Beyond Flour: A Fresh Approach to Gluten-free Cooking and Baking

How many times have you come across a gluten-free recipe claiming to be "just as good as the normal version!", only to find that the author must have had some skewed memories on what the "normal" version tasted, looked, and/or felt like?

How many times have you felt the need to settle for food with weird after-taste, gummy consistency, or cardboard-like texture, convinced that this is your new lot in life?

Most gluten-free recipes are developed by taking a "normal" recipe, and swapping in a simulated "all purpose" gluten-free flour... whether store bought, or a homemade version.

"Beyond Flour" takes a bit of a different approach: developing the recipe from scratch. Rather than just swapping out the flour for an "all purpose" mix, Marie Porter uses various alternative flours as individual ingredients - skillfully blending flavours, textures, and other properties unique to each flour - not making use of any kind of all-purpose flour mix. Supporting ingredients and different techniques are also utilized to achieve the perfect end goal ... not just a "reasonable facsimile".

   
Think about it:

- Fresh pasta! Yes, you can have ravioli again - Gyoza too!
- Homemade "Chinese takeout", BETTER than the real thing!
- Deep dish pizza that's crispy outside & tender inside... like pizza is SUPPOSED to be!
- Chewy, delicious cookies that *everyone* will want to eat!
- Never having to present a dish with an apology for it being Gluten-Free.
- Indulging some of your deepest, darkest guilty pleasure cravings... safely and joyously!

Make no mistake - this is NOT a healthy cookbook. You will find yourself gorging on foods that you thought would never cross your lips again. You'll probably gain some weight, and you'll definitely need to learn how to defend your gluten-free food from invasion by your non-GF friends and family. (Well, or make enough for everyone!)

Marie Porter is an award winning cake artist, recipe developer, food blogger and author based in Minnesota's Twin Cities. As a cook with autoimmune related gluten aallergies, Marie has long seen the need for a proper gluten-free cookbook... not only for those required to be gluten-free, but also for those interested in the taste and  nutrition benefits of utilizing alternate, non-wheat flours.

"Beyond Flour" is Marie's fourth cookbook. "The Spirited Baker: Intoxicating Desserts and Potent Potables" was released in 2010, followed by "Evil Cake Overlord: Ridiculously Delicious Cakes" in 2011. In 2013, Marie authored "Sweet Corn Spectacular" for Minnesota Historical Society press.  In addition to cookbooks, she is the author of a line of six sewing manuals, "Spandex Simplified". Marie's lifestyle blog - Celebration Generation - is full of recipes, craft projects, and even the odd rant!  

Diagnosed with Aspergers in her teens, Marie sees autism as her "superpower". Her acute senses of taste and smell help enormously in the kitchen, and an intuitive understanding of food chemistry allows her to "bake like she cooks". She can replicate a dish after tasting it, and is able to easily develop gluten free recipes using her "outside of the box" views, ideas, & food experience.