Crip Up the Kitchen - by Jules Sherred (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"I've never felt so understood and supported as I did reading Crip Up the Kitchen. Sherred is the kitchen whisperer for chronic pain folks like me who have avoided that room in the house for most of my life." --J. Albert Mann, author of The Degenerates and Fix

A comprehensive guide and recipe collection that brings the economy and satisfaction of home cooking to disabled and neurodivergent cooks.

cripping / crip up: A term used by disabled disability rights advocates and academia to signal taking back power, to lessen stigma, and to disrupt ableism as to ensure disabled voices are included in all aspects of life.

When Jules Sherred discovered the Instant Pot multicooker, he was thrilled. And incensed. How had no one told him what a gamechanger this could be, for any home cook but in particular for those with disabilities and chronic illness? And so the experimenting--and the evangelizing--began.

The kitchen is the most ableist room in the house. With 50 recipes that make use of three key tools--the electric pressure cooker, air fryer, and bread machine--Jules has set out to make the kitchen accessible and enjoyable. The book includes pantry prep, meal planning, shopping guides, kitchen organization plans, and tips for cooking safely when disabled, all taking into account varying physical abilities and energy levels.

Organized from least to greatest effort (or from 1 to "all your spoons," for spoonies), beginning with spice blends and bases, Jules presents thorough, tested, inclusive recipes for making favourites like butter chicken, Jules's Effin' Good Chili, Thai winter squash soup, roast dinners, matzo balls, pho, samosas, borshch, shortbread, lemon pound cake, and many more.

Jules also provides a step-by-step guide to safe canning and a template for prepping your freezer and pantry for post-surgery. With rich accompanying photography and food histories, complete nutritional information and methods developed specifically for the disabled and neurodivergent cook, Crip Up the Kitchen is at once inviting, comprehensive, and accessible. If you've craved the economy and satisfaction of cooking at home but been turned off by the ableist approach of most cookbooks--this one's for you!

Review Quotes

"Sherred's dishes span a variety of cuisines . . . think pressure cooker tahdig, air fryer Thai winter squash soup, and bread machine roti." --Publishers Weekly

"It's a comprehensive, thoughtful cookbook that makes good use of the Instant Pot and air fryer . . . which can prove invaluable for those living with a disability." --Lifehacker

"This cookbook offers recipes and acceptance in 'the worst room' in the house for people with disabilities." --Civil Eats

"A cookbook tailored for disabled and neurodivergent individuals . . . Jules Sherred leverages the convenience of modern kitchen tools to challenge the inherent ableism found in conventional cooking guides." --Food Tank

"I've never felt so understood and supported as I did reading Crip Up the Kitchen. Sherred is the kitchen whisperer for chronic pain folks like me who have avoided that room in the house for most of my life." --J. Albert Mann, author of The Degenerates and Fix

"So much more than a cookbook! It's an empathetic and expert guidebook full of tips, tricks and recipes, that helped this disabled senior safely equip and organize my kitchen, then plan, prep, cook, store, and enjoy tasty meals. Embracing the diversity of food and the diverse energy levels of aging with a disability, it's a must have." --Dorothy Ellen Palmer, author of Falling for Myself

"Plenty of practical content to help all people embrace the creative world that is home cooking." --Eat North

"Well put together with all the details and easy-to-follow steps . . . " --Geek Dad