What’s on our book shelf?
Rawsome Vegan Baking. Emily von Euw. Page Street Publishing Co. 2014
At Honeybuns we’ve built a reputation for decadent treats which happily happen to be gluten free. The emphasis has very much been on the decadence and we’re no strangers, here at Honeybuns, to the butter dish.
However, whilst working on our second cook book, we’ve been keen to offer up some dairy free alternatives. This in turn has led us to other really interesting trends in baking.
Paleo has influenced us as has the raw food trends in the US and Canada. We’ve needed to step away from the dairy and revise our regular list of ‘go to’ baking ingredients.
Rather than butter we’re now experimenting with avocado, coconut and tahini.
Von Euw is an inspiration. Not only writing the recipes but photographing them too. Clever lady. I was bracing myself for a collection of virtuous hair shirt recipes; brown in colour and low in excitement. Instead the cakes, cookies, bars and puddings look gorgeous and indulgent. Ingredients are often brief and look accessible.
Although we’re not going to be going entirely down the raw route we’re committed to looking at undertaking some vegan recipe development.
Please note this is not a specific gluten free title.
Paleo Cooking from Elena’s Pantry. Elena Amsterdam. Barnes & Noble 2013.
As with Elana’s previous book, the ‘Gluten free Almond Cook Book’ this is not a coffee table tome.
Light on glossy photographs, this book is in the ‘no frills’ category of production.
I rather like this simple workaday layout with no distractions.
The recipes are accessible in terms of ingredients and methodology; many being made in one bowl or pan.
The Paleo bread is super easy & delicious and we now prefer it to many regular wheat based breads. She also manages to avoid xanthan & guar gums -no mean feat with gluten free bread making.
This is a gluten free title.
Vanilla Black- Fresh Flavours for your vegetarian kitchen. Andrew Dargue. Salt Yard Book Co. May 2015
I love the opening line, ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’
Well, what could possibly be simpler-.but as Pollan good humouredly points out, we are currently in crisis over food, diet and health.
He cites the interwoven issues of policy, economics, marketing as well as the loss of traditions and food culture and their effect on our relationship with food.
We’re demonstrably unhealthier and unhappier. We’re in a state of angst over what to eat. This little book speaks sense and, in a kindly way, inspires us to get cooking good, simple, honest food again. Brilliant.
Please note this is not a specific gluten free title.
