Fort Worth Culinary Entrepreneur Launches New Quarantine-Inspired Cookbook

We’re all cooking at home a ton these days. Even those, like myself, who lack the skills to make a decent meal from scratch are attempting to order in groceries, crack open (or download) a cookbook, and create something they’ve never made before.

Last week, my great attempt was to pull off Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s vegan buffalo cauliflower recipe. Despite following the instructions to-a-T (mostly), my version of the beloved movie theatre’s snack turned out meh. But, I’m not going to let some bland cauliflower discourage me. Several of our local businesses are trying their best to make cooking easier (and more fun) for us — like Alamo releasing their secret recipes or Alchemy Pops founder Carolyn Phillips publishing a new COVID-inspired cookbook.

My Pantry Kitchen, Phillips’ newest cookbook, was inspired by social distancing and how so many of us are having to make do with what’s in our pantries during quarantine.

“The crisis of COVID has awoken and inspired me to come back to the foundational importance of and connection to food,” said Phillips in a statement. “Many of us are experiencing feelings of uncertainty, distance and scarcity. However, I want to help reframe the conversation away from what we lack and instead focus on what we already have and how we can maximize those resources and enjoy them. My hope is that My Pantry Kitchen will help educate and communicate how food connects us and that our circumstances don’t define us.”

The first issue of the online cookbook is titled “A (Kinda) Culinary Publication For The Socially Distanced. 19 Recipes To Make The Most of What You Already Have.” Recipes in the premiere issue include simple at-home recipes that people can create from items they already have in their pantry. To add a little fun, Phillips has added songs to pair and play while cooking certain items. For instance, sweet muffins are paired with “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree.

Currently available to download for $4, 100 percent of My Pantry Kitchen‘s proceeds will benefit Tarrant Area Food Bank.