“The Homemade Kitchen” by Alana Chernila is more than a cookbook with recipes, it teaches you how to cook. The recipes are wonderful and fit for many occasions. The photographs that accompany the recipes and the other photographs in the book are beautiful. Alana weaves stories throughout the book that are delightful.
Alana Chernila has taped to her fridge the following phrases: Start where you are. Feed yourself. Do your best, and then let go. Be helpful. Do the work. Slow down. Eat outside. Invite people over. Don’t be afraid of food. These are also the titles of some of the chapters.
There are sections on how to make pasta, how to cook grains, how to make a salad and how to store vegetables. Every time I pick up this book, I learn something new. It is so beautifully written that you will enjoy doing home cooking.
Some of my favorite recipes include; stuffed winter squash, broccoli rabe with cheddar polenta, chicken pot pie and lentils to go with beer. With every recipe, she explains how she created the recipe and gives a little background. The recipes are easy to follow and most contain ingredients that can be found at any grocery store.
I have always wanted to make fresh pasta, just like my Mother did. The simple directions that Alana gives, will have me give it a try this year!
“The Homemade Kitchen” is a cookbook that you will read and refer to often. Alana’s love of cooking is contagious.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in order to write this review.