Lactose-Free Statin Drug Lescol

Statin drugs are prescribed to reduce cholesterol, making them some of the most commonly used drugs in America. Unfortunately, nearly every one of them uses lactose as an inactive ingredient.

Several years ago I had hopes that a new statin drug that didn't cause muscle pain, a common side-effect, might also be lactose-free. No such luck. Ezetrol (ezetimibe) does contain lactose now that it's on the market.

There is one brand name that doesn't. Lescol.

Lescol doesn't work for everybody and has side-effects of its own, as a correspondent recently wrote me. I tried to find a substitute, but no luck.

The alternative is to pay an additional fee and go to a compounding pharmacy. They make up prescriptions to order with offending ingredients removed. I wrote about them in Try a Compounding Pharmacy for Lactose-Free Medications and it's time I gave you a reminder.

The links I gave then are still good.

There seem to be two major trade organizations.

The Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) has more than 3500 members, many of them outside American in Canada, Australia, Europe and New Zealand. To find a compounding pharmacist close to you, call them at 1-800-331-2498 or email customerservice@pccarx.com.

The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) represents more than "1,800 pharmacists, physicians, technicians and patients."

Milk's Not the Worst Thing Your Teenager Can Do

How bad has the anti-milk and milk is poison campaigns gotten? Parents are now going to doctors worried sick because their healthy children are *gasp* drinking milk.

You're going to think I'm making this up, so I have to quote this letter to the doctor column of the major UK newspaper, The Guardian.

Since my 15-year-old son was born, he has been a great milk drinker. Now, at 6ft tall, healthy, active and without an ounce of fat on him, he drinks between 12 and 16 pints of milk a week, and we're a little worried about the possible long-term effects. He is of mixed Indian/English background – I say this because I know that lactose intolerance can be a problem for Asians, having experienced it first hand. What can we advise him?

What a horrible tragedy! He's fit, fat-free, 6ft tall. He's practically superhuman. Let's stop this madness!

Fortunately, Dr. Tom Clark doesn't see the need to panic. In fact, he says, calmly, "There are a whole lot worse teenage habits to have than drinking a lot of milk."


I can't help but be reminded of PETA's horrifying - and failed - "Got Beer" campaign. Back in 2000, they seriously tried to make the claim. "The campaign compares the nutritional and moral benefits of beer vs. milk, and says beer comes out on top."

Honestly, milk is better for your 15-year-old child than beer. As long as he's fit and doesn't start showing lactose intolerance symptoms, then he's just fine. Maybe he'll become a doctor, even, giving more good medical advice.

Goat Milk No Cure for Lactose Intolerance

I could do a post about the ignorance of people concerning goat milk almost every day. It would bore you and raise my blood pressure, so I don't. I said it all last year when I asked Goat Milk. Will the Ignorance Ever Stop?

In that post I wrote, "Goat milk dairy products will contain almost exactly the same amount of lactose as cow's milk dairy products." That's true. It's true today. It was true fifty years ago, too.

So how do you explain this, Mr. Smarty Pants?, I hear you ask when you read:

"I am standing here in front of you today because my father was born lactose intolerant," Joey Hoegger of Hoegger Supply tells his audience.

When Hoegger’s father was born and couldn't stomach the cow's milk, Hoegger's grandfather was advised to use goat's milk instead.

(The credulous reporter is Adelia Ladson of The Moultrie Observer.

If goat milk has exactly the same amount of lactose as cow's milk then how did Joey Hoegger's father survive? Because he wasn't lactose intolerant. He might have been allergic to cow's milk, though. Goat's milk does have a different set of proteins than does cow's milk, so some people who are allergic to the one are not allergic to the other.

As I keep repeating, however, lactose intolerance and milk protein allergy are two entirely different things, having no relation to one another at all. They merely both involve milk.

Since this can literally be life and death, the distinction is critical. Let's hope that doctors can explain themselves better today than they could when Mr. Hoegger was born.

Daiya Vegan Cheese Makes Good Lasagna, She Says

aiya is the hottest new dairy-free product that I've seen in a while. I first posted about it a year ago and it's made my blog several times since.

Why all the attention? Because of the extraordinary claims Daiya makes.

Daiya is a revolutionary new dairy-free vegan cheese that tastes, shreds, melts and stretches like dairy based cheese. Daiya is not made with casein, the protein found in dairy products or soy, common to many other non-dairy cheese alternatives. In fact, Daiya does not contain any common allergens, animal products or cholesterol.

