Updated 11th September 2009

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Momma Cherri’s Soul in a Bowl Cookbook

It’s possible that you might not have heard the name Charita Jones but viewers of UK Kitchen Nightmares will certainly remember this characterful lady winning over the tough and abusive Gordon Ramsay – her food was never in question. Ms. Jones has another more familiar name – Momma Cherri.

Soul in a Bowl presents the food that Charita knows best. These are classic Soul Food dishes with a few personal tweaks. They are both comforting and gutsy, but also economical. You might have heard about Soul Food but may never have had the chance to try it. There is nothing here that will require a trip to an ethnic supermarket, unless you are sufficiently enthused to buy Chitterlings (the only recipe in this book that will probably remain untested by me, although I might try some at Momma Cherri's restaurant).

Slavery was the root of this unique cuisine. Relying on vegetables, cheap cuts of meat and leftovers from the master’s kitchen, the enslaved population conjured and contrived tempting dishes that were hearty and sustaining but above all flavourful.

You’ll want to start your Soulful adventure with Momma Cherri’s Cajun Seasoning. Lots of Charita's recipes have a little of this spicy mix and you have the choice of buying commercial or using the mix described. There isn’t anything uncommon so I’d start by making a jar of this. It will keep for a month in a container or longer in the freezer.

There are some classic dishes that will probably be the ones you’ll want to make first. Hush Puppies are fritters of sweetcorn and peppers; Cornbread (a staple but it’s refined enough to accompany meals other than the Soul variety), Southern-Fried Chicken, and Candied Sweet Potatoes all evoke memories of old films about Southern US states where the policeman was always ugly and nasty, and there was a fat white man sweating in a wrinkled suit ...but the food always sounded good.

Poor Man’s Pie is an original creation and I’ll be making it often. It’s a crowd-pleaser of a pie filled with minced beef, chorizo sausages and vegetables and topped with a cornbread batter. Sweet Potato Pie is simple to make, has a silky texture and would be a fitting end to a BBQ...or any event at all, in my opinion.

Soul Food was born of necessity but has grown to be worthy and distinctive. Momma Cherri’s Soul in a Bowl Cookbook allows us to enjoy amazing food that is truly something different. It’s accessible good food that will appeal to the whole family, and you can’t say that very often!

The Big Book of World Tapas

This book could have had a couple of different titles both of which would have been equally relevant – How to Cater Your Own Wedding (or at least your cousins’), or How to Throw a Cocktail Party Without Needing a Second Mortgage (assuming that you had already found a bank to give you the first one). Julia Hartley has been a catering professional for the past 16 years and her expertise shines through not only in the quality of the recipes but in the invaluable advice.

The Big Book of World Tapas isn’t just about those delightful little dishes of food found in wood-panelled bars in Spain. It’s about the concept of presenting small and tasty bites to a few family members or a host of guests. It draws upon bite-size recipes for delicious morsels from around the world. India, China, Europe and the Middle East all have their versions of Tapas. What better way of offering a variety of tastes and textures to those whose palates have been jaded by years of abuse from curly ham sandwiches, soggy coronation chicken vol au vents, and carrot sticks that bend like tulips in a vase.

This lovely book gives you enough information to set up in business. I always worry that I have not prepared enough food for guests. I have something of a siege mentality when it comes to food so there is invariably a lot of waste. That’s an expensive mistake in these days of high food prices and little spare cash. Julia has a useful table that suggests quantities of food depending on type of event, number of guests and length of party (people stay longer than you expect).

Julia has tapas selections for 6 types of event: Brunches, Pre-dinner Drinks, Cocktail Parties, Late-night Drinks, Parties and Celebrations, and Weddings. All the tapas can be mixed and matched so you can tailor the food to the guests. There is plenty here for vegetarians, who often get a raw deal (those limp carrots again) but those vegetarian items are exotic enough to appeal also to meat-eaters who are probably heartily sick of sausage rolls.

There are 365 international tapas listed and it’s difficult to pick just a few from the list of remarkable savoury ones. Chorizo, Red Pepper & Manchego Empanadas would have my vote for the most Spanish tapa. Squid Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Raisin Rice is outstanding and most of the work can be done in advance. Roasted Tikka Potatoes would be a flavourful hot dish that will disappear before your very eyes. They couldn’t be easier and they are a great fall-back tapa if a few unexpected extra guests turn up.

Sweets at catered events are often a disappointment or overlooked altogether. I have never been keen on wedding cake but that and trifle are the predictable offerings. The Big Book of World Tapas tempts you with Treacle Tartlets, Hazelnut Clusters and Chocolate Fondue along with many other delights to sooth your previously neglected dessert craving.

The Big Book of World Tapas is a book that will enable you to throw the best of parties without resorting to outside help. It isn’t as daunting as it might seem. The dishes are straightforward with the minimum of ingredients, and lots of work can be done several days in advance. Julia Hartley has penned the new event-catering bible for the home cook. Amazing value for money.

The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth

The author, Jonny Bowden, is a nutritionalist but is one of the few who has remained an independent thinker. He hasn’t nailed his colours to the mast of a particular Super Food; and he has refrained from saying that any particular ingredient should be avoided at all cost (apart from the infamous trans-fatty acids).

Jonny presents a book that is noteworthy for its lack of hype and scare-mongering. He offers an unbiased view of foods and discusses their individual benefits. He encourages you to think of foods as friends rather than unsavoury (or savoury for that matter) acquaintances who won’t take no for an answer.

This is an easy book to read, use and appreciate. Jonny starts with an overview and an explanation of dietary terms. He doesn’t assume that you have a degree in something health-related and he targets his wisdom towards the general public who want to eat balanced and healthful meals.

When I say “diet” I don’t mean that The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth focuses on weight loss. It’s true, however, that a balanced diet will promote a slimmer and sleeker you if you happen to be a bit on the chubby side. This book is a tool to aid healthy eating and to allow you to make the best possible food choices.

The book is divided by food type with sections devoted to each food group. There are the useful additions of chapters for beverages and herbs and spices as well as oils and sweeteners. The volume of information on each item is considerable, with both pros and cons discussed. He busts some food myths: that chocolate is the root of mankind’s undoing, and that you would be better off if you banished coffee from your life forever. Sounding good, isn’t it?

Jonny Bowden has a raft of experts who have added their personal Top 10 foods at the end of each section, and there are plenty of Worth Knowing notes to further add to the breadth of information. He has an easy accessible style of writing that is neither condescending nor over-technical. It’s a book to read and enjoy but it has a serious message. You can lead a healthier life by just making a few painless adjustments, and you’ll feel better for it.

Cucina Napoletana

This is a stunning volume of 100 or so recipes and a mix of colour photographs and evocative black and white shots of the city and its people. Cucina Napoletana isn’t out to impress you with recipes from restaurants with crisp white tablecloths, although they are touched upon. Instead, this book gives you an impression of gutsy flavours and of no-frills inhabitants of a town that has had a “reputation” since Roman times.

Naples takes advantage of all the fine foods that Italy has to offer, but in particular the produce from the region surrounding the city. Its climate makes it ideal for growing tomatoes and chillies along with potatoes and peppers, and it has the benefit of the abundance of the sea. Meat dishes rely on pork and chicken rather than beef, which was historically out of the reach of most of the population.

The author Arturo Iengo has lived and worked in Naples for more than 30 years. Although not a native of Naples he has a passion for the area and its food. He presents dishes that are appropriate for both family meals and smart entertaining, and dishes that are both delicious as well as overflowing with healthful ingredients.

Naples is the home of Pizza – the thin-crust with toppings that complement rather than swamp the base – cooked to perfection in a wood-burning oven and consumed with a carafe of red wine and to the sound of a Puccini opera. Well, you probably won’t have the wood-burning oven but your pizza will still be better than any shop-bought varieties... or even those delivered by the lad on a moped. And you can always buy a CD of La Bohème. Arturo offers several pizzas including the most celebrated Margherita invented by pizza chef Raffaela Esposito in 1889, who named his creation in honour of Queen Margherita. Pizza Capperi, Olive e Acciughi is pizza garnished with capers, olives and anchovies. There is the ever-present mozzarella and tomato to offset the salty tang of the other ingredients, to produce a pizza that would be ideal with aperitifs.

Cucina Napoletana has numerous pasta dishes ranging from the cheap and cheerful but truly delicious Farfalle with Tuna and Peas to Spaghetti with Prawns, Squid and Clams. One of the quickest to prepare is Linguine with Pancetta and Tomato Sauce. It’s a traditional Easter dish in Naples although I am sure it will be a year-round favourite with those that love pasta dressed with few ingredients and little fuss.

Sfogliatelle Ricce are semolina and ricotta pastries that originated in the 1700s in the kitchens of the Croce di Lucca monastery. They were prepared for guests but in 1818 Pasquale Pintauro, a baker in Naples, baked the first ones commercially outside the walls of a religious establishment. This is a recipe for the more confident cook but the results will be worth the effort.

