A Cookbook For Those With Food Allergies

I am so excited to announce that a new cookbook is in the works to fill a need within the community of people who have some very special dietary needs. While I was aware that some small number of individuals had food allergies to things like peanuts and shellfish, it was not a topic that was really on my radar.

That changed when my daughter’s migraine headaches in high school were linked to food allergies for wheat and corn. She had been suffering to the point of having to be hospitalized with migraines, and we were having every neurological test known to medical science run to figure out the cause. Out of the blue, an acquaintance of my wife’s asked if we had ever tested Molly for food allergies—WOW—what a revelation.

Since she eliminated gluten and corn from her diet, the headaches have vanished. Needless to say, people with special dietary needs jumped to the forefront of my thinking. I share all of this with you because as I read about this subject I am discovering that people affected by ADD, Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum along with Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity can all be affected positively with a change in diet.

Faye Elahi, M.S., M. A. holds Masters Degrees in Nutrition, Child Psychology and Mass Communications. Her Nutrition Practice in the north Dallas area has been well known since 1989 and her work has been documented and published by such organizations as ADA.

Her new cookbook, Ready, Set, Eat is based on 20 years of observation and data collection. She addresses what we need to know about the Western diet, toxins that surround us, and their combined effects on health. She offers step-by-step techniques that have helped her clients manage challenging diets free of gluten, casein, lactose, yeast and food allergens with tips on how to feed a picky eater. With everyday recipes covering breads to ice cream, you're sure to find just what you're looking for. Recipes include brownies, flaky buttermilk biscuits, chicken potato salad, and lasagna - all free of food allergens. The book has an easy to follow format which puts together a 4-week menu with full-color photos which should be motivation to anyone to try the Nutrition Foundation Program.

Look for this new book Ready, Set, Eat on book store shelves later in the fall—or reserve a copy through Faye’s website—www.specialneedsnutrition.com

A Thought--Gulf Oil Spill and Our Seafood Supply

Last week I posted a blog on grilling shrimp, which by the way turned out great. As I read the article recommended here I had just completed reading another report on why China prices have begun to rise dramatically. It is amazing how an event a continent away can affect the small world we live in today.

None of us yet know the implicaitons of the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf; however the folks living along the Gulf Coast in LA, MS, AL and FL can tell you how it is affecting their lives and incomes. Of course this blog is about food so I hope you will appreciate the story attached--I purposely didn't suggest you "enjoy" the story because it is a tough read but a necessary one.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/07/28/dishes-at-risk-cooking-on-the-gulf-coast/

Junior League of Tampa Culinary Collection

Because Robin and I enjoy trying recipes from this series of books I am loving their blog--giving me inside scoop on the recipes. I think we will try this taco salad tomorrow night.

http://jltcookbooks.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/tot-taco-salad/

The College Community

With the end of July both college freshman as well as upper class returnee’s will begin planning for the return to campus life. For those in the Greek system that usually is about a week prior to registration. No matter what part of the college community you are involved with it will include food and money.

One “must have” dorm or apartment item for the fall is College Cooking with Julie. This is a cookbook written by a college student at the end of her undergraduate program—it is a virtual survivor’s guide to food for college kids on a budget and with limited kitchen facilities.

Julie Hoffman wrote the book after watching friends at Auburn University burn through their money each month by overspending on junk food with little thought about how they would eat the rest of the month. So if you are going back to school, or just going for the first time, do yourself a favor and join Julie’s community of healthy and frugal college cuisine.

Emily's Grilled Shrimp

Out of the blue last week, my daughter, Emily, a real food lover (you would never guess by looking at her--yes that is Emily on the left), called to suggest we grill shrimp. Great idea, but I have never grilled shrimp before.

However, being a Dad who can’t deny his “sweet” daughters’ reasonable requests, I agreed. Now, all I had to do was find shrimp recipes for the grill. With bookshelves bursting of cookbooks, this wasn’t a difficult task; the difficult part is choosing which recipe to try!