A non-allergic vegan cheese that melts like real dairy cheese can, dare I say it, rule the world! Or at least, lasagna.

That's what Missy Berggren says on her blog at MinnPost.com.

The Daiya cheese was gooey and tasted great, and the flavor of the sauce tastes the same as the traditional recipe. The best part though? It reheated well in the microwave! I feasted on this lasagna for days and it reheated really well each time.

Now, I don't want you to think it tastes exactly like regular cheese, because it doesn't. But it's by far the best substitute I've tried - and the consistency makes it awesome!

Sophie Safe Food Guide

It's been three years since I posted about Emily Hendrix's Sophie-Safe Cooking: A Collection of Family Friendly Recipes That are Free of Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish and Shellfish.

Ms. Hendrix has not been idle since. She recently alerted me to her new endeavor, the Sophie Safe Food Guide.

Sophie Safe Food Guide will expand your options and speed up your grocery shopping. Once you have registered for a free membership, you can set up a profile listing the dietary restrictions of members of your family. Using the profile you build, the Sophie Safe Food Guide will search ingredient lists containing 16002 foods, and match your needs with items that you can find in the grocery store. Not sure if this will be helpful? Try it out...for FREE!

There's also a premium membership for $3/Month or $30/Year that offers a few more bells and whistles.

Rice-Based Dairy-Free Protein Powder

I've said frequently and forcefully that detox and purification programs are quackery. You don't have toxic chemicals in your body that can be "detoxified" nor is stuff sitting up in your colon that doesn't come out with normal excretion.

Normally, therefore, when I see a product designed for a purification program I'd just skip right over it.

Of course, products have more than one use and some of those uses may be far more beneficial.

That's why I'm mentioning Standard Process's SP Complete Dairy Free rice protein powder.

SP Complete Dairy Free is a nutritious whole food supplement powder that mixes with water, or with fruits and vegetables to make healthy shakes. It provides vital nutrients, and contains the same whole food ingredients as SP Complete, but with rice protein instead of whey.

There are many whey-based and soy-based protein powders on the market. Unfortunately, a large number of people are allergic to whey or soy or both. An alternative and less-allergenic protein source is valuable to know about.

Green Valley Organics Debuts Lactose-Free Kefir

Kefir is an age-old fermented dairy drink. Think of it being a little like a drinkable yogurt. There's been true lactose-free dairy yogurts for years, but I hadn't heard of a lactose-free dairy kefir before.

But Green Valley Organics just debuted lactose-free kefir. And a line of lactose-free yogurts too, just to make it interesting.

Green Valley Organics™ is the first line of lactose free yogurts and kefirs to be available nationwide, making it possible for millions of lactose intolerant Americans to enjoy the great taste and health benefits of real dairy without tummy troubles.

To create these first-of-their-kind products, the natural enzyme lactase is added. Lactose intolerant individuals do not produce lactase and therefore cannot digest the milk sugar, lactose, in dairy. When added to the milk the lactase breaks down the lactose into the easily digested simple sugars glucose and galactose. No chemicals are used and the nutritional composition of the milk is not altered in any way so consumers still get all of the great taste, calcium, protein and B vitamins of real dairy without the unpleasant symptoms of lactose intolerance.

"Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir are functional superfoods that help promote bone health, good digestion and a strong immune system,” said Dr. Liz Applegate, Director of Sports Nutrition at UC Davis. “Until now, lactose intolerant consumers haven’t had a lactose free, real dairy option which Green Valley Organics delivers with live active cultures that have a variety of health benefits.”

In addition to being delicious, Certified Humane®, low fat, kosher, GMO and gluten-free, Green Valley Organics is also the only dairy brand to offer Flourish™ – a custom blend of 10 live active probiotic cultures that promotes optimal digestive and immune system health (the USDA requires two cultures for yogurts).

Green Valley Organics blends the best quality fruits and ingredients into its creamy smooth and naturally sweet, lower-in-sugar yogurts and kefirs, which also makes these products an excellent choice for diabetics or anyone watching their sugar intake. Yogurt flavors include Plain, Blueberry, Honey, Strawberry and Vanilla. Kefir is available in Traditional Plain and Blueberry Pomegranate Acai.

