Book Review: Make the Bread, Buy the Butter

I’m sort of into that whole DIY movement and I love cookbooks, so when I heard about Make the Bread, Buy the Butter, in which the author attempts to make all food from scratch and then decides whether it’s worth it by analyzing cost and labor, I was pretty excited. I must say, the book did not disappoint. I read it cover to cover (I must admit I skipped the meat sections) which is unusual for a “cookbook,” but that’s just the thing: it read more like a memoir than anything else. Jennifer Reese (the author) talks about her adventures in food making, but also about her life. The section on chickens was particularly hilarious. Anyway, I’ve written down some of the recipes (homemade yogurt, tortillas, or ginger ale anyone?), and I’ll be sure to try them out soon and let you know how I do!

In the meantime, I recommend this book. It’s at the library, and I’m returning it today.

On a totally unrelated note, I think I’m going to attempt to make vegan Jello shots using agar agar. I found this fabulous cucumber-lime margarita jello shot recipe, and I think it needs making. Anyone know where I can buy agar agar?  

Oh! Oh! One more thing! My dad gave me these weird things called chia seeds. They're super strange; eaten plain they taste like sticking a battery to your tongue, and if you put them in water, they make a sort of jelly. I guess they're super good for you, but I didn't really know what to do with them except put them in smoothies or pizza crust. Until, that is, I found this recipe for chia seed coconut pudding. It is actually pretty delicious! (And it's vegan and gluten free for my diet-restricted friends!)