Here is a list of recipes we put together along with advice from our Editorial Director and friend, Mary Cummings. I think we are going with either the Spice Rubbed Shrimp Kabobs from Capture the Coast or the Tequila and Lime Juice marinade from da Cajun Critter

I’ll tell you after we try these out—I might even do a batch of each. One thing for sure is that if its a recipe in a community cookbook that recipe will be a good one because it was submitted by someone who cares.
Please let me know if you try one of these or if you have a favorite to share

Closed on Tuesdays: A grilled, summery version of curried shrimp, "Shrimp with Coconut-Pineapple Curry".

da cajun critter: A tequila and lime juice marinade, plus a pairing summer veggies and pineapple on the kabobs for grilling makes "Shrimp Kabobs" a must for summer.

Fiesta Seafood Cookbook: A go-to source for grilled shrimp, from "Chilled Gazpacho with Ginger-Lime Marinated Shrimp" and "Grecian Shrimp Salad" to "Chipotle Shrimp" and "Grilled Gulf Shrimp with Black Bean Cakes and Roasted Red Pepper Caulis."

Treasures from the Bend: "Fiesta Shrimp" a great medley of shrimp, fresh corn, cheese and seasonings frilled in foil over hot coals.

Cincinnati Seasoned: A marinade of chilies, orange, lime and pineapple juices and seasonings spark this "Caribbean-Spiced Grilled Shrimp."

Orange County Fare: Spicy "Lime-Garlic Shrimp" paired with an extra easy "Mango Mint Salsa" and "Grilled Shell-On Salted Shrimp" make easy, delicious outdoor eating.

Capture the Coast: Just off the press, the latest in the "Culinary Collection" from the Junior League of Tampa: "Spice-Rubbed Shrimp Kebabs" eliminate the need to marinate ahead while giving the shrimp a real kick of flavor.

Beyond Community Cookbooks

Many of you might not know it, but in addition to our community cookbooks, Favorite Recipes Press produces many commercial books, as well. FRP has produced books for Publix Supermarkets, Kroger, Central Market, Mohegan Sun Resort, LuBerge D’Lac Resort and Casino, and The Melting Pot Fondue Restaurants. Many of these entities develop books to build their brand, and, in some cases, support a non-profit.

One very interesting cookbook which we had the pleasure of producing last year was Southeast Asian Flavors by Robert Danhi. Robert is a distinguished and Award Winning Chef who teaches Southeast Asian cooking and travels extensively to Southeast Asia regularly.

Robert’s love of this cuisine was developed after he met his wife Estrellita Leong while taking classes at El Camino Community College in Los Angeles. After taking a trip to her homeland in Malaysia, Robert’s passion for all things Southeast Asian exploded. One of Robert’s main objectives in his Southeast Asian Flavors was to demystify Southeast Asian cuisine for home cooks.
This gorgeous, 400 page coffee table cookbook takes the reader on a cooking adventure through Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. It is loaded with beautiful photographs of both the food and the culture.

Chef Danhi was recently featured in Fine Cooking magazine where they highlighted his Tea-Smoked Duck. Southeast Asian Flavors will motivate and inspire you to try exotic dishes and flavors that you never dreamed of. Chef Danhi not only shares great recipes, but teaches us how and why ingredients work together—this is as great a read as it is a cookbook.

Navigating the waters of distribution

One of the most frequently asked questions we hear is, “What are you going to do to sell my book?” The answer is always the same, “If you are looking for anyone other than yourself to sell your book, then you shouldn’t publish.” In fact, FRP does offer a distribution service into chain and gift stores, but those entities only order based on demand. Demand is generated through marketing efforts put forth by you. No one is going to care more about your book than you do.

The two biggest reasons that authors self-publish are to retain control and to maximize profits. One of our most successful publishers has several “trade published” books on the market, but she has told us repeatedly that the titles she self-publishes are the most profitable. Here is an article we published on working with distributors—I hope if clarifies some questions you might have on how books are sold.



Navigating the waters of distribution