Krazy Katlady Cookbook Volume 1

By Heather Q

Why are there so many vegan/vegetarian cooking zines? (Hell, even I’ve made one!). Is it because there aren’t that many published cook books that cater to vegans? Is it because vegans spend so much time cooking at home because they can’t eat out? Is it because the type of people that are likely to be vegans are also the type of people who make zines? Probably a combination of all three really.

This zine is filled with recipes that, to be honest, I will probably never make. These are, as a note in the back says, “comfort foods”, with a decidedly southern slant. Having lived most of my life in cold northern climes I guess I’m not really that into southern food (rice and potatoes in the same dish? What are you doing!?).

To add to this is the problem of acquiring ingredients for these recipes. Sure, some are easily replaced (frozen broccoli? Why would I ever buy that when I can buy fresh stuff?), but others are things I can’t get where I live (I cannot even buy black beans in this town let alone soysage), or seem like things I will never see in a supermarket outside of wherever the author lives (Tony’s Cajun seasoning is in like every second recipe and I’ve never even heard of it).

However, I did manage to cook one of the dishes (stuffed bell peppers), and even if I did make some additions (must put garlic in everything), substitutions (cayenne is southern right?), and wondered about some of the measurements (how many tomatoes are in half a cup?) it turned out pretty well.