I recently read, then wrote a review for, a great book called Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn’t Cook from Scratch — Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods . Click the link for my review of this fun and informative book – the post includes a recipe from the book for Homemade Baked Beans! OR, click the book and read more on Amazon.
Book Description
When Jennifer Reese lost her job, she was overcome by an impulse common among the recently unemployed: to economize by doing for herself what she had previously paid for. She had never before considered making her own peanut butter and pita bread, let alone curing her own prosciutto or raising turkeys. And though it sounded logical that “doing it yourself” would cost less, she had her doubts. So Reese began a series of kitchen-related experiments, taking into account the competing demands of everyday contemporary American family life as she answers some timely questions: When is homemade better? Cheaper? Are backyard eggs a more ethical choice than store-bought? Will grinding and stuffing your own sausage ruin your week? Is it possible to make an edible maraschino cherry? Some of Reese’s discoveries will surprise you: Although you should make your hot dog buns, guacamole, and yogurt, you should probably buy your hamburger buns, potato chips, and rice pudding. Tired? Buy your mayonnaise. Inspired? Make it.With its fresh voice and delightful humor, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter gives 120 recipes with eminently practical yet deliciously fun “Make or buy” recommendations. Reese is relentlessly entertaining as she relates her food and animal husbandry adventures, which amuse and perplex as well as nourish and sustain her family. Her tales include living with a backyard full of cheerful chickens, muttering ducks, and adorable baby goats; countertops laden with lacto-fermenting pickles; and closets full of mellowing cheeses. Here’s the full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life—with the good news that you shouldn’t try to make everything yourself—and how to get the most out of your time in the kitchen.
Lynn says
January 13, 2012 at 7:53 amSounds very interesting. Well, I have started making my own food since 8 months ago. Not because of saving money, but for eating clean, safe and healthy. Food safety is now a big problem in China. Most of people prefer to cook more at home. I am just one of them. I didn’t enjoy cooking that much. But now I do.
Cooking Lesson says
February 6, 2012 at 4:26 pmHow much is the book? It looks very interesting for me. Since i want to learn how to cook with our low budget for every day.
Jeannie says
April 12, 2012 at 11:01 pmI make a lot of my own foods and eat a pretty basic diet. It is true though that some are actually cheaper to buy than make yourself.
The example of buy your butter: I bought 4 packages of organic butter on sale far cheaper than I could buy organic cream and spend the time making my own.