Dr. Applegate must have a deal with Green Valley, because they also feature a whole page on her answering questions about lactose intolerance.

FDA Crackdown on Chelators

Sadly for the hopes of many parents, the GFCF (gluten-free, dairy-free) diet has not passed any medical testing as a cure for autism. The claims made by the people who tout the diet are suspect anyway, because they try many different things at once. This is quite natural and understandable, but it makes nonsense of any chance of separating out what works from what doesn't.

The evidence suggests that not much works, which makes piling pills upon the other attempts even more problematical.

Here's a quick rule that should work in almost every situation. If someone says you need to "detoxify," put your hand on your wallet and run in the other direction.

Chelators are powerful chemicals that are designed to remove heavy metals from the body. They work for the few individuals who really do have heavy metal buildup. There is not the slightest evidence that autistic children do or that their bodies have to be detoxified of them.

That doesn't prevent unscrupulous companies from selling chelators to parents to give to their children. The FDA has stepped in to put a stop to the quackery. The article by Deborah Huso on AOL Health said:

[Thursday, October 15, 2010] the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cracked down on eight companies marketing purportedly dangerous over-the-counter treatments for autism. The companies sell products, known as chelators, touting them as effective in the treatment of autism as well as heart disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and macular degeneration.

The FDA warned eight companies, including World Health Products, LLC, and Evenbetternow, LLC, to correct violations that misled consumers into believing unproven treatments for autism and other diseases are safe and effective. One of the companies cited for violations, Artery Health Institute, LLC, claims on its website that its oral chelation product can reverse atherosclerosis. ...

"The companies advertising these products claim that these diseases are the result of heavy metal contamination in the body and that chelators will 'detoxify' them," FDA spokesperson Siobhan DeLancey told AOL Health. "There is no proof that 'detoxification' using these products is effective to prevent or treat any of these conditions."

DeLancey warns any consumers currently making use of these drugs to treat themselves or their children to cease their use and consult a physician immediately. The use of chelators can lead to dangerous dehydration, kidney failure and even death.

Please do not use these pills for any purposes for which they are not intended by prescription. Dump them out of your medicine cabinets if you already have them. Trying anything is not always better than trying nothing. Some things are truly dangerous.

Liquid Lactase on Sale at eBay

Despite all the anguish from a few whenever liquid lactase drops vanish from the American market, the sad reality is that not enough people buy them.

I posted last year that Remko Hiemstra, a Dutch manufacturer of lactase, had made Disolact liquid lactase available through eBay.

The bad news is that it didn't sell as well as he hoped. The good news is that he is putting the last 200 bottles up for sale on eBay at a reduced "buy now" price of $4.50 plus $2.00 shipping.

Go to eBay to make a purchase. You can also enter in a lower bid.

The Dairy Free Diva Recipe Exchange

At the top of the Dairy Free Diva Recipe Exchange Site stands a whole lone of corralled cows cowed behind the universal big red slashing line that symbolized NO. No dairy. No meat. No processed cow effluvia.

Just recipes galore. Potato-Leek Breakfast Casserole. Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh. Cashew Cheeze Spread. Spinach Fettuccine with Creamy Pesto Sauce. Vegan New England Chowder.

Click on any of the pictures of the foods,

like the Almond Sour Cream Coffee Cake

and you'll be taken to a long and detailed set of instructions.

Looks to be lots of amazing recipes. Please give them a try and come back and drop off a review.

Most Vegan Friendly College

OK, it's from PETA2, the younger-skewing and fortunately less batshit insane offshoot of PETA. But the competition doesn't see out to offend people with brains and sensibilities. It's a March Madness-like playoff for the Most Vegan Friendly College.

Does your college have faux-chicken drumsticks that would put any side salad to shame? How about a soy ice-cream bar? Or veggie sushi, made to order? Schools on our Most Vegan-Friendly Colleges list do! Check out all the tasty vegan options that our top schools offer and then vote for your favorite to help us decide who will get the prestigious title of peta2's Most Vegan-Friendly College!

Round 1: The competition is underway! Choose carefully, as these top schools battle it out head-to-head, fighting for the title of Most Vegan-Friendly College in the country! Voting for round 1 ends October 18. Winners will be announced November 19, so cast your vote to help us decide who will win!

Round 2: Voting for round 2 ends October 25. Winners will be announced November 19, so cast your vote to help us decide who will win!

