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8 DIY Food Books You Should Pre-Order Today
Just when you think the offerings in the DIY food book space couldn't get better (truly, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were all pretty fantastic), 2014 is shaping up to be a bellwether year for top-notch works. I'm proud to call all of these authors friends and colleagues, so in the interest of fairness I will list them in order of publication date. All are currently available for pre-order. (Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.com from which I may derive a nominal amount of revenue.)
Modern Pioneering
Touting "self-sufficiency is the ultimate girl power," Georgia Pellegrini's latest work espouses a soup-to-nuts DIY lifestyle that ranges from Martha (Mason jar lanterns and homemade notecards) to MacGyver (assembling a 48- hour survival toolkit in an Altoids tin). Georgia demonstrates how to conquer basic self-sufficiency skills, and look faaabulous doing it.
Publication date: March 4, 2014.
Pre-order now >
Touting "self-sufficiency is the ultimate girl power," Georgia Pellegrini's latest work espouses a soup-to-nuts DIY lifestyle that ranges from Martha (Mason jar lanterns and homemade notecards) to MacGyver (assembling a 48- hour survival toolkit in an Altoids tin). Georgia demonstrates how to conquer basic self-sufficiency skills, and look faaabulous doing it.
Publication date: March 4, 2014.
Pre-order now >
Preserving by the Pint
Marisa McClellan of Food in Jars lives in a small urban apartment, but that didn't deter her from pursuing the preserving bug. Undaunted by recipes that called for bushels of fruit, she worked to scale recipes down to make them accessible to even the most compact domicile. Organized seasonally, these pestos, sauces, mostardas, chutneys, butters, jams, jellies, and pickles are speedy, too: some take under an hour.
Publication date: March 25, 2014
Pre-order now >
Marisa McClellan of Food in Jars lives in a small urban apartment, but that didn't deter her from pursuing the preserving bug. Undaunted by recipes that called for bushels of fruit, she worked to scale recipes down to make them accessible to even the most compact domicile. Organized seasonally, these pestos, sauces, mostardas, chutneys, butters, jams, jellies, and pickles are speedy, too: some take under an hour.
Publication date: March 25, 2014
Pre-order now >
Home Brewing: Hop to It
Beer here! Home brewing is fun even for the novice brewer, yet offers endless opportunities for exploration and experimentation as your expertise grows. Whether you're a first-time brewer or a master of the hops, we've got ideas on what to brew and how to brew it -- and what to do with the final product (besides, you know, drink it.)
One Gallon Beer Making Kit
You want to try home brewing, but you don't want to own two 5-gallon carbuoys and a bunch of other wonky equipment. Our friends at FarmCurious have solved that problem with this one-gallon beer kit. Choose from two different flavors: German Oktoberbest and IPA. Take 5% off by entering the code punkdom at checkout.
You want to try home brewing, but you don't want to own two 5-gallon carbuoys and a bunch of other wonky equipment. Our friends at FarmCurious have solved that problem with this one-gallon beer kit. Choose from two different flavors: German Oktoberbest and IPA. Take 5% off by entering the code punkdom at checkout.
Beer Making 101
Ready to dig deeper? Delve into this in-depth online course in home brewing from our colleagues at Old School to get the skinny on the craft. Wanna brew for two? Enter the code COUPLEBREW at checkout to get two classes for $60 -- a $120 value -- through March 15, 2014. (Image via CHOW)
Ready to dig deeper? Delve into this in-depth online course in home brewing from our colleagues at Old School to get the skinny on the craft. Wanna brew for two? Enter the code COUPLEBREW at checkout to get two classes for $60 -- a $120 value -- through March 15, 2014. (Image via CHOW)
Get Creative
Draw inspiration from the community by checking out what they've been brewing, like a melon IPA, a hoppy pale ale, beer brewed with honey, and more. (Image via Leave Me the Oink)
Draw inspiration from the community by checking out what they've been brewing, like a melon IPA, a hoppy pale ale, beer brewed with honey, and more. (Image via Leave Me the Oink)
Come One, Come All for Kumquats
How about a kumquat, my little chickadee? This diminutive member of the citrus (or, technically, fortunella) family stands apart not just for its diminutive size, but for being an inside-out fruit: Its pith is mild, whereas the fruit within delivers the bitter punch of a citrus rind. Its intense, bright flavor is the backbone of many bright winter confections.
