Baking Book by Laura C. Martin on Blogcritics.

Heartland - The Cookbook by Judith Fertig

Book Title: Heartland - The Cookbook

Author: Judith Fertig
Genre: Cooking, American
ISBN: 978-1-4494-0057-6
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Suggested Retail Price: $35.00

From the book:

Heartland pays tribute to both the land and the people who call it home.  Alongside its recipe collection, the book offers humorous stories, historical facts, sidebars about local food purveyors, and memorable quotes that forge connections between readers and Midwestern natives.  Beautiful color photographs of food, animals and landscapes bring America's heartland to life.
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Heartland is more than a cookbook, it's a journey through the midwest. It's a trip through not only the foods most common in the midwest but a look at the history and traditions of American farm life in that area.  It's a look at heritage breeds, heirloom ingredients and seasonal and local favorites.  The one thing constant throughout the cookbook is an amazing selection of photographs of not only the foods but the animals, people and landscape found in the midwest.

The book starts off with a truly amazing introduction that discusses the history and geography of the midwest as well as the foods most commonly found in the region. From heritage turkey breeds to foraged foods and leftovers, you'll get a sense of what the midwestern kitchen is like.  Chapter one gives you a sneak peak into the Heartland pantry and offers recipes like Farmhouse Butter and Farmhouse Egg Pasta. These are the basics from canning to making syrups. The second chapter introduces you to breakfasts and brunch including Double Smoked Bacon, Farmhouse Breakfast Sausage, and Baked Eggs with Prosciutto and Asiago Cream. Chapter 3 is all about the breadbasket and includes a wide variety of breads to tempt you from Dried Cherry Scones to Golden Onion Sour Rye Rolls.

Chapter 4 introduces you to appetizers and drinks where you'll read about Homemade Chips with Chargrilled Onion and Blue Cheese Dip as well as Popcorn with Smoked Gouda.  Chapter 5 is one of my favorites and features salads and soups.  The photographs in this chapter will have you seriously yearning for spring to start your garden.  A few of my favorite recipes are Loaded Baked Potato Salad and Smoke Roasted Tomato Soup.  Chapter six includes main dish recipes using fish, cheese, pork, beef, lamb, chicken, duck, pheasant, wild meats, and even a few vegetarian options.  Chapter 7 is all about desserts from Fresh Pumpkin Pie and Ohio Lemon Tart to Sunflower Cookie Brittle and Praise and Plenty Cupcakes.

This is truly a cookbook you'll want to read cover to cover for the enjoyment of learning about the midwest and an opportunity to visit the area through the stunning photographs. Almost every recipe includes a photograph of either the finished product, the ingredients or something typically found in the area like stunning wheat fields, farmhouses or farm stands.   The recipes are very well written with easy to follow instructions and detailed ingredient's lists.  There is something for everyone in this cookbook from simple recipes to more complex.  Recipes include old favorites as well as new tastes.  I highly recommend you add this one to your cookbook shelf.

My thanks to the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Chocolate French

Chocolate French is an introduction to the language of French Chocolate. It explores the relationship between international French culture and global chocolate cuisine. The foreword was written by Bernard Poussin of Debauve & Gallais, a historic Paris chocolatier.

Chocolate French begins with a look at the history of chocolate and begins with Cortes' introduction of chocolate to the court of Spain in 1510. It discusses the appearance of chocolate in Europe and touches on its inclusion in early literature. Chocolate was believed to have healed many illnesses including fever, inflammation, stomach upset, coughing, and to even cause hallucinations. Chocolate was officially registered as a medical substance in France in 1758.

From the historical look at chocolate, Chocolate French goes to discuss the technique of melting chocolate and begins a wonderful section of chocolate recipes. These are not your average chocolate recipes. You won't find recipes for brownies or chocolate chip cookies. These are exquisite and often fairly complicated French recipes using a variety of different types of chocolate. A few tempting examples are Chocolate Croissant Pudding with Toffee Sauce, Strawberries & Pecans and White Chocolate Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Kahlua Sauce. The recipes are very well written with step by step directions. There's even a section in the back on French vocabulary that explains many of the unfamiliar French words included in the book.

Chocolate French is much more than a chocolate cookbook. Scattered throughout the recipes in this book are articles and photographs that introduce you to chocolate in French literature, chocolate in the cinema, celebrities of French chocolate, poems about chocolate, famous chocolatiers, and even fashions by famous pastry chefs.

If this book doesn't leave you with a serious craving for a chocolate eclair, you have much more will power than I do. Don't read this while you're hungry or you may find yourself devouring an entire bag of Lindt chocolates!

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Article first published as Book Review: Chocolate French on Blogcritics.

The Natural Vegan Kitchen by Christine Waltermyer

Book Title: The Natural Vegan Kitchen
Subtitle: recipes from the Natural Kitchen Cooking School
Author: Christine Waltermyer
Genre: Cookbook, Vegetarian
ISBN: 978-1-57067-245-3
Publisher: Book Publishing Company
Suggested Retail Price: $19.95

From the book:

Christine Waltermyer reaches back to a simpler time and place, weaving wholesome, unprocessed foods into dishes so delectable you won't believe they're good for you. Because Christine believes that eating should be a deeply enjoyable, satisfying experience, her recipes deliver family flavors - from  nourishing comfort food to elegant celebration fare. With The Natural Vegan Kitchen, she eloquently demonstrates that embracing a meat and dairy free diet does not require sacrifice.
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The Natural Vegan Kitchen offers recipes based on whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables that will allow you to enjoy vegan cuisine without sacrificing taste.  Chapter one explains what to expect from the recipes in The Natural Vegan Kitchen.  It offers a few suggestions about oils and gluten free recipes.  Chapter two includes a variety of recipes for breakfast that are both familiar like granola and a bit more adventurous like Pan Fried Mochi.  Chapter three focuses on appetizers that are fun, fancy and delicious sounding!  The Fruit Pizzas are really tempting and I'm looking forward to trying them this summer when I have fresh fruit. Chapter four contains a bunch of soup and stew recipes that will tempt even those that aren't into vegan cooking like Corn Chowder, Split Pea Soup and Creamy Cauliflower Broccoli Soup. Chapter five is all about salads and will introduce you to some new tastes Israeli Salad and Clear Noodle Salad and chapter six will give you recipes for delicious dressings.  Chapter seven is full of recipes using a variety of grains including brown recipe, millet, barley and corn grits.  Chapter eight details recipes using beans and chapter nine is main dishes and casseroles. Both of these will let you put together a delicious dinner when you also include delicious vegetable recipes from chapter ten. My favorite chapter is chapter eleven which is loaded with temping dessert recipes like Peachy Quinoa Pudding and Orange Kissed Fruits.

While the cookbook is vegan and includes traditional vegan foods like tempeh that may not be familiar to non vegan cooks, it also has some great family favorites like split pea soup and rice pudding that will tempt even the most ardent meat eater.  We aren't vegan exclusively but we do eat several vegan meals a week to keep our budget down and to keep us healthy.  Plus The Natural Vegan Kitchen is loaded with gluten free recipes which is a huge help since Sarah17 is gluten intolerant. Definitely a great cookbook to introduce you to vegan recipes or to spice up your traditional routine if you're already following a vegan diet.

Stop by here for a chance to win a variety of Vegan books.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.