Round 3: Voting for round 3 ends November 1. Winners will be announced November 19, so cast your vote to help us decide who will win!

Round 4: Voting for round 4 ends November 8. Winners will be announced November 19, so cast your vote to help us decide who will win!

Round 5: Voting for round 5 ends November 15, and winners will be announced November 19, so cast your vote to help us decide who will win!

Instructions: Select your favorite large U.S. school in each matchup by clicking on the button next to the logo. Be sure to fill out the form at the bottom of the page and hit "Submit" to make sure your vote comes through to help us pick the contenders. And don't forget to vote for small U.S. schools and Canadian schools too!

Crains Cleveland Business has a squib on the healthy competition.

Kent State University and Oberlin College are among the schools in contention for the most vegan-friendly college competition sponsored by peta2, the young adult arm of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

At Kent State this fall, "dining services is working alongside students to unveil a new vegan-friendly menu with dozens of delectable dishes, including Alpine vegan chicken casserole, vegan stuffed green peppers, and dairy-free chocolate ice cream," peta2 notes.

The group says Oberlin "is among the most vegan-friendly schools in the nation and has been for years. Tofu and red pepper stir-fry with quinoa, Creole-style vegan jambalaya, and vegan gumbo are just a few of the dozens of premier vegan options to be found at this top liberal arts school."

Sounds good, sounds tasty, sounds healthy, and doesn't sound batshit insane. A real step up for PETA.

UK Dairy Free Chocolate

Neandra Etienne taste-tested a variety of dairy-free chocolates available in stores or on line in the UK for The Collective Review.

I'm not going to give you the whole reviews, because that would be copying too much. However, here are the chocolates cited and their websites. For Etienne's opinions, visit the page linked above.

Dairy Free
www.dairy-free.co.uk


Rococo Chocolates
www.rococochocolates.com


Seed Stacked Flapjack
www.seedstacked.com



Chocolala
www.chocolala.co.uk







Freefrom
www.sainsburys.co.uk/freefrom

History of the Food Pyramid

I started my website, Steve Carper's Lactose Intolerance Clearinghouse, back in 1997. (And don't say that it looks it. It doesn't. It looks like the 1998 version. So there.)

That was several generations ago in internet terms. I was on Compuserve even earlier. Compared to the hordes that crowd the net now, I'm an oldbie.

Yet there are still many things that I never understand. Like why a history of the U.S. Food Pyramid would appear on an Australian blog site. (Which means it's dated tomorrow as I write this. How's that for breaking news!)

It's a pretty good history, though. Worth the read. Lots of pictures to help it go down.

And some relevance to those who are lactose intolerant.

In theory, we digest and process food in the same ways, but a lot of us have allergies and dietary restrictions. Whether your restrictions are voluntary or not, you probably have to substitute a normal item you find on the food group pyramid for something else. It's important to remember that substitutes can have a major difference in nutritional value and to know what those differences are. Let's take lactose intolerance and milk as an example. If you're replacing milk, your most obvious choices are soy milk and rice milk. Rice milk has significantly higher levels of carbohydrates than regular milk, and soy milk often has a lot of sugar added (not always the case, but it's always worth checking first). If you don't eat meat and are looking at substitutes, many of them have a very high sodium content that you wouldn't find in actual meat. This isn't necessarily worse; it's just different. It's important to be aware of the differences in substitutions and not assume you're getting the exact same nutrients you'll find in the item it was designed to replace.

Scream Sorbet

Sorbet is slowly becoming more popular. A few good restaurants would offer a selection of sorbets after a meal, yielding an intensely fruity treat that needed only a few bites to satisfy. Sorbets are big tastes, a sipper's delight rather than a gulper's. Brandies are less popular than beer, too.

With dairy-free desserts inching their way into the general market, sorbets are due. And new food processing technologies are making possible sorbets that go beyond fruit tastes into the weirder world that high end ice creams are also pursuing.

The New York Times Magazine - which did an article a few weeks ago on a man who made hibiscus beet, bourbon and cornflake, prosciutto, and chocolate smoked sea salt ice creams - has followed it up with one on a man who figured out a way to make nut-based sorbets.