Kumquat Marmalade
Move over, oranges. Kumquats' natural bright bitterness are a perfect base for marmalade, whether sweetened with vanilla or punched up with peppers. (Image via rcakewalk)
Move over, oranges. Kumquats' natural bright bitterness are a perfect base for marmalade, whether sweetened with vanilla or punched up with peppers. (Image via rcakewalk)
Kumquat Jam
Kumquats play well with plenty of other fruits to make sumptuous jams, like cranberry, blackberry, tomato and another tart player, rhubarb. (Image via The Tomato Tart)
Kumquats play well with plenty of other fruits to make sumptuous jams, like cranberry, blackberry, tomato and another tart player, rhubarb. (Image via The Tomato Tart)
Three Things Thursday: Love, Love, Love
Once again it's Three Things Thursday, where I highlight three things that ran on the site recently that made me feel the love.
Lover's Jam
A sugar-free conserve chock-full of aphrodisiacs: Sweet strawberries, tart pomegranate, zesty ginger and piquant chiles and cinnamon, all with the alluring crunch of almonds. From Larder Love.
A sugar-free conserve chock-full of aphrodisiacs: Sweet strawberries, tart pomegranate, zesty ginger and piquant chiles and cinnamon, all with the alluring crunch of almonds. From Larder Love.
All About Kombucha
Kombucha, a fizzy, slightly tart fermented beverage, is believed to have healthful properties, aiding digestion and even possibly improving the immune system. A bottle in the store will set you back a few Georges, but you can brew it at home for a fraction of the cost.
Brewing the 'Booch
Kombucha's fermentation comes from a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, aka a SCOBY. It ain't pretty, resembling a slimy slab of rubber, but it is pretty easy to develop. All you need is tea, sugar and patience. (Image via Eating Rules)
Kombucha's fermentation comes from a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, aka a SCOBY. It ain't pretty, resembling a slimy slab of rubber, but it is pretty easy to develop. All you need is tea, sugar and patience. (Image via Eating Rules)
Coffee Kombucha
Tea not your thing? You can make kombucha with coffee, as well. Here's how. (Image via Sarah99)
Tea not your thing? You can make kombucha with coffee, as well. Here's how. (Image via Sarah99)
In a Pickle with Winter Vegetables
Just because we're a ways out from the bounty of summer doesn't mean you can't bust out the canner and preserve some stuff during the dark days of winter. Many readily available winter crops -- like cauliflower, turnips, beets and more -- are simply perfect for pickling. Whether you pack them in vinegar brine or go for the lactofermented gold, take a closer look at the produce aisle and make some tangy snacks and condiments today.
Pickled Cauliflower
This crisp cruciferous crown of florets pickles up a dream, especially with a fragrant dash of curry. (Image via A Farm Girl's Dabbles)
This crisp cruciferous crown of florets pickles up a dream, especially with a fragrant dash of curry. (Image via A Farm Girl's Dabbles)
Pickled Turnips
Tender white globes take on color and flavor from their brine, whether tinted with turmeric, puckered up with lemon, or paired with beets for the lurid pink Middle Eastern pickle kabees el lift. (Image via Salivating Seattleite)
Tender white globes take on color and flavor from their brine, whether tinted with turmeric, puckered up with lemon, or paired with beets for the lurid pink Middle Eastern pickle kabees el lift. (Image via Salivating Seattleite)
Pickled Beets
Red or golden, spicy or sweet, perfumed with herbs, cinnamon or cumin, beets take well to pickling all on their own. (Image via My Man's Belly)
Red or golden, spicy or sweet, perfumed with herbs, cinnamon or cumin, beets take well to pickling all on their own. (Image via My Man's Belly)
DIY Fruit and Vegetable Chips for Game Day
Game day means snacking, snacking and more snacking. Before you OD on sodium and preservatives, consider making your own alternative chips. Just bust out the trusty dehydrator, and you'll have curiously crunchy snacks for days, with a fraction of the guilt.
