Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Homemade Pantry (Humpday Giveaway!!!)

I love serendipity. It reinforces my belief in an invisible, physical interconnectedness permeating all things, made manifest only if you're still and quiet enough to notice it. It makes life seem a bit less scary, a bit more meaningful.

Such was the case recently with Alana Chernila. I belong to several book buying clubs. Her book, The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying & Start Making, just published April 3rd. My book club began promoting it a few weeks ago and it instantly caught my eye. I checked into Alana, pre-ordered the book, and began following her on Twitter. Later that day, she followed me back, with a sweet message saying I seemed like someone she'd love to cook with. And so, an alliance was formed and we've been chatting each other up since. 

This book. THIS. BOOK. Friends, you're going to love it. Literally running the pantry gamut from soup to nuts, Alana expertly shows you how to craft in your kitchen many items you're currently buying. Most of the projects don't involve a great deal of time or a long list of ingredients, either, so you really are saving in so many ways. The book is packed with recipes she feeds her own family, so you can trust each one to deliver.

Not only is the book comprehensive in range, it's kitchen-friendly, too. The cover is meant to withstand repeated splatters and the pages (full of beautiful photography!) are meant to be dog-eared and turned to, again and again.

I purchased my own copy and was so deeply smitten with it that I didn't want to give it away! I wrote Alana, detailing my plight to her. Her publisher, Potter, then generously offered to give a copy to one lucky small measure reader. To be entered in the giveaway, simply leave a comment below, listing one pantry staple you've long wished to conquer. For me, it's several (it's so hard to choose!): sauerkraut, bread, and mayonnaise.

In your reply, please leave a means of contacting you, should you be the winner, via either a link to your blog or website, or by listing your email address in your comment. I'll run the giveaway through next Wednesday, April 25th, midnight EST. Canadians, feel free to enter, too!

In the meantime, check out Alana's blog, Eating From the Ground Up, as well as her food tutorial videos. She's a lovely lady, a creative cook, a nurturing mama, and a sweet soul. Thanks, serendipity, for hitching my wagon to hers!

UPDATE: The winner of The Homemade Pantry is lucky #208, Amy! Thank you so very much to everyone who commented. I'm inspired by what everyone wants to learn to do!

262 comments:

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Jan said...

Thanks for sharing Alana's website and giving someone the opportunity to have her book. So much help needed here...but I'd love more assistance with bread and with home canning meat. Thanks again! jangreg.thomas@mchsi.com

Kat said...

Tomato Sauce! It just never quite works out great for me. This book looks so yummy! And I just recently got to spend a few days in Asheville (from VT!) and it's quite the lovely place you've got there!

Terri said...

peanut butter and I'd love a good ketchup one too.
email: terriodea@gmail.com

alexa said...

Awesome! And I just love the cover of this book. Must be that punch of colour!

I think the staple we'd love to conquer would also be bread. But not just any bread. Pita bread. Thin pita bread.

Kimberly Peck Photography said...

oh how i would love to win!! my pantry needs an overhaul, and i need some inspiration! i would love to know how to make really yummy almond butter. with or without maple syrup :)
kpeckphotography@comcast.net

Hugh said...

Cheese is my downfall. I'd love to be able to use it better when cooking. hblair at gmail dot com

francesj said...

I would have to say condiments, but BBQ sauce in particular. I usually buy a bottle (so expensive, so many chemicals!) and then doctor it myself anyway, but I haven't successfully made a base that works myself.

This book is really up my alley--during the past 10 years, I've gone from a junk food queen to making most of our food from scratch, and using local ingredients. I'd love to manage the last stretch and get the commercial bottles out of my pantry!

f.jorgensen2010@gmail.com

Leigh said...

sprouted grain breads.

Thanks for the chance!

nasturtium(at)fastmail.fm

Liz said...

This book looks amazing! I would love to learn how to make homemade ketchup.

Hausfrau said...

Just saw this book online yesterday and thought it looked very cool! I'd like to try making pasta and crackers.

Anonymous said...

This book sounds awesome! Those pop tarts on the cover look amazing!

chocolilybeans@gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Crackers. A nice all round cheese cracker without a lot of shall we say unnecessary ingredients. : )

Rachel said...

Mayo! My husband eats it by the gallon, plus we have laying hens so it really shouldn't be that hard. rachelryall@gmail.com

Libby said...

Mustard. I would love to make a good mustard. All the ones I've ever made were sadly lacking in taste, texture or just plain yellow-ness.....and my email is Mia DOT cupcake AT yahoo :)

Kate @ Snowflake Kitchen said...

I'm doing sauerkraut for the first time - so far so good!

naturally crafted mama said...

i'd love to learn to make a good sandwich bread (mine are always too dense) and would LOVE to make cheese. this book looks fantastic!

6512 and growing said...

mustard is next.

Renee A. said...

Definitely bread! I have been trying many times to make it in my oven but it comes out perfect on the outside and uncooked and doughy on the inside.

Renee A said...

Ops,forgot my email with my comment above.
reneealam@verizon.net

kyunglee said...

Mustard, please!

Megan said...

Cheese! and pickled anything! really wanting to try that this year....I would love to win this book!
mailmegster@gmail.com

ikkinlala said...

I'd love to make my own crackers. I make a couple of kinds, but I haven't found good recipes yet for some of our other favourites.

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

Ellie said...