Making frozen treats is as much about composition as it is equipment. "In some ways," [Nathan] Kurz says, "the other reason I started this business was that I’d been reading about El Bulli and how they were using Pacojets. Some people lust after cars, I lusted after kitchen machinery." Basically, he let a $4,000 gadget determine his fate. (He advises everyone to read about the process to understand this seemingly rash decision.) "Normally, you make ice cream in a batch freezer," he explains. "You freeze the outside and scrape along the outside as it [the ice cream] freezes. It's the same as the hand-churned thing you use at home, and it works great, if what you’re starting with is already smooth."

The Pacojet is simpler: "It doesn't include refrigeration, and part of its process is to make things silky smooth." It's true. You can add whole nuts and fruits to this machine and "still end up with a silky smooth texture." As he explains the process, "you freeze your sorbet chunky first in a one-quart container. Then the blade spins around; it goes from the top of the round cylinder down to the bottom at a rate of several thousand R.P.M. It takes four minutes to process."

He discovered that using a Pacojet meant he could add less sugar to his sorbet and yield more intensity from his main ingredient. His approach goes against everything that McGee and others who rely on the traditional methods counsel. They encourage adding water (to achieve the required puree that Kurz's equipment renders unnecessary), then lemon juice (to draw out the diluted product's weakened flavor) and finally more sugar (to compensate for all that extra volume). "We don’t add anything unless it tastes good," he says; that means they also won’t add anything that tastes like nothing, such as a stabilizer. The Scream stuff is thicker than other sorbets and made from fewer ingredients. With higher fruit content and no additives, it has the texture of gelato but is more concentrated in flavor.

His pistachio sorbet contains pistachios, water, sugar, and sea salt. Nothing else.

You won't find it everywhere, but a variety of farmers' markets in northern California carry it and he will soon open a storefront in Oakland, CA.

More importantly, he ships anywhere Federal Express offers overnight service.

Lactose Intolerants a Possible Market for Dairy

Lactose-free milk is the one dairy product that sells well. Lactose-free ice creams exist, and so do lactose-free cottage cheeses and sour creams, but they are the tiniest of niche products.

Even so, the amount of lactose-free milk isn't anywhere near proportional to the percentage of lactose intolerant people in the U.S. And the dairy industry thinks that this is an opportunity.

The Innovation Center for US Dairy issued a white paper saying that this is "an opportunity to achieve 273 million gallons of incremental growth by targeting the lactose intolerant consumer segment."

"Our extensive consumer research and analysis found that 81 percent of lactose intolerant consumers would be willing to include dairy in their diets if they could do so while minimizing symptoms," said Jim Layne, vice president of strategic initiatives with Dairy Management Inc.™ "This shows that a solid opportunity exists to meet the health and enjoyment needs of this market segment with nutrient-rich dairy foods. ...

"There is a solution to lactose intolerance that is not avoidance or restriction,” Layne said. "Increasing consumption of dairy in the lactose intolerant consumer segment could help grow long-term loyalty, generation after generation, totaling 2.35 billion pounds of incremental growth."

Like any good research marketing firm, the Innovation Center folks broke down the market and into target segments.

The four segments below offer the most significant growth opportunities for lactose-free milk and dairy.

Healthy Wealthy consumers make up 20 percent of the lactose intolerant segment. People in this group tend to be college-educated, employed and health-conscious. They are considered milk-friendly, but don’t drink a lot — preferring 1 percent to whole milk — and only 44 percent consider milk to be a healthy choice. Reinforcing the benefits of dairy would be a strong approach for this group. Lactose-free milk and dairy recipes may appeal to them.

Family Milk Lovers constitute 20 percent of the lactose intolerant segment. Two-thirds female, and generally married, this group includes family milk consumption “gatekeepers.” They associate milk with health, enjoyment and taste, and shy away from lactose-free due to cost and its different taste. Messages showing lactose-free milk as a whole-family solution may resonate with this group.

Avoiders represent 20 percent of lactose intolerant consumers. More likely to suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, obesity and high cholesterol, this group is the least likely to have tried lactose-free foods. They are open to dairy solutions, and good-tasting lactose-free milk and milk products may succeed with these consumers.

Aware and Managing consumers represent just 14 percent of the lactose intolerant segment. As the oldest market segment, nearly one-fourth is retired. They are the most likely to have their lactose intolerance diagnosed by a physician and to drink lactose-free milk. Their awareness and symptom management allows them to enjoy dairy, but they also are experimenting with alternatives such as soy. There is room to increase loyalty with this group.

Enjoy dairy yourself... if your only issue is lactose intolerance.

