This book is essential for your kitchen. I hate going to make something just to realize I'm missing an ingredient. Or trying to figure out how to turn a recipe I love healthier or vegetarian. The first one is usually a quick google search, the other two can often take quite awhile as I look for the right information. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to be in the kitchen as it will save you plenty of time. ( )

This is an odd sort of book. It's an alphabetical dictionary of any food ingredient you might need and what to use if you don't have it, or if you need to avoid it. Thus on the first pages we find:

ACHIOTE/ACHUETE See ANNATTO OIL; ANNATTO SEEDS

ACHIOTE PASTE/RECADO ROJO (Latin American seasoning and coloring) - 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon Sazon Goya Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons ground annatto seeds or powdered annatto/bijol (for coloring; lacks seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon paprika (for coloring only)

ACIDULATED WATER (anti-browning agent for certain cut fruits and vegetables) - 1 cup
• 1 cup water plus 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (rinse well with fresh water after soaking)
• 1 cup water plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup water plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 cup water plus small pinch ascorbic acid granules, or 1 (250-mg) pure vitamin C pill crushed to a powder
• 1 cup apple juice (for holding prepared apples)

ACITRÓN (Mexican candied cactus pieces) - 4 ounces
• 4 ounces candied pineapple

On page 500 we find:

PECTIN, REGULAR, POWDERED - 0.4 ounce (enough for two 1/2-pint jars)
• 1 1/2 ounces regular liquid pectin (Add after the mixture is brought to a full boil, bring again to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute to activate the pectin.)
• 1 (0.6-ounce) packet instant powdered pectin (Reduce the sugar by half and prepare following the package directions.)
• 4 teaspoons powdered apple pectin (Add after the mixture is brought to a full boil, bring again to a full boil, and boil for 3 minutes to activate the pectin.)
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice, if not already included in the recipe (for jams and preserves; will also reduce the amount of sugar required)
• 1 slightly underripe quince, peeled and chopped (for jams and preserves)
• 1 crab apple or small tart green apple, peeled and grated (for jams and preserves)
• One-quarter of the fruit underripe and three-quarters of the fruit fully ripe (for jams and preserves)
• Increase the cooking time until the jam reaches the desired gel (will result in reduced volume).
PEKMEZ/PETIMEZI (thick Turkish sweetener) See GRAPE MOLASSES

PENNYWORT, ASIATIC/GOTU KOLA/GOTUKOLLE/BUA BOK - 1 bunch (4 ounces/1 cup sprigs)
• 1 cup baby arugula leaves, flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or watercress sprigs

PEPPADEW/PIQUANTÉ PEPPERS, JARRED (South African sweet pickled Juanitapeppers)
• Pickled Italian cherry peppers or pepperoncini, plus a little sugar, agave syrup/nectar, or other sweetener added to the brine

and on the 741, final page of the list:

ZERESHK (Middle Eastern small dried berries) See BARBERRIES, DRIED

ZINFANDEL VINEGAR - 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar, or other mellow red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red wine

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS See SQUASH BLOSSOMS, SUMMER

ZUCCHINI/ITALIAN SQUASH/COURGETTES (straightneck, round, and baby/mixed colors) - 1 pound
• 1 pound pattypan or scallop, globe, calabacitas, yellow squash (straightneck or crookneck), Tromboncino, young Zuccheta, or Zephyr summer squash
• 1 pound young calabash/cucuzza, chayote, or bottle gourd
• 1 pound green, immature Potimarron squash (for round French zucchini/Ronde de Nice; more dense)
• 1 pound seedless cucumbers, such as Armenian, Asian, Persian, or Kirby (juicier)

That's it. A huge long list. No text. Very useful but very odd.

I received a review copy of "The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook: Including Options for Low-Sugar, Low-Fat, Low-Salt, Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free, and Vegan" by Jean B. MacLeod (BooksGoSocial) through NetGalley.com. ( )

This is an amazing book of substitutions that really reads like a dictionary. This would be a great addition to anyone's kitchen for swapping out ingredients for healthier choices. There are amazing recipes as well. The vegan ganache looks amazing and I did experiment with it, I was very pleased with the recipe!



Great addition for anyone that wants a complete and I do mean complete, book for healthy food swaps.




This review was originally posted on Fictional Blonde ( )

This handbook is really an indispensable reference in any kitchen and for any cook that does not have every single possible ingredient at hand. Since it is almost impossible to have access to every ingredient this book will offer options and useful substitutions.

While this isn't a book to read cover to cover (though I know a couple people who would likely enjoy doing so) it rewards at least a fairly thorough perusing. In addition to things you won't know you need until you need them there are some recipes for things that may well appeal to you and be worth a try. I made several notes on things I want to make and try.

This might not be for the cook who only cooks on occasion or sticks to commonly available ingredients, this is a must have for cooks who cook often and who like to experiment with their meals. I didn't expect to get new ideas from it, I was excited enough to be able to have options when I try a recipe that calls for something I don't generally have or can't easily find. Finding new inspirations between the covers is an added bonus.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )