Coming from a family of great cooks, I’ve always felt the pressure to learn and be as great as my mom and grandmother. In middle and high school I learned the basics to cooking, however, I never really had to cook meals because they were always prepared for me! When I was almost 21 years old I moved to Columbus to transfer to The Ohio State University. When I moved I got my own apartment and that was my first experience with cooking full meals. I had friends that had cooked for dinner for their families on a regular basis but that was never my life.
When I first moved my mom took me to the grocery store and helped me buy some of the “regular staples” that you keep in your home. She showed me how to buy meat, and just gave me some tips for shopping. However, anytime I came home she would send me back with cooked meals so even then I would cook from time to time but nothing serious! I also had a couple of cookbooks to help me prepare some of the meals we ate at home, but to be honest, I never paid any real attention to those books.
The Anti-Cookbook is different from your regular cookbook: Breaks down recipes in an easy to follow format, shows how cooking doesn’t need to be complex and reminds us that food is not only nourishment but a chance to sit around the table, share stories and create memories! Created with the idea that cooking should be fun and NOT difficult, The Anti-Cookbook is filled with easy-to-follow recipes that are yummy and healthy.
What I love about The Anti-Cookbook is that there are lists provided in the book to help you pick up some of the basic items you need in your kitchen; from utensils to small appliances. When I saw these lists I knew I would gift this book to my nephew who just moved into his first apartment! I wish some of the cookbooks that I received provided lists for me to follow for shopping for food and kitchen utensils and appliances!
The Anti-Cookbook…
“Why the title? Obviously, we aren’t against cooking! Instead, we are inverting the idea that cooking is simply about following a recipe. A “cookbook” method of completing a task implies a mundane, thoughtless process. Our book seeks to do the opposite—to inspire readers to think creatively about making meals, and independently about the deeper issues surrounding food and nourishment. We’re hoping to provide readers with a template for thoughtfulness around the way we feed ourselves. It’s much more than measurements, heat, and chemistry and that’s what we unfold.
Who’s it for? It’s for idealists and realists, environmentalists and simplifiers. And for anyone who is looking for healthful, economical and reasonable strategies for eating well and being a respectful human being on planet earth–without all the stress and added sodium.
Who Are We? A veterinarian and a lawyer-turned-writer walk into a kitchen…why us? We aren’t chefs and that’s exactly the point. Most people who feed themselves and their families every day aren’t chefs. We each bring our unique, experienced take on fashioning and balancing a life—replete with parental responsibilities and challenges. We met in college, moved into our first apartment together and began to figure all of this out. We went our separate ways and each amassed diverse experiences that have brought us back together. At fifty, we have a lot to share with our own young-adult children and you and yours as well (website).”
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to cooking newbies or college students! It’s the perfect book to get you going, and from there you will learn things that you like eating and cooking and think about the process of cooking totally different than you initially would!
For more information on The Anti-Cookbook: Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living