Cucina Napoletana is full of recipes that will tempt you, and photographs by Hannah Mornement show the Neapolitan character off to its quirky finest. “See Naples and die” is a phrase the origins of which are lost in the mists of time. Sounds like more of a threat than a promise, so consider “Eat Naples and live” as a more attractive alternative. You could certainly live very nicely on these dishes.

Grown in Britain Cookbook

If you are British and in any way interested in organic produce, free range poultry and eggs, and low food miles then this could well be the book for you. It’s a veritable encyclopaedia of information on seasonal vegetables, organic producers and it has 200 or so recipes to encourage you to use those lovely foods.

The author, Carolyn Humphries, has been a food journalist and writer for over 30 years. She is a trained chef and the author of over 60 books. Grown in Britain Cookbook is a collaboration between Carolyn and the Soil Association, who are responsible for the certification of organic food. They have been promoting the links between healthy soil and healthy plants and animals for years.

Many of us have concerns for the environment and food safety. There have been plenty of scares lately to keep animal husbandry to the forefront of the public debate. Vegetarians are no longer considered cranks, and these days fewer of us want to buy strawberries to serve with Christmas dinner. Financial constraints might restrict us from being totally organic all the time but Grown in Britain Cookbook will allow us to make informed choices.

It’s more important than ever to buy seasonal vegetables when they are at their cheapest and best. Shops are full of every kind of produce so it’s often difficult to appreciate what is actually in season. Grown in Britain Cookbook gives you a month-by-month guide to what’s being harvested, picked, collected, produced or caught. There are ample photographs to show you exactly what purple sprouting broccoli looks like, and recipes that will even tempt you into free food foraging. Wild Nettles and Scrambled Egg only uses 20g of nettles so it won’t take long to collect. They are said to be good for us, being high in iron and minerals, and free, which always makes you feel better.

The recipes are a marvellous selection which make the best of fresh produce. It’s not the beige, unappetising and chewy dishes of yesteryear. These will tickle your palate without traumatising your pocket. Fiery Peanut and Pepper Noodles are colourful and flavourful and reflect the way we eat today. Creamy Calabrese and Blue Cheese Puffs will be a welcome and tangy change from sausage rolls. Crunchy Vegetable Crumble is a flexible recipe to use with any seasonal vegetables. The rolled oat topping is a healthy twist on the traditional crumble.

The great and the good of the food world have contributed recipes. Sophie Grigson, Thane Prince and Atul Kochhar are a few from the list who support the ethos of buying local and organic produce where possible. Grown in Britain Cookbook is a showcase for fine foods that are fresh and bursting with flavour. Take advantage of good value British produce: we might not be growing mangos and oranges but we have a wider selection of fruit and vegetables than ever before. Consider the environment and serve your family healthy and delicious meals.

Gale Gand’s Brunch

Brunch is a long-established American tradition. It’s easy to understand why it has become so popular. It is an activity that combines social interaction and delicious food... or a way of entertaining friends and family without the fuss and arduous preparation of a full-scale dinner party.

Sunday morning (unless you are a priest or a vicar) is often a time devoted to walking the dog, washing the car or cutting the lawn. Those pleasurable (yeah, right) tasks could be postponed till the afternoon, allowing pleasant morning hours of convivial companionship shared with loved ones... and fabulous food.

Brunch food should be easily prepared, a delight for the eye and present the kinds of dishes that can be consumed in an unhurried fashion. Gale Gand's Brunch offers recipes that tick all the boxes. Not only are all those boxes ticked but it’s done with style and imagination. Brunch isn’t an excuse for an unreasonably early Sunday lunch or a late breakfast. Somehow the English “Full Monty” (that fried breakfast of legendary proportions) doesn’t have the class of Gale’s marvellous spreads.

Gale Gand will be a familiar name to all US Food Network viewers. She was the presenter of Sweet Dreams, the network’s first daily show devoted to baking. Gale is an award winning pastry chef and co-owner of the celebrated Tru restaurant in Chicago so it’s no surprise that the dishes here are delectable. There are around 100 of them so you’ll be hosting many a brunch before you need to cover the same territory again.

This book leads you through basic brunch favourites like Omelettes but continues through a whole plethora of toasts, baked goods, savoury dishes to salads and soups. There is enough variety here to cater for the dietary whims of all the family ...even your nephew who will only eat red food. Start him off with a Bloody Mary and feed him Gazpacho. (It's probably only a phase he’s going through... although he is 46.)

Popovers will be something new for many of my British readers. Think of the lightest imaginable Yorkshire Pudding and add some flavour. Gale has Mini Popovers that are airy with a delicate hint of herbs and irresistible with Lemon Butter. If you have a Yorkshire pudding tin or muffin tin then you’ll be able to make these.

Baked Camembert has become a classic but Gale suggests a Cranberry-Black Pepper Compote to serve alongside. That would add some zing to a dish that is otherwise quite heavy. Caramelized Onion Tarts are also inspired by the French and this is a fine example using zucchini (courgette) and feta cheese. This recipe uses ready-bought puff pastry, as does Peanut Butter and Jelly Turnovers which are bound to be winners with the kids!

My favourite recipe from Gale Gand’s Brunch is that for Torta Rustica. This is the most amazing layered pie of vegetables and ham (I am sure you could make a vegetarian version.) This dish will impress your guests and have them begging you for the recipe. There is more than a full page of instructions but don’t be put off. It’s a simple recipe but one of those that has several elements. A novice cook would gain confidence and compliments.

Gale Gand’s Brunch will have us all inviting friends over for an amazing feast. The cook will be able to enjoy the day as much as his/her guests. I wouldn’t, however, reserve these brunch delights for Sundays at 11am. You’ll find much here that will be equally well received at lunches, picnics and dinners. Brilliant.

Pie – A Global History

Well, dear reader, if you are a regular here (and why wouldn’t you be?) you will know of my warm and close relationship with pies. It’s no surprise therefore that I am delighted to have in my warm and still-pie-crumbed hand a book which is filled with nothing but pie.

Janet Clarkson is the author of this fine little tome and she is a GP and lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Queensland, Australia. That might give the impression that pies are dodgy and dangerous things to eat! Janet has a passion for food history and she writes often on that subject... and pies are safe to eat, at least these days.

I say “these days” because pies have not always been the diverse and delicious delights that we find today. They originated out of necessity and were the forerunner of the fridge. That is to say they were one of the first food preservers and the crust was of industrial and unbreakable quality that was not intended to be eaten by gentlefolk. (Although I suspect a slab of anything soaked with cooking juices might have been tempting to the lower orders.)

Pie is one of the few culinary triumphs to have emanated from Britain. Its traditions have spread throughout its colonies and are now adapted as national specialities in the USA (fruit pies), in Australia (meat pies in mushy peas), and New Zealand (mutton pies). They have been the staple of both rich and poor and they have travelled well.

Pie – A Global History is one of a series of food history books from Reaktion. Each one has a different author and covers a different food but they all have the same high standard of presentation and content. This, like the others, is not a recipe book (although there are several) but it quite definitely is a book that is fascinating for both domestic foodies and food academics. It’s thoroughly well researched and Janet has a humorous and accessible style. The illustrations are quite charming and range from medieval sketches to stills from the 2007 film of Sweeny Todd, the story of which is enough to turn anyone from the pie path.

I expected this book to be a good read and it does not disappoint. It would be a great gift for any lover of food, food history or history in general. Pie – A Global History is an attractive volume and a worthwhile addition to any serious book collection.

Spanish Cooking

Pepita Aris is an authority on Spanish cooking, both traditional and the lesser known regional dishes. She lived in Spain for many years, writes for magazines and newspapers including Bon Appétit, and she is the founder editor of Taste as well as a contributor to the British edition of Larousse Gastronomique. Pepita has made frequent TV and radio appearances to promote Spanish foods and cooking.

There are 70 or so recipes between the covers of Spanish Cooking, each one supported by a wealth of photographs. This is the style of book that, sadly, I see infrequently. It has step-by-step photographs to give confidence to the debutant cook, as did the old-fashioned 1950s good homemaking (you know the ones I mean) cookbooks. We all love big glossy full-colour shots of exotic cities or ancient urns spilling Provencal lavender, but we equally need some recipe books to get us launched into a life of confident and enthusiastic cooking. This very volume could be your launch pad for Spanish cooking.

Having said how much I love the recipe photography, I should tell you that there are indeed city shots, folkloric dancers, some sheep and a cow, but they are confined to the fascinating travelogue section at the start of the book. These pages will get you in the mood for some delicious Spanish food. The ingredients for those dishes and even the traditional earthenware casseroles to serve them in (your next Spanish holiday souvenirs, and more practical than a straw donkey) are all detailed.

