Authors: Peter and Kelli Bronski
Publisher: The Experiment (2012)
If you need to be on a gluten free diet, no doubt you’ve
faced the temptation (or frustration) of confronting restaurant menus, grocery
stores and celebrity chefs proudly declaring the joy of experiencing and
selling artisanal food. From crusty, rustic loaves of sourdough to rough,
bronze-die cut pasta cloaked in delicate sauce, crunchy grain filled crackers and
blistered, brick oven pizzas, it seems that the label “artisan” is akin to “dough”
– and a hearty, wheat-filled dough at that. However, artisanal simply means “made
by an artisan” – that is, a master of their craft – and a myriad of delicacies
can be made with integrity and passion, without a drop of gluten. Kelli and
Peter Bronski have dedicated their lives to the art and science of gluten free
cooking, and their second edition of Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking is
clearly evidence of their passion.
With 275 recipes created from scratch, Artisanal definitely
aims to bring the love of food and cooking back to the kitchens of those with
celiac disease. While newbies to the lifestyle (especially those trying to cook
for friends and loved ones) often see the diet as complex and difficult, the
Bronskis detail supermarket tips, product recommendations, and gluten-free
resources that ease the journey. Coupled with a signature gluten free flour
blend that is a breeze to make in mass quantities, the family-friendly
collection will help keep costs down and flavours up when compared to most
store-bought specialty meals. Mindful of the other dietary restrictions that
often accompany celiac disease, the omnivorous Artisanal includes Vegetarian Options (p. 317) and Useful Substitutions (p.321) sections as
well.
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| Speculaas Cookies (p. 247) |
Artisanal’s recipes span every meal, sweet and
snacktime yearning the reader could ask for – from fluffy Belgian Waffles (p.22) at breakfast to Gnocchi (p.148) and Margherita
Empanadas (p. 135) for dinner. Desserts and drinks aren’t excluded either –
even Pie Dough (p. 265) gets the
gluten free makeover. The recipes are fairly simple to put together, but items
like the Pizza Dough (p.140) and the Tortellini (p. 156) are a bit of a
process (but then again, gluten-filled versions of either recipe are too). Thankfully, the recipes that take longer to
prepare can be refrigerated or frozen for later enjoyment, so a quick pasta
dinner is still an option. Artisan does have many quick and simple meal
options as well, and the recipes channel cuisine from all over the globe. The results
are consistently delicious and are almost indecipherable from “normal” home
cooked meals, because that’s exactly what the recipes are –food made at home,
with love.
One thing I noticed in Artisan which seems to be a
running theme with many allergy-free cookbooks is the inclusion of recipes that
were always gluten free, or so simple that I didn’t even know a recipe was
needed to prepare them. While I appreciate their attempt to be like every other
cookbook in it’s “normalcy” by including items like German Potato Salad (p. 108), the bulk of the “Sides” chapter is
made of items like Grilled Asparagus (p.
112), Applesauce (p. 116) and
various plain rice-cooking how-tos, and neither Pan-Seared Scallops (p. 168) nor Steamed Lobster (p. 170) are “recipes” per se, more techniques one
could easily look up in any Joy of Cooking-esque book or learn via Google. I also
wish there was more photography throughout the book, as the stigma of gluten
free food as “boring” and “bland” is eradicated by the stunning photos already within
the work’s pages.
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| Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 238) |
That said, the recipes (rather than techniques) in this
book are worth their weight in gold when it comes to their flavour. The Brussels Sprouts and Tofu Fried Rice (p.
183) was delicious, especially with a dash more chili sauce – and was a
great way to re-discover the vegetable. Both the Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 238) and Speculaas Cookies (p. 247) were huge hits over the holiday season,
and I even added the twist of chopped peanut butter cups to the chocolate
chippers for one batch. Bear in mind that Artisan is not a “diet food” cookbook – butter,
sugar, eggs, chocolate and cream are all used throughout, but considering the
majority of those with celiac disease have trouble keeping weight on I’m sure
this was not an absentminded choice by
the Bronskis.
If you are faced with the situation of cooking gluten-free,
whether for your own health or the health of a loved one, there is no sense in
sacrificing the foods you love to eat. Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking proves
that easy, weeknight meals as well as those for special occasions are not only
possible, but delicious. It is a wonderful way to bring everyone to the dinner
table regardless of restrictions in a manner that doesn’t alienate the
afflicted diners, and I applaud Kelli and Peter Bronski for this welcome
contribution to my collection.
Available on Amazon
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