Way back before "gluten free" or "paleo diet" were phrases heard in everyday conversation, or mocked in Superbowl commercials, results from allergy testing to find out what was making me stop breathing revealed I was allergic to latex, wheat, cockroach poop, and a medication. Latex was the culprit for the anaphylaxis, and in the course of that life-changing, career-halting discovery, my wheat allergy got pushed to the background. But eventually, it got the recognition it deserved, and has essentially been eliminated from my diet. Now, family members, in an effort to regain health, have gone wheat and grain free, and done a 180 degree turn in their diet, placing them firmly back in the carnivore camp. As I relearn a repertoire of recipes to suit new palates, this book was an enormous help. The flavors practically fall off the page, presenting a mouthwatering array of ways to cook paleo. Though we are not actually following a paleo diet, the recipes fit right in with the cuisine in chez czuk, or provide a good launching point for experimentation. While some may find some tips, such "activating" nuts by soaking them, a pain, this is something we do already, so not a big routine change. There are some exotic ingredients, but it's possible to work around them if not obtainable. I anticipate a lot of fun doing just that.

And the best part? The little gluten-free bakery that was up the street, where we got totally yummy dense bread that reminded us of the breads we loved so much in Germany, without the wheat, closed, leaving us bereft and in search of decent GF bread. This book has a recipe that sounds pretty similar to what we love. I'm trying it today.

Thank you to blogging for books, and the publisher for sending me this book. For the bread recipe alone, you have my gratitude.

Tags: blogging-for-books, cookbook-collection, foodie, read, taught-me-something ( )