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8th out of 21 books
—
6 voters
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch -- Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods
When Jennifer Reese lost her job, she was overcome by an impulse common among the recently unemployed: to economize by doing for herself what she had previously paid for. She had never before considered making her own peanut butter and pita bread, let alone curing her own prosciutto or raising turkeys. And though it sounded logical that “doing it yourself” would cost less,...more
Hardcover, 296 pages
Published
October 18th 2011
by Atria Books
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When I lost my job, I started cooking beans from dry but that's about as far as I got going down the road to discovering which recipes I could use my newly-found time to make. And when I heard about this book, I kept recommending it to people I knew who made preserves. Finally I realized I was recommending it because I was interested, so I sat down and read it. Just when I was thinking we might have to give up the dog in favor of chickens and goats, Reese writes, "It seems a tragic waste to shap...more
My take: Jennifer Reese is a girl after my own heart. I had a similar experience only I didn't write a book about it and I forgot to get the chickens. Mostly because I have an aversion to eating animals I grow, even if it is only eggs. Don't even get me started on growing up on a farm and eating the cows that wandered through the field. Vegetarianism is so under-rated.
So Reese experiments with what can be made at home and what can not. It is hilarious and right on. I agree with her on so many le...more
So Reese experiments with what can be made at home and what can not. It is hilarious and right on. I agree with her on so many le...more
A few caveats before we get started, Reese writes in the introduction. First, although, like most people, I think about money, I've always been able to clothe my children and pay the mortgage and if I couldn't whether I bought or made creme fraiche--or bread, to use a less absurd example--would make no difference. It is frivolous and deluded to think it would. I just wanted to address and answer some middle-class home economics questions that nagged my Michael Pollan-reading, price-checking, ove...more
I "read" this book as much as you can read what is essentially a cook book with a lot of fascinating and hilarious introductions and clarification.
Finding herself without a job, Reese decided to try making a whole lot of stuff that we typically buy at the grocery store: bread and butter, as the title suggests, along with a whole slew of other items like cheese, corn dogs, cured meats, salad dressing, jams, etc. Based on the cost, taste, and work involved, this book contains her recommendations o...more
Finding herself without a job, Reese decided to try making a whole lot of stuff that we typically buy at the grocery store: bread and butter, as the title suggests, along with a whole slew of other items like cheese, corn dogs, cured meats, salad dressing, jams, etc. Based on the cost, taste, and work involved, this book contains her recommendations o...more
I liked that she had a "Make it or buy it?/Hassle/Cost Comparison" section for each recipe. I enjoyed the lengthier write ups that lead into a lot of them, but those summaries make the book considerably more useful. On the downside, she often compares homemade to brands that aren't even available here and that apparently cost more than the local products.
On the upside again, I totally related to a lot of what she said, for instance when she said she likes to get stuff in a restaurant "I can't,...more
On the upside again, I totally related to a lot of what she said, for instance when she said she likes to get stuff in a restaurant "I can't,...more
Home-made vs. store-bought: we all know that home-made always takes more effort, but which is better? which is cheaper? The author tries to make almost every common food item, from bread to peanut butter to cheese to cake, and even things I would never consider doing (curing your own bacon, making your own Worcestershire sauce)to lay out the analysis. It was very interesting to see a somewhat-scientific approach to what makes sense. She breaks out the cost differential, highlights some home-made...more
1 like · like · see review
This book reads like a book, not a cookbook (although there are many recipes), which is a plus and minus for me. On one hand, her story is what makes this book so amusing and allows you to see why her recommendation is 'buy it' or 'make it', it's also annoying to think there are so many great looking recipes I'd like to find a certain one, or it's almost lunch time and I need inspiration. On another note, I made her chocolate cake recipe last night and it was good, but I wouldn't call it amazing...more
I have so much to say about this book, but will try to summarize. First, this woman is such an entertaining writer. Some people could flip through this book and think that it is a cookbook, but it reads like a collection of short stories. Next, what each person chooses to make or buy is really up to them and what they decide are worth the effort. Some things on her "make" list are certainly not on mine (and some on mine are not on hers) although I do think I will try some of her recipes. I make...more
There is much to like - and dislike - in this book, but overall, I think it is worth owning.