You can email them at InnovationCenter@USDairy.com for a copy of the white paper, "Lactose Intolerance: Opportunity to Grow Volume for Dairy through Dispelling Myths and Meeting Consumer Needs."

Chocolate World Expo

Chocolate. More chocolate. Even more chocolate.

Sound good?

With over 50 vendors, Chocolate World Expo is one of the largest retail chocolate shows in the U.S. Let's pretend that this article from the Hudson Valley Press is something other than a press release masquerading as news.

Record numbers of chocolate lovers and foodies from near and far are expected at the upcoming Chocolate World Expo, which returns to the Westchester County Center in White Plains, on Sunday, November 7th, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Visitors will have a chance to taste, purchase, celebrate and otherwise indulge in delicious gourmet chocolates, as well as a wonderful array of baked goods, specialty foods, ice cream, cheeses, wines and much more at the show. ...

To suit a variety of other dietary needs and tastes, certain vendors will also feature all-natural, organic, raw, vegan, fair trade, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, low-glycemic, kosher and/or ethnic-style choices.

Chocolate.

Smart Balance Adds Another Lactose-Free Milk

Late last year I told you about the line of Smart Balance lactose-free products.

Their lactose-free fat-free milk with omega-3s was just rolling out at that point. I guess it was a success. Not only is it now available nationwide, but they've introduced a companion lactose-free milk. Here's the press release.

Smart Balance, Inc. is launching Smart Balance™ Lactose-Free Fat Free and Calcium milk, the latest addition to its popular line of enhanced milks and innovative heart healthier products. ...

Like all of the fat free milks in the Smart Balance line of enhanced milks, the lactose-free milks have the rich, creamy taste of 2% without the saturated fat. Our new Smart Balance™ Lactose-Free Fat Free and Calcium milk has 75% more calcium and 20% more protein than whole milk. The added calcium is great for those who avoid dairy and have a hard time getting enough calcium for healthy bones.

Also available nationwide is Smart Balance™ Lactose-Free Fat Free and Omega-3s milk, which has the added benefits of Omega-3s as well as 20% more protein and 20% more calcium than regular milk. It provides an excellent source of heart-healthy EPA/DHA Omega-3s (32 mg per serving, 20% of the 160 mg daily value).

Caribbean Vegan

Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion, by Taymer Mason is brand-new, it's publication date being today, presumably the day when everybody in the north starts longing for that Caribbean vacation.

Product Description
Here is your passport to a world of distinctive, unforgettable food—125 delicious, authentic vegan recipes that showcase flavors and ingredients from across the Caribbean islands

If “Caribbean cuisine” makes you think of pineapples and coconuts, you’re missing out. The Caribbean islands are home to a rich cooking tradition that combines African, French, Spanish, British, Asian, and Indian influences, adds an unmistakable local flair . . . and tastes like paradise. A real secret is in the herbs and spices—with the right uncooked sauce, cooked sauce, or “wet seasoning” blend, you can transform everyday ingredients into Caribbean delights.

Caribbean Vegan will spice up your vegan diet like no other cookbook. Popular blogger Taymer Mason serves up 125 completely vegan recipes—for breakfast dishes, appetizers, entrées, sides, soups, desserts, and drinks that are anything but bland. Sample the local flavors of Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Grenada, and the French West Indies with:

Saint Lucian Bakes
Eggplant and Seaweed Accras
Bajan Soup with Dumplings
Rummy Rum and Raisin Ice Cream . . . and much more!

Enticing color photos and Island Tips explain the key ingredients, equipment, and techniques of Caribbean cuisine—so whatever your previous familiarity with Caribbean food, you’ll be cooking like an islander in no time.

About the Author
Taymer Mason grew up in a family of cooks who taught her to make—and love!—traditional Caribbean cuisine. She went vegan in 2006 while an undergraduate at the University of the West Indies and discovered that, far from being limiting, it was an exciting new way to cook her old favorites. Now she writes the popular cooking blog Vegan in the Sun. She lives with her husband and their cat in the French West Indies, but she appreciates the unique culture and cuisine of all the islands—and especially of her birthplace, Barbados.

Honestly, I originally read that as "Taymer Mason grew up in a family of cooks who taught her to make love! using traditional Caribbean customs." I'm a very bad person.

The Experiment trade paperback
256 pages
List price: $18.95