Review: Good Basic Coconut Flour Cookbook, Reliable Recipes, Not Too Many Non-Traditional Ingredients Required
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 21, 2013
I purchased this book back in May when I was just learning about coconut flour (CF) and, for several reasons, it has remained one of my primary go-to books. First, for a free or low-priced Amazon e-cookbook, the author and publisher treat you like a real person: It's well-organized, typos are few to none, easy to navigate with a clickable TOC that works, and you don't have to scroll or flip through tons of screaming all-cap hyperlinks and ads for other products. They get right down to business, don't waste your time or try your patience, offer variety (40 recipes) across basic categories, and deliver concise need-to-know CF information before you begin cooking or baking.Second, the recipes make sense, ingredients are listed, directions are sequenced in order without coming to the end only to discover that you were supposed to do something important three steps ago, recipes are true to the title and, except for CF, most require ingredients that are found in the average kitchen.Third, those who begin to bake with CF -- for whatever reasons -- typically also have begun to investigate and try coconut oil (fat), raw honey (sugar/sweetener), coconut milk (liquid), and quickly adjust to seeing so many eggs (up to 12) in one recipe. Each recipe includes one or more of these ingredients but also includes butter as the fat (if coconut oil isn't your thing); therefore, most of the recipes can appeal to those who choose to cook and bake for the myriad benefits of CF, and those who want to or must avoid eating wheat-based flours and chemical mystery ingredients.With regard to "average" household or usual ingredients, however, there are a few exceptions for me. Two biscuit (Drop Biscuits with Honey, Garlic Cheddar Biscuits) and two cookie (Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Coconut Raisin Nut Cookies) recipes require brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum. All four recipes also resemble each other (to the point where they're almost identical) but can be taken positively instead of negatively: Here are four recipes that show how slight variations within the same chemistry-based formula can produce four different outcomes. Almond meal is called for in two recipes (Fudgy Espresso Brownies, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies), apple cider vinegar in one (Oven Baked Coconut Hot Wings), and tamari gluten-free soy sauce in another (Pan-Fried Coconut Chicken). Other than these, recipes are written for CF alone without the need for the all-too common coconut flour-almond flour combination.Most of all, I have found that this is good to have on hand because the recipes are just so darned doable. As you familiarize yourself with CF (and, for example, how to bake without relying on so many eggs), this is still a great go-to for basic structure. It's very easy to make these recipes your own by adding this or that, changing up one ingredient for another, or using them as starting points for a bright idea that occurs to you in the moment. Read the intro material, try them first as directed so that you develop a feel for cooking and baking with CF, and the rest will be the history you create.Bottom line: Highly recommend, happy with my purchase, glad it's in my virtual library.