For anybody interested in going your own way and making things from scratch, this is the book for you. Full disclosure, I have taken a number of classes from the Institute for Domestic Technology (yes it is a real place and the classes were awesome) and I tested recipes for this book (I made the Dean's List (see page 338). So take whatever I say with whatever grain of salt you want, but once you've made your own Chevre, you'll never go back (so easy). Full of interesting things that you can make on your own. Sure, much of it you can buy at the store for a much lower cost, but the stuff you make will be so much tastier, with the added benefit of being chemical and preservative free. The book is broken down in to departments, The Pantry Department (ketchup and mustards, etc), Caffine (yes roast your own coffee beans), Pickles and Preserves (Kevin West was one of the instructors at the Institute on making Jams and Jellies - his book "Saving the Season" is awesome as well!!), Grains, Dairy, Meat & Fish, Spirits, Fermentation and Dehydration (Tomato dust is wonderful, you'll add it to everything. Just made mushroom powder today). If you like making things on your own, from scratch, please do yourself a favor and get this book. Actually read the book too (who reads cookbooks? This is well worth it). ( )