For Christmas, my parents gave me a copy of Jennifer Reese's new cookbook titled Bake the Bread, Buy the Butter. I heard a radio interview she did and the idea was very intriguing. My newly found interest in gardening and canning has naturally brought me around to the idea of whole food eating. I can't honestly say I will never again eat a frozen pizza or crack open a box of Velveeta shells and cheese but I do want most of our food to be more natural - preferably to resemble the main ingredients. This, of course, means baking and cooking from scratch.
I was so excited about receiving the book that I started reading on the ride home from Christmas dinner. Not only does Jennifer include her successes, she also shares stories of failed attempts. The book is the result of her investigations into what one should and shouldn't make from scratch and includes a ton of recipes to get the novice "from scratch" cook started.
One thing that became very clear to me while reading the book and contemplating my own experiences is that regular Americans have somehow lost the true art of cooking and baking from scratch. In polling my friends, nearly 75% of those asked felt homemade items could begin with a boxed mix. I was surprised by this total. Just because one puts something in a pan and bakes it in the oven doesn't mean it is homemade?!?!
If you are looking for a new cookbook, I highly recommend this one. You won't be disappointed.
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