Vegetable Chips
Kale Chips
Kale crisps up nicely in the dehydrator, making for a pleasantly crunchy snack. Give it a whirl with chard or chicories for a flavorful twist. (Image via Tim Vidra Eats)
Kale crisps up nicely in the dehydrator, making for a pleasantly crunchy snack. Give it a whirl with chard or chicories for a flavorful twist. (Image via Tim Vidra Eats)
Beet Chips
Ruby red, glowingly golden or candy-striped pink, slice and dehydrate beets into earthy-sweet chips, perfect for dipping or eating straight up. (Image via Eating Rules)
Ruby red, glowingly golden or candy-striped pink, slice and dehydrate beets into earthy-sweet chips, perfect for dipping or eating straight up. (Image via Eating Rules)
Sweet Potato Chips
Move over, humdrum potato chips. Slice sweet potatoes very thin with my mandolin, toss them in olive oil and dehydrate them. Voilà! Sweet potato chips. (Image via NutriSue)
Move over, humdrum potato chips. Slice sweet potatoes very thin with my mandolin, toss them in olive oil and dehydrate them. Voilà! Sweet potato chips. (Image via NutriSue)
Cucumber Chips
Turn your favorite pickle into a chip! Simply slice thin, toss with vinegar, salt and dill, and dry until crisp. Perfect with a hoppy beer. (Image via nettlefetter)
Turn your favorite pickle into a chip! Simply slice thin, toss with vinegar, salt and dill, and dry until crisp. Perfect with a hoppy beer. (Image via nettlefetter)
Can't Beat Beets
Ruby red, glowingly golden or candy-striped pink, beets are like jewels from mother earth. Delicious just as they are, they're also great in a variety of other applications. Here's a few of our favorites.
Pickled Beets
Red or golden, spicy or sweet, perfumed with herbs, cinnamon or cumin, beets take to pickling like a dream. (Image via My Man's Belly)
Red or golden, spicy or sweet, perfumed with herbs, cinnamon or cumin, beets take to pickling like a dream. (Image via My Man's Belly)
Beet Pickled Eggs
Mix your pickled beets with hard-boiled eggs for a treat that's a delight to the palate as well as the eyes. (Image via This American Bite)
Mix your pickled beets with hard-boiled eggs for a treat that's a delight to the palate as well as the eyes. (Image via This American Bite)
11 Delicious DIY Dips
Want your game day goodies to score big? Here's a handful of DIY dips for you to tackle. They're sure to keep your guests cheering.
Chip Dip
Fresh, creamy dips are the perfect complement to salty, crunchy chips or crisp crudite. Step away from the store-bought stuff in plastic tubs and make your own. (Image via Eating Rules)
Fresh, creamy dips are the perfect complement to salty, crunchy chips or crisp crudite. Step away from the store-bought stuff in plastic tubs and make your own. (Image via Eating Rules)
Salsa
America's favorite condiment comes in a dizzying array of colors and flavors, as diverse as the country it hails from. Whether you go for straight-up tomato, zesty green salsa verde, or salsas made with corn or fruit, your tortilla chips will thank you (and so will your guests). (Image via Cooking Channel)
America's favorite condiment comes in a dizzying array of colors and flavors, as diverse as the country it hails from. Whether you go for straight-up tomato, zesty green salsa verde, or salsas made with corn or fruit, your tortilla chips will thank you (and so will your guests). (Image via Cooking Channel)
Guacamole
Cool, creamy guacamole leverages the avocado's naturally rich texture. Kick it up as spicy as you like, or leave it mild as a delicious dip. (Image via Alyssa and Carla)
Cool, creamy guacamole leverages the avocado's naturally rich texture. Kick it up as spicy as you like, or leave it mild as a delicious dip. (Image via Alyssa and Carla)
Three Things Thursday: Hot Stuff Coming Through
Once again it's Three Things Thursday, where I highlight three things that ran on the site recently that inspired, intrigued or impressed me.
Hangikjöt: Icelandic Smoked Lamb
An Icelandic speciality, traditionally cured and then smoked in dried sheep dung. The more squeamish/modern amongst you can use wood smoke though! From Well Hung Food.
An Icelandic speciality, traditionally cured and then smoked in dried sheep dung. The more squeamish/modern amongst you can use wood smoke though! From Well Hung Food.