But on to the recipes. They are a vibrant collection of familiar favourites often found in Spanish restaurants outside Spain, and some lesser known ones that might be more often found in regional Spanish homes. Arroz con Pollo is a typical dish of rice, chicken and tomatoes but the addition of ham and chorizo add that unmistakable flavour of the peninsula. There are versions of this dish in restaurants all over the world along with the ubiquitous Seafood Paella, but be assured that these home-made examples will be more easily recognised by a real Spaniard than would those restaurant standards.

Fabada is a regional speciality from the mountains of Asturias on the Northern coast of Spain. This is a hearty stew of sausages and beans with a hint of saffron and paprika. This isn’t beach-hugging tourist fare. This is authentic Spanish food with richness and depth of flavour that is appropriate for cold days. Just a nice glass of Rioja and some crusty bread is all you’ll need to accompany this dish.

There is a little dessert of which I am fond and I am delighted to see the recipe here. It’s Leche Frita, and Pepita suggests it with a Black Fruit Sauce. The literal translation is fried milk but they are in fact deep fried custard with a crunchy breadcrumb coating, and a delicate flavour of cinnamon.

Spanish Cooking is one of the best Spanish recipe books that this reviewer has seen in ages. It’s practical and well written and has a well chosen selection of dishes. None of them are difficult to make but all of them have the air of authenticity. There are recipes that suit every season ad every taste. Plenty for vegetarians and fish lovers and the ingredients are easy to come by. This would be an ideal book for those who are searching for a hand-holding Spanish cookbook. It’s amazing value for money.

Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights

The Miss Dahl mentioned is none other than Sophie Dahl who, I must confess, I had never heard of (I don’t move in the right circles). But you find me here writing a review of a book that has been both well written and which I have found to be thoroughly entertaining.

Sophie started her working life as a model although she has ventured into the world of waitressing and nannying. She has spent her life dodging about the world and has lived in both London and New York, and has had a love affair with food wherever she has roamed. A food-loving model? Could this be true?

Sophie is, these days, a svelte young woman with a pretty smile but she graced the catwalk as a well-upholstered mannequin with a curvaceous figure the like of which had seldom been seen in the fashion industry. A bout of ill health led Sophie to re-evaluate her relationship with food and reconsider how she wanted to eat and live. This classy book is the result of revisiting favourite dishes that are both sustaining and delicious.

The recipes here are simple, sensible and mouth-watering. This is a seasonal cookbook with recipes for breakfast, lunch and suppers, with some puds thrown in for good measure. All the dishes have one thing in common and that’s comfort.

Breakfast is well represented in Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights. Poached Eggs on Portobello Mushrooms with Goat’s Cheese is a typical example of Sophie’s style. The egg yolk makes a rich and silky sauce. This is in Autumn Breakfasts but it would work equally well as a light lunch. Pear and Ginger Muffins are offered as a sweet temptation for a winter breakfast but would go well with a nice cup of tea on a cold afternoon.

The star of the volume must be Coconut Curry with Prawns. This is a Thai-inspired curry of the store cupboard variety but is no worse for that. It doesn’t demand a trip to an ethnic supermarket. The most exotic ingredient is green chilli and that isn’t hard to come by these days.

Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights is an attractive volume filled with tempting dishes, some of which you might be familiar with and others are Sophie originals. Don’t be tempted to just dive into the recipes. This book is also something of an autobiography which shows the lady to be intelligent, witty and down to earth. She has been a model but she is a novelist and now a food writer with a creditable first book under her belt. Hope we hear more from her in future.

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

I review books by many new authors, many smart young foodies and quite a few old stagers, who each have lots to offer the culinary opus. Elizabeth David is, depending on your viewpoint, either a shining star in a dazzling firmament or a treasure island in the sea of mediocrity.

It’s true that Elizabeth David has long (we are talking decades) been quoted and revered by the worthy and wise of the food industry. She is considered the Grande Dame of British cooking... or more accurately the British Queen of (not necessarily British) cooking. She wasn’t a Mrs. Beeton (too racy) or a Delia Smith (more a wordsmith) but she holds a place of high esteem in the mind of anyone who knows a fig about cooking.

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine is a book to dip into like a fine stockpot. It’s a book of collected articles and associated recipes that show the skill of this woman to great advantage. They were written between 1955 and 1984 for publications as diverse as Gourmet magazine and The Spectator. Each chapter holds a little gem of observation and wry humour. Yes, the food landscape has changed, both in Britain and in France, but this volume is still relevant and absorbing.

The Omelette immortalised in these pages is one cooked in the restaurant Molière (this is Elizabeth David so it wouldn’t be a bacon buttie in The Dog and Duck). She writes: “... Physically and emotionally worn to tatters by the pandemonium and splendour of the Avignon market, tottering under the weight of provisions we had bought and agonizing at the thought of all the glorious things which we hadn’t or couldn’t, we would make at last for the restaurant Molière to be rested and restored.” Then follows the recipe for a simple but delectable omelette. Not fussy and over-garnished but perfect in form and flavour.

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine will never be considered passé. It has an abundance of recipes for food lovers who want to cook, and has a wealth of anecdotes for cooks who want to dream. It’s a pleasure to read and reread, and a must for wanabe food writers.

New Bistro

The name ‘bistro’ is said to have come from the dark days when Paris was full of Russian troops. It was 1815 and they had captured the city and would shout “bystro” to the waiters of the cafes. This meant “quickly” in Russian and so those establishments were considered as places where fast food was served.

It’s ironic that we consider a bistro today as being the very antithesis of a fast food joint. The romantic notion of a bistro is one of waiters with impossibly long white aprons, of tables that are impossibly close together and of an establishment that is impossibly noisy. Some of those concepts apply to some bistros and all of them apply to a few. Larger cities might have the archetypical bistro of dark wood panels, huge mirrors and an art nouveau bar, but it’s the food rather than the decor that marks the authenticity of the bistro.

Fran Warde has penned this book filled with lovely recipes and iconic photographs by Jason Lowe. It’s a vision of warm earth tones that work so well with the theme. The dishes will be recognised by bistro aficionados as some of the most typical and delicious.

You will notice as you travel around France that the bistro fare on offer differs: it changes with the region and the season. It’s the style of cooking that remains the same although the ingredients change from north to south, from mountain to coast. These dishes reflect the best of French home cooking but are not arduous or complicated to prepare.

Fran considers seven French culinary regions and throws in Paris, as the birthplace of the original bistro. She presents recipes that are evocative of the region and take advantage of local produce and tradition. Normandy tempts you with Chicken Baked in Cider. It’s a simple dish but stylish and delicate. Pancakes with Sticky Apples and Pears in Calvados is what a famous TV chef might once have described as “Normandy on a plate, Gastronoughts”!

Leeks feature highly in the French kitchen and no shopping basket seems to be leek-free. They appear to be used in everything apart from dessert. Aquitaine has Leek and Mustard Tart. The pastry is buttery and the filling finds mustard and brie marvellously complementing the sweetness of the vegetables. That same region offers Duck Rillettes with Green Peppercorns. A rillette is a rustic spread used as an alternative to a pate. This is an outstanding example and a cut above the more common Pork Rillette.

There are many dishes here that I have made or will make in the future, but this book would be worth buying just for the Walnut and Caramel Tart. This is a speciality of the Alpine region of Grenoble where walnuts grow in profusion. It’s amazingly sweet but a thin slice with coffee would make an otherwise painful and bitterly cold skiing trip worthwhile.

New Bistro has recipes that give a glimpse of real French food. It’s a charming book with some unbeatable dishes that will become family favourites. One of the best French cooking books around.

The Essential Guide to London’s Best Food Shops

London has a fine reputation as being one of the outstanding tourist cities in the world. It also has, unjustifiably in my opinion (but I am a Londoner), one of the worst reputations with regard to all things food-related. Visitors come to unfamiliar holiday destinations and are fleeced by unscrupulous restaurateurs. The myth of lousy food in London is perpetuated... and anyway the story of an iffy meal in England is always amusing to the folks back home. However, did you know that now London is the food capital of Europe, offering over 80 different types of cuisine?

We Londoners know where to eat (or we think we do) and are far less often disappointed. We have our regular spots far from monuments and open-top red buses but we also cook. Yes, that must surprise many of my readers. We have a vast array of fine food shops and markets, each one unique.

The Essential Guide to London’s Best Food Shops is divided by London area. It starts with Central London but covers all of Greater London. There is an at-a-glance Best in Town list which shows the most noteworthy shops in each category. There are those listed by nationality (French, Indian, Jewish, etc.) and others by speciality (cheese, chocolate, organic produce, etc.).The back of the book has an index by nationality and by speciality, and that lists all shops covered by this guide.

