For now, to focus on this cookbook, Low-Carbing Among Friends: The back cover speaks volumes about the Low-Carbing Among Friends team. What a fun project this has been and working with the team members has been a good experience. The thing about this book besides the obvious fact that there are 5 authors and 5 mini cookbooks, is that most of us have been low-carbing for a while, so we are bringing experience to the table and also the most innovative ways (and products!) of baking and cooking low-carb and gluten-free. For instance, when I began low-carbing in 1998, we didn't have access to coconut flour or peanut flour (a few recipes use this), but also there was nothing much out there to "copy". Now we've learned from our own experience and also from being a part of a large low-carb community. This community is like a family and we share recipes and ideas all the time! Low-carbing has evolved and many are jumping ship from Atkins to Paleo - there are some differences, the main one being that some variations of Paleo disallow dairy. People say that more fruit is allowed on the Paleo way of eating. I've never allowed Atkins to limit me in that regard. Certainly there is a fruit rung and also a grains rung, for that matter. Since Paleo is a gluten-free diet, it is with great pleasure that I can say that many of the recipes will be fine for that diet as well, however, substitutes for dairy products will sometimes be needed.
This morning I had an interview about the new cookbook with Jimmy Moore (airing November 14th - the book will be shipping by then). Actually Ian and I were both interviewed at the same time. I love it that Ian comes on the interviews with me. It's tough to talk for 45 minutes on my own, but my dear hubby has the gift of the gab!
Before the interview, which was to be at 11:00 am EST and 10:00 am our time - there was some drama though. I took Smiley for a walk in Happy Glen (so-named for our precious Happy who passed away about 2 years ago now) along the river. As we turned around to go home, a big, black Doberman Pincher came running up towards Smiley and me. I crouched down near a rivulet that enters the bigger river and cradled Smiley, trying to protect him. My back was to the dog and the Doberman bit me on my back! Fortunately, he got my dress, ripped it, and just scraped his teeth on my skin. Anyway, my pretty dress (and a favorite one) is a right off! While that was happening, a second dog - a big white lab came running up and by now Smiley had wriggled free from my arms and out of his collar and off the leash! It looked like a dog fight was ensuing with the black dog, however, the white lab wanted to play with Smiley! I was still badly frightened, grabbed the bear spray, removed the pin and ran after the dogs, yelling for Smiley the whole time! What a circus! The owner came and sort of managed to calm his dogs down while I threatened to spray 'em. Oh dear! Anyway all my screaming brought hubby running down the hill from the house in his silly crocs (you know those shoes? Dangerous things and outrageously ugly in my opinion!), but thankfully he didn't fall. I got cleaned up at home, changed, disinfected the spot where the dog got me (not terrible) and now there were 20 minutes left before the Jimmy Moore interview. Eek! I was in a horrible state, hair all over the place, shaking all over and angry with the guy and his dogs. Imagine if I had been a little kid running and screaming - that dog's instincts would have made it run after the child and maybe cause a serious injury! I have no time for that sort of irresponsibility on the behalf of dog owners. Almost everyone thinks mistakenly that their dogs would not hurt anyone. Anyway, one small drink later (Ian insisted!) and a prayer and we were chatting to Jimmy. Considering that the electricity also decided to go out and we had to put the generator on for the interview...considering all those things, surely the only way now was up? The interview went well, thankfully. Jimmy is a funny character and tends to put a person at ease. First of all when he skypes one, this face of Jimmy pulling a funny face with a cell phone comes up on the screen. Haha!