Mustard! I must learn how to make yummy textured mustard!

http://huckleberryandhoney.blogspot.com

Sherrie said...

Yipes! This book looks amazing. I still haven't perfected salsa.

SJ said...

Sauerkraut!! We were just talking about this over lunch today.

SJ said...

Sauerkaut! We were just talking about this today!

Katie said...

Oh, I am dying to read this book! I would say that the pantry staple I'm the most interested in figuring out right now is crackers and biscuits. I've been meaning to give them a try but have been focusing more on canning and such.

gloryq@gmail.com

Eileen said...

Thanks for the giveaway! I am most excited to try lactofermentation--I just have to find somewhere that the sauerkraut crock can live without making the whole house reek. :)

wt said...

Bread! and pickles! Thanks for the giveaway!! nursetrig at gmail.com

Alison said...

I have been reading about this book and would love to add it to me collection. I have always wanted to learn to make homemade bagels.

Kelly said...

I am intrigued by this book. As someone who is constantly on the go, I usually grab a pb&j sandwich for breakfast. I would love to find a recipe for a healthy breakfast bar that I could make to grab instead. I am wondering if this book would have such a recipe?
~ctrswingkid@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

ketchup! and better bread. aninspireddesire (at) gmail (dot) com

Bram Spiero said...

Yes, Ketchup and pickles and tomato paste

http://medisoul.blogspot.com/

Bram Spiero said...

ketchup and pickles and tomato paste

Lisa said...

This summer I plan to try (and can) a whole bunch of salsa recipes -- hopefully, I'll find a few keepers! Tortillas are also on the list, since it's hard to find good, cheap ones in VT...

beth said...

I would like to try cheese and ketchup and Greek yogurt and so many more!!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be able to bake a nice loaf of bread!

Julie said...

That book looks wonderful!! There's lots I already make, and lots more I'd like to try...I think cheese is at the top of my list :-) my email is juliealley96@yahoo.ca

Beth said...

Yogurt! Mayonnaise.

bergerfamily@bellsouth.net

Meaghan said...

I would love this book! My email is zmeaghan@gmail.com

Jenny Bartoy said...

Oooh I would so love to win The Homemade Pantry! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway -- and the great review which is reinforcing my desire to own this book.

Staples I'd like to master? Bread, butter, ketchup, mustard, mayo... The list goes on. My husband handles all the pickling and fermenting in the household, so I don't have to worry about those!

Dulcimer said...

I already make my own sandwich bread and I've tried cheese, but haven't mastered that one. Salsa would be good, too!

dulcimer DOT hope AT gmail DOT com

Elle Ross said...

I would love to make bread and pasta!

WildRose said...

I would absolutely LOVE to win this book! Too many things to choose from, but cheese would be among the top items. I love to teach others and the knowledge would be passed on...

mckeewp81@live.com said...

I would to be able to make all the bread and condiments we use, because that is basically what we buy at wal-mart, and I hate wal-mart, and would love to one day not have to go back! And I truly love a piece of homemade bread hot out of the oven with homemade butter melted into it, ah true bliss! And I would love to win this book, because I never win anything!! :o(

Notes from Maggie's Farm said...

I want to learn to make those little pocket pies. http://frommaggiesfarm.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I'd say cereal. I know it's easy - steel cut oats, granola. But still. I can't resist a box of Life cereal.

Looking forward to picking this book up if I'm not so lucky to win it!

Jessica
sayhellorosie@gmail.com

Susan said...

Condiments, for sure...like a really good beer mustard:)

Thanks,
susanyetman@gmail.com

Stacielynn said...

I want to make EVERYTHING! The less I can rely on pre-made foods the better I feel!

stacieandadam AT gmail DOT com

Thank you for another great giveaway!

City Girl said...

I would love to conquer crackers!

City Girl said...

I would love to conquer crackers!

Karen said...

I'd love to learn how to make graham crackers!

~Karen S.
pansy1@gmail.com

Karen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Angie Lavezzo said...

I'd like to become awesome at making all of our condiments. Although those 'pop tarts' on the cover look pretty durned amazing. aml10377@yahoo.com

Jennifer Brewer jnnfr_brwr@hotmail.com said...

Like everyone else, I would like to make my own bread, yogurt and condiments. I've tried some on my own or dug the internet for recipes - but if Ashley English is giving it props this book has to have the answers. More than anything, I'd like to quit buying rice cakes. I LOVe them and eat one with PB and jelly every day.

Elizabeth said...

I am a huge cracker girl so I would like to perfect those. After that conquest, I am on to bread. Elizabeth epdeans@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I want! I want!
-J

mtnbkscr20@yahoo.com

Julie said...

It seems so darn simple, but I can't for the life of me turn out a good (I mean REALLY good) granola! That is one thing I'd love to find a recipe for that's more than the basic "oats n honey" type. And my email is belumoon@hotmail.com

maia said...

Definitely yogurt and bread. I've gotten pretty good at the crusty italian bread, but struggle to make that soft sandwich bread my boys love so much. What a fabulous book!

Prairie Cat said...

Mayo and ketchup are on my list! Although maybe I should avoid knowing how to make mayo, just to keep myself from eating too much of it. Dilemmas!

Kitchen Dinnerware said...

well nice book. I been looking for art like this. finally i got it thanks for posting.

elisa said...

this sounds like exactly the sort of cooking i love to do. i'll look for her book - thanks for telling us about it ashley! x

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