Each neighbourhood has a map and each entry has contact information, address and it gives the nearest tube station and bus route. If the shop has a website then you can do a bit of homework before you start your food-gathering excursion. Plan your route before you go! There are many mail-order outlets for which there is an extensive directory, for those who don’t fancy the exercise or who can’t make it to London at all.

I am a passionate cook... er, that is to say, I am passionate about cooking, and I have my favourite shops, most of which are included in this guide. I would choose Loon Fung in Chinatown for all things Chinese including woks and other utensils. You couldn’t do better than Fortnum and Masons for food gifts. My vote in the meat purveyors category goes to Thorogoods of Ealing which has a loyal following (including my auntie). The best fruit and veg will be found in old-fashioned open-air markets. This guide offers, amongst many others, Bethnal Green Road Market for a taste of real East End colour. This isn’t smart and glitzy but if you are a food tourist you should add an authentic market to your itinerary.

The Essential Guide to London’s Best Food Shops is the best volume of its kind around. It’s well researched and written with humour. I’m a local but I’ll be dipping into its pages for some inspiration from time to time. It will stay with me alongside the London A to Z street map.

Grow Your Own Drugs

Kosher Cooking

You might, at first glance, think this book isn’t for you unless you happen to be Jewish. Well, think again! You don’t have to be Italian to cook Italian food. You don’t have to be Indian to enjoy Indian food, and you don’t have to be Jewish to love Jewish dishes. No need to find your local synagogue to ask the Rabbi if it’s OK for a gentile to make Bagels. He will be most pleased that you are interested and might even advise you to serve your bagels with his own favourite topping.

Marlena Spieler has written more than 50 cookbooks and contributes to many publications including The New York Times and Bon Appetite, and she has twice won awards from the Association of Food Writers (USA). Marlena is Jewish and so has a personal interest in kosher cooking and all it signifies to her and her family.

Kosher Cooking has a three-fold appeal. Firstly to Jewish home cooks who want to respect the food laws of Kashrut, secondly to Jewish cooks who want to add to their repertoire of kosher recipes, and thirdly to those of us non-Jews who love good home cooking.

Ask anyone what they think of as traditional Jewish food and you’ll receive an array of alternatives. A Londoner’s Jewish food will be different from a Californian’s. An Indian Jew will tell you of his grandmother’s dishes, which will be a world apart from foods served in a kosher home in North Africa. Wherever the Jewish communities have moved they have adapted and adopted regional ingredients. This has made for an amazingly diverse cuisine.

The author has given lots of advice on keeping Kosher, and it’s fascinating reading. The historic notes on the Jewish Diaspora help us understand exactly why Jewish food is so multi-ethnic and complex. There are dishes that are vibrant with colour and spice, those that are comforting and rich, many that are sweet and exotic. Lots of dishes are classics but there are others that might be new to you, whether you are Jewish or not.

I have been trying to find the recipe (I guess it’s more of a method) for deep-fried Artichokes. Here it is. Simple to prepare but totally different from any other artichoke dish you will ever try. The vegetables (or are they flowers?) are transformed into bronzed crysanthemums. I would serve these as anti-pasti or mezze. Stunning.

Sweet and Sour Tongue is a “must try”. Offal is not exactly overlooked by the population in general, it’s actively turned away from. Tongue is the least offaly of offal and is a childhood teatime memory for me. This recipe is particularly flavourful and a perfect choice for those lazy days when slow cooked food and a good book are what’s needed

It’s no surprise to find Cheesecake here and what Jewish cookbook could be without a version. Strudel is another favourite, but Buttered Challah Pudding with Pears, Cherries and Almonds is the dessert that will become familiar to my guests. It’s a take on regular Bread and Butter Pudding but this version is elevated in both texture and taste.

Kosher Cooking has 70 or so lovely recipes with a wealth of step-by-step photographs to give even the inexperienced cook some confidence. Marlena Spieler has thoughtfully selected recipes that give an overview of Jewish cuisine. It’s a tapestry of flavour embroidered with threads of heritage, continuity and pride. A real good read.

Tapas – A World of Flavours

We have probably all heard of tapas and many of us would have eaten them on holiday or in a tapas bar in our home country. Your opinion of tapas will have been moulded by your experience and that might not have been a good one.

There are legends surrounding the birth of tapas. Many seem to involve Alfonso X (1221-1284) who was given the additional handle of “The Wise”, and I guess that name is well deserved if he truly was the inventor of this convivial form of epicurean enjoyment. It’s said that he fell ill and had to take small quantities of food with a little wine between meals. He decreed that snacks must be served with wine in taverns. His intention was to safeguard the health of the poor who could not afford a meal with their wine, and so would become blind drunk on a regular basis. Could this be the solution to binge drinking? Could our downfall have been avoided if we had devised something more substantial than pork scratchings with Vodka?

Whatever the historic roots of tapas, there is no doubt that they are here to stay, and have enjoyed increased popularity since the onset of the credit crunch. Many who are still able to eat out are looking to tapas bars as their eatery of choice. One can linger long over small plates of delicious morsels for less money than a conventional meal.

The author of Tapas – A World of Flavours, M Teresa Segura, was born in Cadiz, Spain and lived for some years in Tenerife. She is now London-based and cooks for her large family while working as a food journalist. Her book offers an insight into classic tapas, which have become standards all over the world, but also regional dishes that might not be quite so readily found outside Spain.

The beauty of a tapa is that it doesn’t always need to be cooked. An ideal tapas spread might include some salads, marinated fish and some hot dishes. Green olives are quite acceptable and a very common feature. This is entertaining without tears: it’s easy to present tapas for a small intimate gathering or for a crowd.

Tapas are dishes that will bring joy to the hearts of vegetarians and fish lovers. Mejillones Asados (Grilled Mussels) are a familiar dish around coastal regions of Spain. They are simple to prepare but always look spectacular. Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Prawns) are another classic and are an ideal home tapas dish as they are quick to prepare and will fill your kitchen with a mouth-watering aroma.

Paella is what often springs to mind when thinking of Spanish food. This dish works well as a tapa with each person just taking a small portion to be eaten along with several other dishes. This book offers various alternatives to the regular mixed paella of meat and seafood, found in The Costas and outside Spain. Paella with Chicken, Courgettes and Rosemary, Vegetarian Paella, Chicken Paella with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Paella with Currants and Toasted Almonds (a real taste of Moorish Spain), and my favourite, Prawn Paella with Sherry.

Spanish diners will most often finish a meal with fresh fruit, but desserts are not entirely forgotten in Tapas – A World of Flavours. Malaga Raisin Ice Cream is a sophisticated but easily prepared confection of vanilla ice cream, sherry and dried fruit. Sweet Cheesecake with Mint is a light tart and more delicate that the New York-style cheesecake we have come to expect. Orange Flan has long been a favourite with the Spanish so it’s no surprise to see the recipe here. It’s tangy and flavourful and, in my opinion, a cut above the French Crème Caramel.

Tapas – A World of Flavours is a book full of lovely photography, marvellous authentic recipes and an enticing insight into the different culinary traditions of the regions of Spain. It’s a showcase for tapas but equally for Spanish cuisine in general, with the focus on fine ingredients simply prepared.

The Gastropub Classics Cookbook

You must have been hiding under a rock if you have not heard of Gastropubs. It’s still a buzzy trend in the restaurant world although less so now than a year or so ago. Gastropubs have received a mixed press and the term has been somewhat highjacked by those who want to run high profit, low overhead restaurants.

The author, Trish Hilferty, has a wealth of Gastropub experience. She worked for a while at the forerunner of all Gastropubs, The Eagle in Farringdon, London. Trish was also head chef of The Fox Dining Room in Shoreditch and scooped the Tio Pepe London Gastropub of the Year award for 2005.

There are still good Gastropubs around but not all Gastropubs are worthy of the name. You are looking for a pub with a cosy, old-fashioned atmosphere with a bar that still welcomes locals who just want “a pint of the usual”. The food should be rustic and give the impression of home cooking. That’s not necessarily a British home, but all the dishes should be comforting. Beware of exotic menus and lengthy wine lists.

The Gastropub Classics Cookbook offers 150 or so recipes that will transport you to less complicated times of black-and-white TV and the aroma of your gran’s stew (OK, call it casserole if it makes you feel middle class). We are not reminiscing about bland, overcooked food, it’s about good ingredients simply prepared. These recipes aren’t complicated but the results are delicious.

Trish Hilferty has penned a book that is nothing short of a delight. I have spent hours reading these recipes and deciding which one to make first. There are pies aplenty and they look good but Braised Oxtail hits the spot on a cold day like today. It might not sound appetising to some, but the flavour is rich and beefy and the texture is silky and gelatinous. Serve with mash and perhaps a green vegetable... or just some crusty bread and a glass of dark beer.