What I Like: The recipes - along with a general idea of how much of a hassle it is to make a certain something at home, whether it is better than store bought, and (very generally, because prices vary so much throughout the U.S.) whether it will save money, are great. You won't find every recipe you'd like in this book, but it's not reasonable to expect the author to cover every possible food in one stand...more
What I Like: The recipes - along with a general idea of how much of a hassle it is to make a certain something at home, whether it is better than store bought, and (very generally, because prices vary so much throughout the U.S.) whether it will save money, are great. You won't find every recipe you'd like in this book, but it's not reasonable to expect the author to cover every possible food in one stand...more
This is a fun, very readable book that will certainly be of interest for two distinct classes of people who typically have ZERO overlap: 1) foodies who make everything from scratch; 2) "fast foodies" who make everything from a box.
Generations ago, food was prepared in the kitchen, beginning with raw ingredients, often grown or raised by the family. Vegetables, fruits, grains, livestock, eggs, etc. were turned into food through the skillful expenditure of lots of time. In contrast, the processed...more
Generations ago, food was prepared in the kitchen, beginning with raw ingredients, often grown or raised by the family. Vegetables, fruits, grains, livestock, eggs, etc. were turned into food through the skillful expenditure of lots of time. In contrast, the processed...more
TCL Call#: 641.3 Reese J
Madeleine - 3 stars
This was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Why 3 stars?
She seems to forget labor in her economic calculations. While each recipe has clear cost comparisons they do not include time needed to make the item. While it might be cheaper to make my own cheese it would be good to know it takes hours - weeks - months. I do not consider my labor to be free. Even if I love cooking it should be considered a factor.
Plus, she obviously lives in California w...more
Madeleine - 3 stars
This was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Why 3 stars?
She seems to forget labor in her economic calculations. While each recipe has clear cost comparisons they do not include time needed to make the item. While it might be cheaper to make my own cheese it would be good to know it takes hours - weeks - months. I do not consider my labor to be free. Even if I love cooking it should be considered a factor.
Plus, she obviously lives in California w...more
The author does a good job of making a funny, interesting introduction without being too long before each recipe. This book is very helpful to the working cook who enjoys homemade, but only possesses a finite amount of free time and money.
I really appreciated the set-up of the book. For each recipe, the Author gives the price breakdown of store-bought versus homemade, as well as the "Hassle" or level of difficulty. This is basically the "Is it worth the effort" clarifier, and I appreciate the he...more
I really appreciated the set-up of the book. For each recipe, the Author gives the price breakdown of store-bought versus homemade, as well as the "Hassle" or level of difficulty. This is basically the "Is it worth the effort" clarifier, and I appreciate the he...more
Overall brilliant. I love the concept, and actually reading the book did not disappoint. I must admit to skipping chunks of this book. I'm not a foodie. I don't drink alcohol in any form. The concept of Banana Ketchup hurts my brain. I will never make my own cheese. But mostly I skipped recipe details. I borrowed my copy from the library, and since I'm not in the mood to go on a cooking frenzy, I focused on broad concepts and narrative elements.
I love Jennifer Reese for all these suburban experi...more
I love Jennifer Reese for all these suburban experi...more
I'm sure this wasn't the author's intention, but this is the perfect cookbook for an American living overseas. Since we moved to the UAE I've been learning how to make a lot of food items from scratch because they're unavailable or prohibitively expensive. So while the author's cost comparisons don't always pan out the same way for me, the principle behind the recipes is the same. I am so glad to have all of these recipes and tips in one place so I don't have to run back and forth from the kitch...more
The subtitle of this book is “What You Should and Shouldn’t Cook from Scratch — Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods,” and while lots of the recipes looked delicious (and the few I tried were exceedingly popular in my household), my favourite part of this book was the commentary about what foods are worth cooking up at home, and what foods should just be purchased instead.
