cover image Milk Free Kitchen

Milk Free Kitchen

Beth Kidder. Henry Holt & Company, $27.95 (480pp) ISBN 978-0-8050-1255-2

For people afflicted with either dairy allergies or lactose intolerance, substitution has long been the buzzword in cooking. Here Kidder, a biological researcher, shows readers how to use fruit juices, soy milk and tofu in place of dairy products. The result: tasty and satisfying dips and main courses (although many home cooks may not take kindly to some of the soups, which employ canned condensed soups as bases). The biggest challenge is posed by dairy-free baked goods, and Kidder offers many nominations: dairy-free Sacher torte, carrot cake, chocolate mousse, pancakes, waffles, puddings and frostings. She also gives advice on ordering meals in restaurants and on plane trips, and provides a list of food products to avoid, from the most obvious--milk--to the much less so. It would have been helpful to include food breakdowns and calorie counts, as well as a discussion of how to get dietary calcium often lacking in people who follow dairy-free diets. Because some lactose-intolerant folks can tolerate cheeses made from goat's and sheep's milk, several recipes call for these ingredients. (Jan.)