There is lots on offer for fish lovers. The standard Cod and Parsley Sauce must have a mention as an English favourite, but Clams, White Beans and Chorizo is hard to beat. This is peasant-style fare but good enough to serve to guests at a smart dinner. The Gun Fish Pie (Gun is the name of the pub, not the fish) takes some beating. Monkfish and salmon are layered with mashed potatoes and Mornay sauce and topped with Gruyere cheese. Not cheap but a pie stretches expensive fish and is always impressive.

The Gastropub Classics Cookbook has a selection of puddings that steers you through traditional, retro and contemporary. Steamed Golden Syrup Pudding is teeth-achingly sweet but hard to pass up. Black Forest Gateau was ubiquitous in the 70s and could be found on every steakhouse menu, at every social gathering and in every freezer. It’s a marvellous dessert when made well and it deserves to have another airing. This creamy, chocolatey confection will remind you why it became so popular in the first place. Peach Jelly is an adult version of the regular kids’ party treat. This one is made with Cava and fresh fruit. A light and attractive end to a summer lunch.

This book presents some of the best traditional home cooking recipes around. They are the finest of Gastropub classics but also a showcase for good food, simply made. The selection of dishes is marvellous and tailored to those who appreciate fresh ingredients, well cooked. Great value for money.

Fish – The Complete Fish and Seafood Companion

Well, that is quite a claim for a book – to be the complete something or other. Fish – The Complete Fish and Seafood Companion does, at first glance, seem to have all the credentials of a major work on the subject. The hardback volume is artfully embossed and has the feel of quality.

Mitch Tonks has a reputation in the UK as one of the finest seafood chefs. He has been voted Tattlers’ Restaurateur of the Year and described as a Fishmonger for the 21st century by the Independent newspaper. He is also an award winning author. He is oft seen on UK TV and has an infectious enthusiasm for all things fishy, and he has encouraged a fish-wary public to cook simple and delicious seafood dishes.

Fish – The Complete Fish and Seafood Companion has around a hundred recipes but this book is also something of a fish encyclopaedia, a veritable “Enquire Within” of seafood. The photographs by Chris Terry show Mitch’s food to great advantage and the illustrations by Richard Bramble are the equal of those you would find in the best reference books.

We, the general public, find ourselves on the horns of a dilemma. Whilst we know that fish is good for us we are also regaled with tales of unsustainable stocks, legislation from Brussels...and the occasional pollution scare. Yes, fish is good for us, we can source fish that we can eat without guilt, and this book gives you all the advice you’ll need to find fish in season and cook it to perfection.

Part One of Fish – The Complete Fish and Seafood Companion looks at such things as fishing techniques, sustainability and why fish is so good for us. It would be so easy to skip to the recipes (they are probably the reason you bought the book) but it’s all good background to the subject and those pages show Mitch Tonks to be passionate and knowledgeable.

The recipes are the stars. The beauty of this book is that it focuses on fish that are accessible. We are not just talking the classy, pricey sorts but also the humble coley which is, in my opinion, so underrated. Stew of Coley, Roasted Peppers and Small Mullet has the taste of southern France but you’ll make this at home for a fraction of the price you’d pay in a smart(ish) port restaurant in Marseille. Mitch salts the coley overnight to change the texture. A chunk of crusty bread, a glass of red (no, don’t tell me it must be white to go with fish) and you’ll be longing for the perfume (?) of Gaulois cigarettes.

Mackerel are a reasonable price and one of the most healthful fish. Mitch has an exotic Roasted Mackerel with North African Spices. The spice rub is aromatic with a hint of heat from cayenne. This would be a great summer meal for guests as the fish can be marinating in advance and they only take ten minutes to cook in the oven. Serve with lemon and a green salad.

It’s not all about transporting you to far-flung and sun-drenched oases. Grilled Herring with Devilled Butter is very English. This recipe uses those traditional “devilled” spices of cayenne, ginger, and pepper. Oily fish can take a robust seasoning and even those who are card-carrying avoiders of fish will enjoy this recipe. Not too “fishy”!

Skate is a fish designed for those who don’t like bones. It’s an easy fish to eat and has a unique texture. Fried Skate Wing with Caper Mayonnaise couldn’t be easier to prepare. The fish is fried in breadcrumbs to give a crunchy outside but a soft and delicate flesh inside. The mayonnaise is fresh and tangy but the fish would be lovely with just a squeeze of lemon.

This is quite the most comprehensive fish book available - it lives up to its claim of being “complete”. It’s an indispensible addition to a food lover’s bookshelf. It’s well written, well researched and should become a classic.

The Complete Route 66, Lost and Found

It’s quite a mouthful of a title and it’s a big chunky book. You could not present just a pamphlet on such an iconic and romantic road. The Complete Route 66, Lost and Found is an in-depth look at the history of Route 66 but equally important, the impact that rerouting of the road had on communities and, more specifically, small businesses.

Route 66 started life as not a road at all but rather a collection of trails that, over time, became a surfaced highway. That was an evolution of decades, but improvement became more pressing in the 1930’s with the increase in traffic. Those years saw the misery and heartbreak of the Dust Bowl. Drought and high winds drove mid-west farmers out of their homes and on the road to, perhaps, a better life in California. It was these events that were the back-drop to John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath. It was he who immortalised the highway as “The Mother Road”.

The Complete Route 66, Lost and Found is about architecture as much as the road itself. The author, Russell A. Olsen, has captured the essence of life along this amazing road, from the early days of motor transport to these modern times when a drive along any part of the original Route 66 is conducted more for nostalgia than convenience.

Russell has painstakingly contrasted old photographs of cafes, motels and gas stations with pictures taken recently. Some buildings show only slight change, some are hardly recognisable and there are many which no longer exist at all. There are prize-winning examples of Art Deco architecture and equally charming 1940’s Americana. Time has evidently taken its toll on some buildings but others remain snapshots of another era, frozen in time.

A marvellous Art Deco building still exists in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was originally the Jones Motor Company and built in 1939, it has those unmistakable lines of many “between-the-wars” structures, with clean design which is said to mimic that of the celebrated Atlantic-crossing ocean liners. This gas station and auto shop has become a restaurant and brew pub so the history of pumping still continues!

The Complete Route 66, Lost and Found will be praised for its attention to detail. Russell Olsen has an easy-flowing style of writing that transports you back in time, and the photographs are quite amazing. This will find its way onto bookshelves of all those with a passion for Route 66 memorabilia, or American architecture in general.

The Jewish Princess: Feasts and Festivals

They have done it again, those two Jewish Princesses, Georgie Tarn and Tracey Fine! A second book that reflects a love of life, of good food, and of time spent with family and friends. No, you don’t have to become Jewish to enjoy this book. You have to have a passion for good things... and they are here aplenty.

The chapters are divided by Jewish festival or feast, just as the title suggests. But it’s about cooking marvellous meals that gentiles can enjoy. Yes, there are foods that are associated with particular events, but non-Jews will have the luxury of being able to eat those dishes at any time without feeling that they are out of place. Christians might have qualms about eating Christmas mince pies in September but I could eat Prune and Chocolate Hamantaschen at any time.

You’ll love this book even if you have a royal hate of anything kitcheny. These JP’s have found ways to cut culinary corners. Well, OK, if not cutting corners at least rounding them off in a pleasing fashion. You can use ready-prepared pomegranate seeds (or get someone else to do the job); you have permission to use a can of custard; and don’t even think of making meringue nests, buy them, the same as the rest of us who live in the real world. This has got to be one of the most user-friendly cookbooks around.

These girls are a real hoot and they have penned another volume filled with laugh-out-loud observations to which we can all relate, but it’s the food that takes centre stage (or perhaps a little to one side as you can never up-stage a Jewish Princess). This is a great collection of recipes for smart eating. Bar Mitzvah, Bris, Passover, Chanukkah and many more are all Jewish festivals or celebrations, but the menus are equally appropriate for non-religious meals.

There are dishes here that are marvellously simple but lip-smackingly delicious. I love cooking, dear reader, a slave to it I will not be. I love recipes that don’t send me into a state of nail-biting (JP’s don’t do that) anxiety. Those recipes that produce an end result that will elicit oohhhs and aahhhs and compliments without me working for days. There are such recipes within these covers!

Vegetable Lasagne is easy, quick, suitable for vegetarians and it is, above all, tasty. Almond Pudding is a triple almond dessert that can be served hot or cold. That’s got to be a winner for a dinner party. Chicken Marmalade is one of those dishes that you’ll cook often. It doesn’t need lots of exotic accompaniments as it looks and tastes stunning just with some fluffy mash and some green beans artfully strewn around the platter.

My favourite recipe is probably Pear and Chocolate Crumble. Pears and chocolate are a classic combination but I would never have thought of putting them into a crumble. The topping has oats and they are good for you so I guess this pud is elevated to the realm of health food... so serve some cream with it.

The Jewish Princess: Feasts and Festivals is another stunner. It’s stylish, amusing and a cookbook that you’ll reach for whenever you want to impress without stress. I’ll give my Jewish friends this book in the hopes that they will use it... and invite me over.