Jennifer Reese is a funny and articulate writer, but more importantly, she is a dedicated do-it-yourself-er who sets...more
Jennifer Reese is a funny and articulate writer, but more importantly, she is a dedicated do-it-yourself-er who sets...more
This book should not be judged by what it is not. No it is not a homesteading book, a book about canning or a book about saving the absolute most money on your food. What this book is, is a book by a mom about making things at home.
At the core, this book is about experimentation, with humor and common sense thrown in. It's not as important to me exactly how many pennies I'm going to save on peanut butter if I do it myself. I do want to know if there's a huge difference in taste or if there's ver...more
At the core, this book is about experimentation, with humor and common sense thrown in. It's not as important to me exactly how many pennies I'm going to save on peanut butter if I do it myself. I do want to know if there's a huge difference in taste or if there's ver...more
This was a fun read about a woman's experience making a plethora of foods at home and her conclusions about what is worth making homemade and what isn't. I like her easy-to-read layout. For each item she lists whether to make or buy it (or both), how much of a hassle it is, how the price compares to buying items from the store, and a recipe. She also includes lots of funny stories about her attempts to make different foods, raise animals, etc. It's both humorous and enlightening. (One of my favo...more
This book is a mixed bag. For the positive, the story-telling is humorous and easy to follow, and the format is well-done (what is the cost of making it versus buying it, what is the hassle, and what is the quality difference). For the negative, when I want to make something from home, it is because I want to make something artisan, not because I want a homemade pop-tart. This complaint is more reflective of me and my tastes than the recipies of the author, but if you would rather make a pain ch...more
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The author spent a year or so making various food items to see if it's cheaper/easier/better to buy rather than make them. She provides notes about things like quality differences and the level of hassle for each project. She lists sources and suppliers for ingredients as well. The author enjoys cooking and went so far as to raise chickens and goats and bees, make her own butter, smoke meats, etc. She lost her job and had the time to undertake these experiments. Her writing is entertaining as we...more
This is exactly my sort of food nerdery and I loved it - about every five pages I had to fight off the urge to put the book down and ferment some cabbage or make apple sauce or buy and cure a ginormous hunk of beef. Reese has an enormously engaging and funny style, and Reese, her family and various livestock are a real presence in the book. Hilarious goat adventures and never having to buy ridiculously expensive creme fraiche again - what's not to love? The only problem is that the recipes aren'...more
This book takes on a subject that I have often wondered about. As an avid cook, I sometimes wonder whether making certain things is cheaper than buying. I found this book enjoyable to read and it was very useful especially in providing recipes for the different foods. Although I have to say I haven't tried any of the recipes yet so I can't vouch for that part. It seems like Reese was really stretching for foods to include in her book sometimes though. I mean how often does the average person use...more
I've read only the sample, but with a nonfiction book I feel it gives a pretty good perspective.
The book is very well written in the sense that it makes a possibly-boring subject very easy to read and skim.
I think this is useful for someone just getting started with the idea of "what to make" vs "what to buy" but for those of us who have been doing it for a while, there is not a lot of enlightening information.
The author mentions in her intro that it is not a book on frugality. However, I think...more
The book is very well written in the sense that it makes a possibly-boring subject very easy to read and skim.
I think this is useful for someone just getting started with the idea of "what to make" vs "what to buy" but for those of us who have been doing it for a while, there is not a lot of enlightening information.
The author mentions in her intro that it is not a book on frugality. However, I think...more
"Make the Bread,Buy the Butter" is a perfect cookbook for today's economy. The author experimented with making many convenience foods, and then broke down the cost and ease of making and then weighs the pros and cons of making verses buying.When I started reading this book I found myself skipping the recipes and reading the authors stories which were witty and often laugh out loud funny. The author takes us along on her journey as she decides to raise live chickens and then later goats and turke...more
In this struggling economy, many people have to cut back on expenses in several areas, food costs being one of them. Jennifer Reese developed her own ideas in order to economize when she’d lost her job and now shares insights and recipes in her new book, "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn’t Cook from Scratch — Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods."
