The ABCs of Homesteading: K is for ‘Kitchen Skills’

Reader Contribution by Tasha Greer and Reluxe Ranch
Published on January 13, 2017

This is the ninth post in the ABCs of Homesteading series. Click here to read the rest of the series.

Famous chefs Alain Ducasse and Alice Waters have very different styles. But they both have a foundational philosophy of using impeccable ingredients and simple flavors to make miraculous meals. You can come close to their kind of magic, at home, if you grow your own food or buy from local farmers focused on flavor and nutrition.

Beyond great ingredients, thinking outside the box (literally) and simplifying common recipes makes daily deliciousness doable. Place an emphasis on the “whole” in wholesome by using ingredients like whole chickens, whole grains, whole vegetables including tops and peels. And when using anything that has been packaged make sure it only includes ingredients you recognize and would otherwise use at home.

If you’ve been habituated to commercially processed food, going simple may require a taste bud reset. A couple weeks of good wholesome eating should do it. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Active Ingredients. Baking recipes often call for baking powder as a leavening agent. That ubiquitous white stuff may harbor secret ingredients like aluminum and cornstarch. You can make a replacement using 1 part baking soda and ½ part cream of tartar (the white residue of tartaric acid from wine-making). Or, you can be a total rebel and change any recipe that calls for baking powder to ½ teaspoon of baking soda per 1 cup flour. This works great for recipes that contain sugar. But, it can occasionally go wrong in savory baking. For savory recipes, sub in a tablespoon of vinegar for part of your liquid content to activate the baking soda, and mix very well.

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