500 Cakes

Just the title has got your attention! There are picky eaters all over the world but who among them would pass up a slice of cake? It’s an “anytime” food that can be tailored to any taste and any occasion. Cake for celebration, cake for commiseration, casual cake and chic cake - you’ll find them all in this chunky volume.

The author, Susannah Blake, is a food writer and editor who has produced over 30 cookbooks and some of them have been award winners. She has an evident love of baking as six of those cookbooks have focused on that very subject.

This 500 series from Apple Press is quite marvellous. A great format for offering lots - well, 500 – recipes, and with delightful pictures by the brilliant Ian Garlick, it’s bound to be popular. Every genre of cake has a mention, from classic cakes to special party cakes. There are creamy cakes and diet cakes and even a chapter called Foolproof Cakes, which will be the most-used in our house.

One of the first recipes is for the popular Pound Cake. It isn’t that the cake costs a pound to make; its name comes from the weight of ingredients. There was originally 1lb each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Susannah offers a slightly more modest version but it’s still buttery and delicious. A cake for a hot afternoon garnished with some fresh berries.

Boiled Fruit Cake (it’s the fruit that’s boiled, not the cake) is another traditional recipe that always works. The fruit is moist and plump from a simmer in tea. It might not sound appetising but, trust me, it works. Susan has six versions of this so you can change the fruits from time to time.

The Classic Cake chapter has many familiar delights such as Carrot Cake (surprisingly simple to make but it needs the Cream Cheese Icing), Dundee Cake to remind you of Sunday teatime at your Grans, and Coffee and Walnut Cake. This might be my favourite in this book. The sponge is delicious and the butter cream is meltingly moreish.

Cheesecakes are a deli favourite but nothing beats homemade. They are not difficult to make but always impressive. If you are new to baking cheesecakes (I am not keen on the no-bake version with gelatine) then start with the New York Cheesecake. This will give you the confidence to tackle the other gorgeous varieties. You will be, henceforth, a stranger to the dessert section of the deli counter.

500 Cakes has my vote for style, ease of use and temptation. It’s a book to keep in the kitchen but you’ll also find yourself leafing through it on wet days when you just feel like baking. Your oven will never be cold! Fantastic value for money.

The Frugal Cook

There is a difference between being frugal and being just plain mean. We all know people who will invite you over for the afternoon but not offer you a cup of tea... that’s mean. There are those who invite you over and offer you a cup of tea with a big slice of apple pie (the fruit having been swapped with the lady down the road for some tomatoes that grew in amazing profusion)... that’s frugal. Get the drift?

Times are tough just now. More people are looking to make cut-backs and that might include a change in lifestyle. This doesn’t have to be a painful process with regard to home economics. You might be forced to re-evaluate the necessity for meals out and take-aways, but your health and your finances might thank you for taking a different approach.

Fiona Beckett has penned The Frugal Cook not as a new fad diet, although it’s probable that you might lose that “slight chubbiness” if you take Fiona’s advice. It’s about making the best of the food you already buy and looking for some alternatives. You could find that you save both time and money.

The Frugal Cook is stuffed with advice on buying produce at a reasonable price, stretching meals so the Sunday roast lingers for a delicious Monday lunch, and avoiding waste. It isn’t rocket science but we sometimes need a reminder that food in the bin is money down the drain.

You might expect this book to have chapter headings such as “1001 things to do with leftover sprout water”, “How to save a fortune by keeping a cow”. There is nothing nasty or outlandish. None of those folksy, woodsy sermons on wearing vegetarian sandals. It’s sensible stuff. Great recipes that just happen to be frugal. Your family won’t notice that you have made economies and they won’t feel deprived. There will be new meals to enjoy and perhaps a few lovely afternoons hunting blackberries.

Kids are notoriously picky but there are plenty of dishes that will soon become new family favourites. Meatloaf is bound to be a winner. The meat is padded out with oats. This is a flexible dish and can be seasoned to become an Italian Meatloaf (add Oregano), American (serve with BBQ sauce) or Mexican (add some chilli). It’s also a sandwich filler that’s hearty and sustaining.

The pizza moped might be a regular sight chez vous but it’s possible to have the same meal for a fraction of the price. Why not buy the basic, thin crust Margherita and add more toppings? The kids will be enthusiastic about designing their own pizza (probably chocolate and ketchup) and they’ll be eating it in less time than it would normally take Dwayne to arrive with the greasy box.

So that’s week-day meals and the youngsters sorted, but you’ll want to consider feeding guests. Cooking for dinner parties is always a financial fright. We want to be generous hosts but it’s easy to blow the week’s food budget on just one meal. First thing to remember is that friends come to see us and not to criticise the food. Pies are trendy at the moment and Fiona offers a Frugal Fish Pie that gives not a hint of frugality. Use small frozen prawns and “basic” white fish (it’s just good “fish” and I use it all the time. Most supermarkets have a version.) The result is luxurious but it’s a simple recipe and ideal for smart entertaining.

The Frugal Cook is a delightful recipe book. The bonus is that you’ll save money and time. Fiona Beckett has pointed the direction for the future. We might not “need” to take her approach but most of us will want to. A practical and positive guide to better living.

Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery

Margaret Fulton was born near Inverness in Scotland, the youngest of six children. Her parents were both tailors and went to Australia when Margaret was four years old. The family set up home in Glen Innes, NSW, and it’s there that young Margaret first learnt to cook.

You might not recognise the name unless you are Australian but Margaret is as celebrated there as Delia Smith might be in the UK. She has 20 or so books to her credit and was said to be one of the 100 most influential Australians and credited with teaching the nation to cook.

Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is an obvious labour of love. It took Margaret a full 18 months to bring this mammoth work to completion for publication in 1983. This is the revised and updated edition and reflects the array of ingredients available to modern home cooks.

This is a chunky volume with an almost old-fashioned, comforting style of binding. The cloth spine and the board covers are attractive and practical. The text in shades of sepia and black help to define the pages. There are some line illustrations but this is an Encylopedia and not a full colour cookbook. There are 1000 or so entries and some 1500 recipes, which include European and more exotic classics as well as contemporary favourites.

Margaret writes in a light accessible style which informs without patronising. The book is filled with history, information and advice but it’s not just a tool for the novice. Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is a work of reference to be welcomed by even experienced and enthusiastic cooks. This is one of those books that will be often used with scraps of paper marking much-loved pages.

I have my own well-thumbed pages which include the one that contains Lemon Delicious Pudding. This is one of those magical sponges that hides a sauce which appears during the cooking process. What a lovely recipe for children who can involve themselves with mixing... and eating this light tangy dessert.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic is not a myth, it exists and it’s one of those “must-try” recipes. All those cloves cook down to sweet and tender perfection. Their character changes to the extent that even those who are normally appalled at the prospect of eating garlic will ask for a few cloves more. This chicken will fill your home with an enticing aroma that is quite mouth-watering. A simple recipe but one you will refer to time and time again.

Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is a book you will use till it falls apart. It’s one of my top 10 classic cookbooks.

Jekka’s Complete Herb Book

This magnificent volume has already sold over half a million copies. Hardly seems like Jekka’s Complete Herb Book needs another promotion but I guess there might be someone who doesn’t already own it or has not yet come across it.

Jekka McVicar is a familiar face to UK TV viewers. She has oft graced our screens on gardening programmes and also alongside food worthies such as Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver. With reference to Jekka’s Complete Herb Book Jamie has said “Jekka’s is a must-have book for everyone who loves gardening and cooking, I’m her biggest fan.”

So what’s so special about Jekka’s book? Why would one of Britain’s best loved chefs be so impressed? It quite simply does what it says on the label. “Complete” is the key word. This book tells you all you are likely to want to know about herbs. History, cultivation, propagation, cooking, and medical uses are all here.

It’s good to find gardening books that don’t assume the reader knows anything about the subject. The photographs of the herbs and the food are lovely but what do you do when you have a virgin patch of ground and a few packets of seeds your dad bought for you “to give you a start”? Jekka has pages of advice that starts with showing you how to sprinkle seeds and continues to the planning of your herb garden. You don’t need a big garden, there is information on growing herbs in containers.

There are plenty of surprises. Helleborus Niger or Hellebore or Christmas Rose is a plant that many of us are familiar with. I didn’t know that apart from being a lovely plant, it’s also a herb and considered to be one of Britain’s oldest cultivated flowers. It’s thought to have been brought over with the Romans although it’s hard to envisage a stocky legionnaire toting a sack of plants to make his garden look nice.

Jekka’s Complete Herb Book deserves to be a best seller. It’s a book that will be enjoyed equally by both gardeners (expert and otherwise) and cooks. Jekka McVicar has made her living from herbs and she has produced a manual for the home-grower. Your herbs might not ever introduce you to culinary celebrities but they will give you some flavourful meals, a cure for vertigo and a lot of pleasure.