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter isn’t your grandmother’s (or even your mother’s) cookbook. In addition to recipes fea...more
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter isn’t your grandmother’s (or even your mother’s) cookbook. In addition to recipes fea...more
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter", by Jennifer Reese, is a fabulous, fascinating find for foodies! This is an entertaining encyclopedia of the pros and cons of making food from scratch rather than automatically buying it ready-made at the store. While I didn't always agree with the opinions and personal choices of Jennifer Reese, I have a tremendous respect for her expertise and love of subject. She writes with a sharp wit and a deglamorized, revealing look at her own life. This book is chock-full...more
Jennifer Reese had me at page 4, where she writes about horrifying herself with visions of the parents who buy Uncrustables, the frozen premade peanut butter sandwiches:
"Who buys Uncrustables? I saw a woman in a peach velour tracksuit with a Kate Gosselin haircut. She appeared pouty and spoiled and indolent, someone who would recline on the sofa watching Real Housewives and eating fat-free bonbons rather than make her kids' sandwiches. Then I pictured a man buying Uncrustables. A widower, he pus...more
"Who buys Uncrustables? I saw a woman in a peach velour tracksuit with a Kate Gosselin haircut. She appeared pouty and spoiled and indolent, someone who would recline on the sofa watching Real Housewives and eating fat-free bonbons rather than make her kids' sandwiches. Then I pictured a man buying Uncrustables. A widower, he pus...more
This fun and entertaining recipe book contains a lot of commentary exploring why we cook, and the advantages and disadvanages of making food from scratch. There is a peculiar ethic that some of us "home-made" enthusiasts follow that sometimes defies logic and we sometimes are presented with ridicule and exasperation when we spend so much time and effort on our passion. But this is an author who understands all that, and she goes to the extremes, so we don't have to. While she describes some reci...more
Did I find this book useful? Maybe. I now am encouraged to try baking bread, making yogurt, making hummus, and beef jerky, based on her book. I will report back after spending a Saturday doing these things and we will see.
But I got really tired of the tone after she started trying to raise livestock. So a minor digression.
There is an alarming persona at work in our culture. The tone in "Julie and Julia" and now in "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" is one of women who decide that they are going...more
But I got really tired of the tone after she started trying to raise livestock. So a minor digression.
There is an alarming persona at work in our culture. The tone in "Julie and Julia" and now in "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" is one of women who decide that they are going...more
A practical cookbook that's also fun to read. She walks a thin line well: the amount of money saved (or the greater quality gained) by making food from scratch versus buying it ready made from the store. There's no guilt here! She'll freely acknowledge that something is delicious and/or worthwhile to make from scratch, but in the next breath will encourage you to buy it because the hassle is so great. Or she will acknowledge that she's never been able to make a hamburger bun superior to a bakery...more
Jennifer Reese lost her job and began experimenting in the kitchen to see what was better when made at home and whether it was worth the time and labor involved to do so. The result is this cookbook which I like very much.
Reese's calm common-sense comes shining through in the introductions to each recipe. Her sensibilities are very much like mine and, just in case they aren't, she clearly describes her likes and dislikes about each project. Thus I know that I probably don't want to make my own...more
Reese's calm common-sense comes shining through in the introductions to each recipe. Her sensibilities are very much like mine and, just in case they aren't, she clearly describes her likes and dislikes about each project. Thus I know that I probably don't want to make my own...more
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“With backyard eggs, you can serve homemade eggnog at a holiday party with almost complete confidence that you won't make anyone sick--from Salmonella, anyway. Because drink enough homemade eggnog, and the race is on between heart failure and liver disease, unless a stroke fells you first. But life is short. Especially if you drink eggnog.”
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“Big food companies make hot dogs with mechanically separated meat (msm) that, as described matter-of-factly by the [USDA], is "a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue.". I read that and wanted to unread it.”
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Dec 28, 2012 05:42am
but seriously, i do enjoy cheese here! a lot! just not ricotta and mascarpone, which a...more
Dec 28, 2012 05:53am