We have a fascinating interview with Jekka to celebrate this year’s Gardeners’ World Live Exhibition.

The Arab – Israeli Cookbook

There is every reason to assume that this cookbook will be a great success. It has a scarcity value. I am sure there are lots of copies available but how rare is a book that talks about mutual respect, friendship and hope between these two constantly warring peoples. How could such a book come to be and why would the marvellous Claudia Roden take sufficient interest in this little book to write the foreword?

Robin Soans is the compiler of this book. I don’t describe him as the author because the authors are the Arabs and Israelis who eat together. But it all started with a play! Two forward-thinking directors, Tim Roseman and Rima Brihi, one Arab and one Israeli, had a dream. They would plan a play about the conflict. The characters would not be soldiers, bombers or politicians. They would be ordinary people caught in the middle... as they always are. Cooking is at the centre of most people’s lives, whatever religion. This book is a product of that play.

The Arab – Israeli Cookbook isn’t an over-worthy tome. It’s about people but it’s about food and the food that those people are happy to share. There are lots of Middle Eastern classics here. These are recipes that you can trust because they are family recipes that have, in some cases, been passed down for many generations. The dishes start with breakfast and continue to dessert and they are tempting.

The traditional dishes include hummus, falafel, fattoush, tabboulet and kibbeh, but there are others that are new to me. Paprika Prawns has its roots in central Europe and a gorgeous chocolate cake was a surprise: a moist sponge with a chocolate-butter cream filling and a rich coffee and chocolate icing.

The final chapter of the book reflects upon the author’s diary of his stay in the Middle East. It makes sombre and sober reading but it reminds us that ordinary men, women and children continue to live their lives under the most tragic and dangerous of circumstances. The issues are complex and seem beyond resolution but we must put our faith in those who still believe that the fork is mightier than the sword... or gun... or bomb.

The Arab – Israeli Cookbook has delicious food and a message. Robin says... “there is a whole other side you don’t read about or see in the media... individuals who, in their own private way, are building, not burning bridges...”

An Indian Kitchen

This is a cookbook that works for me on several levels. The author is relatively unknown, it’s spiral-bound so it’s a book you’ll be persuaded to use in your kitchen, and thirdly it’s sold in a good cause.

The author, Farida Khan, is an amazing lady. She didn’t start her working life with catering in mind. Farida was a gifted medical student at the Chittagong Medical College when she married a young surgeon, Majid Khan, and three days later they set off for a new life in Somalia where they were presented with many challenges including finding somewhere to eat!

Farida had to learn to cook out of sheer necessity but it’s evidently a talent that might have remained hidden had she not left her own country. That would have been a great loss to her friends as well as to the many charities that have benefited from her skill as a cook and baker.

The Khans moved to Edinburgh in 1966 and Farida began to build a reputation for fine hospitality. She was urged to give cooking lessons which eventually led to her setting up her own catering company. Her birthday and wedding cakes are legendary but she has always found time to support charities and in this case Cancer Research UK.

If you are the thoughtful sort you will buy this book to support this very worthwhile cause, but isn’t it good when you actually get something worthwhile in return. This is a rather good cookbook that has some great Indian recipes but also some European dishes such as Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup, and Pavlova.

The Indian recipes are a lovely collection of family favourites and some that might not be so well known by non-Indians. The Bread chapter has chapatis and puris as you might expect but there is also Aloo Paratha and Puran Puri. The Rice chapter offers Vegetable Pillau and Chicken Pillau but also includes Masoor Pillau which is a rich rice dish with lamb and lentils.

You’ll expect me to wax lyrical about a particular recipe and I won’t disappoint you. It’s Delhi Korma, a recipe given by Farida's cousin. Korma has something of a bad rap. It’s a dish ordered by those who visit Indian restaurants under coercion. It’s an item sought by those who don’t actually like Indian food. Korma sauce is a supermarket staple which invariably ranges from over-sweet to bland. Try this recipe and you’ll find yourself converted to Subcontinental food in general and a real korma in particular. Simple to make, authentic and delicious. It’s mild and comforting and a world away from anything you’ll find in most restaurants.

An Indian Kitchen is a cookbook with the feel of a well-loved archive. You’ll enjoy the recipes, which aren’t over taxing even for the novice. Your family will thank you for buying this book... and so will Cancer Research UK.

An Indian Kitchen
Author: Farida Khan
The book retails for £10 from all Specsavers stores throughout Scotland and is being sold in aid of Cancer Research UK. If people south of the border are interested in purchasing the book then please contact susanne.grant@beattiegroup.com. She will liaise with you with regard to payment, and postage and packaging.

The Complete Asian Cookbook

I first came across Charmaine Solomon in the 1970’s. My first recipe book was Charmaine’s Chinese Cookbook and I am still using it today (well, actually, last Saturday night). It’s a treat to have The Complete Asian Cookbook, which is a mammoth one-stop Asian recipe book that covers those countries that constitute what we in the West consider Asia. Not the geographic Asia which would include parts of Turkey and Iran etc, but the Asia from China to Indonesia, from Pakistan to Japan

Ken Hom has written the foreword and he says “I trust that this major culinary work will be a companion to your cookery books as well as being used as a standard reference...” One glance will tell you that this volume is noteworthy. It’s a mine of information on food history, culture and practice for all the main Asian cuisines.

Although this is a formidable volume it’s a cookbook that is meant to be used. It’s ideal for those who have already discovered a passion for cooking Asian food but also for those who would like to. Charmaine doesn’t assume you know anything about the subject. She guides you gently through the basic techniques and even gives you a convenient shopping list for those store cupboard ingredients for each of the cuisines.

The chapters are divided by country and the lesser-known culinary nations are also given space. There are few books that focus on Sri Lankan dishes and probably still fewer that present the food of Burma. Each section has a wealth of classic dishes as well as family-style recipes, and the sheer volume is almost overwhelming!

I do have favourite recipes. Crisp Fried Pork with Sweet and Sour Sauce is a Chinese restaurant staple but it’s often heavy and greasy. This recipe is lighter and fresher-tasting than the take-away favourite. This recipe also works well with chicken and prawns and I often use the sauce over rice with vegetables.

Some Asian recipe books are a bit light on sweets. India has some of the finest as the sweetshops even in the UK will attest. Some of these delights are easily made at home and your guests will be impressed by an authentic Asian dessert rather than a scoop of trifle. Kulfi is a delicious Indian ice cream and the home-made version is far superior to the commercial offerings of the larger supermarkets. Mysore Pak, like a shortbread, has crumbly texture and has a delicate hint of cardamom and almond. Just right with a cup of afternoon tea. Barfi is probably the most common of Indian sweets and comes in many colours and flavours but The Complete Asian Cookbook has probably the most popular - Barfi Pista made with Pistachio nuts. Irresistible.

The Complete Asian Cookbook doesn’t have a picture for every recipe (there are 70 recipes just starting with the letter A!) but there are sufficient to give the impression of a sumptuous book that you will want to use. Yes, its size is impressive but the content is what will attract the reader. It’s a book of reference, charm and practicality. Amazing value for money!

The Cinnamon Club Cookbook

The title evokes pictures of colonial plantations with a menu of Anglo-Indian dishes and probably jam roly-poly in sweltering heat. That vision could not be further from the truth. This is all about classy and contemporary Indian cooking which manages to give a nod to that other fine cuisine... French.

The authors, Iqbal Wahhab and Vivek Singh, present us with a book filled with recipes from their celebrated Cinnamon Club restaurant in Westminster, London. This is a cut above (in fact many cuts above) your high-street curry house. This magnificent building is home to elegant dining, and it just happens to be Indian dining.

There is a move away from the long-familiar, standard fare on offer at the local take-away. We have travelled to the subcontinent and eaten in Asian friends’ homes in the UK, so we know that there is something better to be had. The Cinnamon Club Cookbook introduces a new concept which combines the best of Indian food with the presentation that we would normally expect from an up-market eatery in Paris. The authors have added wine recommendations which will be a relief to those of us who yearn for something other than a pint of Cobra with our spicy meals.

The recipes are surprising and tempting. Rabbit Tikka is ideal cooked on the barbeque with a nice chilled glass of Syrah from the Languedoc in France alongside. Spice-crusted Rib Eye of Beef with Masala Sautéed Potatoes would make an exotic change for Sunday lunch, served with wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal.

My favourite dishes are the accompaniments. Rajasthani Chickpea Dumplings with Yoghurt is a dish not often found on restaurant menus. Punjabi Black Lentils with Tomatoes and Cream would make a meal alone with just some fresh roti. But the chapter with the most comfort food has got to be Breakfast with such delights as Potato-stuffed Parathas, and Haleem which is a lamb stew with lentils and wheat. OK, so it’s a substantial meal but lovely on a cold winter morning.

Cinnamon Club Cookbook is a book packed with innovation. It will elevate home cooking to something for those special occasions when you want to get out the real napkins and buy a good bottle of wine.

Some say that there are three outstanding cuisines in the world: French, Chinese and Indian. For me Indian food is at the top of the list for flavour, colour and variety. It’s a cuisine I long to learn more about and the more I learn the more I realise I don’t know. The Cinnamon Club Cookbook is a delightful tool to continue my education.

Backroads of North Carolina

This is another of those essential guides, but perhaps it also gives a taste of this most picturesque and often overlooked region of the USA to the armchair traveller. Backroads of North Carolina introduces the reader to the road less travelled and that road takes you from sea to mountain, from quiet glades to raging waterfalls.

I guess there is a reason why North Carolina remains virtually unexplored by overseas visitors. It’s all about location. It’s neither New York nor Florida, which are the two East Coast destinations favoured by travellers, but this is an undiscovered gem of a state. If you have a love of unspoilt countryside with charming interludes of wooden homes and towering lighthouses then this is the state for you.

The author, Kevin Adams, chose a photographer for this book. He chose a man that knew exactly the best shot to complement the text, a chap who understood the author’s message and was always around when needed. Kevin took the pictures himself! He has a style that makes scenes of rushing water almost mystical, and his views of sunsets over the ocean are enchanting.

Backroads of North Carolina offers the tourist nearly 30 scenic drives. The itineraries vary from the short half-day meander of about 15 miles to the longer trip of 180 miles that you might consider for that long-awaited weekend away. Kevin divides the region into 5 sections with numerous routes for each area so it’s easy to plan your holiday to include those spots of special interest.

Route 14, for example, takes us to Cherokee Country. The name sounds romantic but tinged with tragedy. I am sure many will know of the now-infamous Trail of Tears when in the 1830s the US government rounded up and force-marched most of the tribe to Oklahoma. The town of Cherokee boasts many gift shops selling authentic Cherokee souvenirs made by authentic Cherokees in Asia from authentic Cherokee plastic. There is the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and Oconaluftee Indian Village if you want to learn more about the real original inhabitants. Route 14 covers 35 miles and would be an ideal first trip to give some historic perspective to your visit.

Backroads of North Carolina will entice you away from shopping malls and fast food vendors. This volume is penned by a man who takes evident pride in his home state and he is happy for you to share.

Veg – The Cookbook

Most of my UK readers will recognise the name Gregg Wallace and all TV food programme enthusiasts will recognise the face. Greg is the co-presenter of Masterchef and he is the follically challenged bloke with the cheeky grin.

This book has a slightly different perspective than most veggie cookbooks. Greg is a seller of veg, an eater of veg, a grower of veg and now a writer of veg. There can be few who are better placed to give advice and encouragement to any of us who have, or want to develop, a passion for vegetables.

Veg – The Cookbook isn’t, surprisingly enough, a vegetarian recipe book. There are non-meat dishes aplenty but it’s more about the use of vegetables rather than the exclusion of meat. Many of us these days are eating less meat, and red meat in particular. Sometimes we might choose that demi-carnivorous diet for economic reasons but it’s more often for reasons of taste and culinary richness that we take an interest in vegetables. There are, after all, more varieties of vegetables than there are of edible animals.

Gregg’s food philosophy is realistic and sustainable. He has no problem with presenting a bowl of exotic fruits because they are delicious and good for us. We don’t have the climate to cultivate bananas and pineapples so it’s obvious that they can’t be home-grown. On the other hand Gregg is likely to take you to task if you are the class of shopper who wants imported cherries at Christmas. Wait till local cherries are available. Buy produce when it’s in season is this man’s advice.
 
But when is it in season? I hear you cry! Veg – The Cookbook will tell you. Each chapter considers a different vegetable and will tell you all you need to know to take advantage of a decent price and highest quality. Let’s look at Asparagus. Gregg discusses types of asparagus, gives a few facts, offers a chart so you’ll know when it’s in season and you’ll learn how to buy the best asparagus.

Once you have purchased your veg you’ll want to cook it, so it’s on to the recipes. There are over 120 recipes and they are all quick and easy. There are lots of the classic vegetable dishes and this book is no worse for it, but there are lovely contemporary ones as well. New Potato, Watercress and Bacon Salad is so simple but sustaining and uses meat as a seasoning rather than the main event. Leeks, Peas and Haddock Baked in a Bag is another of those dishes that makes you look like a finalist for Masterchef. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and just 30 minutes to cook. A stunner for a dinner party or to impress the mother-in law.

Veg – The Cookbook is a sensible, readable volume. It’s attractive, with brilliant photographs by Simon Brown but above all it’s a book you’ll use. Good value for money.

The Rough Guide to Food

We are, I am sure, all familiar with the Rough Guide travel books. They are expertly penned volumes giving lots of advice and support to the independent traveller. Books full of dos and don’ts to keep readers safe on far-flung adventures. Well, The Rough Guide to Food is written with the same thoroughness as the travel guides but the subject matter should be of interest to all of us who are fortunate enough to have food choices.

We are indeed blessed if we can eat 3 times a day. The epidemic of obesity in the “developed” world is contrasted by the plight of a great proportion of the world’s population. The health services in the western world are put under strain, not due to water-borne diseases, not from the effects of malnutrition but from over-indulgence of food, alcohol and “leisure” drugs. No, Mum, that’s not paracetamol after a nasty knock with a tennis racket!

The Rough Guide to Food is fascinating reading. It paints a rather gloomy picture of thoughtless food production, immoral employment practices and chemical misuse. It encourages cynicism in the consumer but that’s probably no bad thing.

Some of the facts presented in this volume are quite disturbing. Under the heading ‘Bananas can be bad for your health’ we are told that Nicaraguan banana workers were made sterile by banned pesticides and that in March 2007 Chiquita pleaded guilty to paying money to a brutal, right-wing Columbian militia in return for protection of the company’s plantation.

OK, so it’s not just bad news. The Rough Guide to Food offers a glimmer of hope with the promotion of Fairtrade products. Perhaps that goes some small way towards redressing the imbalance between the plight of producers and our enthusiasm for cheap food no matter the cost in human terms. There are lots of pointers on growing your own food, organic box schemes and farmers markets. It is possible to eat ethically.

The Rough Guide to Food is a book that tells it like it is. It’s not a comfortable read but perhaps it should be required reading for all of us who have a passion for food. We should all want to eat healthily but not at the expense of others who have fewer choices. Thought-provoking.

The Jewish Princess Cookbook

You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Jewish Princess. It’s either a philosophy or a life skill, depending on your... er, well, philosophy! I have known Jewish Jewish Princesses, non-Jewish Jewish Princesses and even a non-Jewish Jewish Prince. They all have several common denominators and they are: love of life, generosity of spirit and passion for fine things like food.

The authors, Georgie Tarn and Tracey Fine, embody all of those aforementioned qualities, characterised by their willingness to share their recipes and their sense of fun with the population at large. Yes, this is a cookbook but it’s also about family and friends and nurturing. The ladies admit to having three husbands between them and that must indicate a sense of humour!

You might be the sort of person who buys The Jewish Princess Cookbook for the recipes (you’ll miss out if you don’t read all those pages between, though) and the food is gorgeous. There is everything here from Chicken Soup (Jewish Penicillin) to Cheesecake and lots of other dishes that might not seem typically Jewish, like Baked Alaska (there must be Jewish folks in Alaska). This isn’t, after all, a Jewish cookbook but a collection of recipes worthy of Princesses of any denomination.

I do have a few (well, quite a few to be honest) favourite recipes from this book. Cholent is a meat stew with beans and potatoes. The beef used is a cheaper cut and the pulses are a great filler so it’s an ideal meal for a crowd. It takes a while to cook so it’s a candidate for that Slow Cooker that you got as a wedding present from your aunt Winnie.

Choca-challah Pudding is a delicious and much improved version of Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding. It’s made with Challah, a rich, sweet bread but if you can’t find that then use a good brioche. The success of this pud lies in the sauce of cream, eggs and 70% dark chocolate (don’t be tempted to cut corners and use white sliced and a melted bar of Cadbury’s). Although it sounds like a pound-applying dessert every Jewish Princess knows that cakes have no calories if you take a bite from somebody else’s plate, only eat from the top or only eat from the bottom!

The Jewish Princess Cookbook is delightful. It will make you laugh out loud. It will tempt you with marvellous dishes none of which are time-consuming (the Cholent cooks for 7 hours but you don’t have to keep it company, do you!) or difficult. I am glad I have a copy and I’ll be buying a few more for gifts.

The Farmer’s Wife Baking Cookbook

The Farmer’s wife in question is not actually a farmer’s wife, or should I say she is hundreds of farmer’s wives. Confused? Then I’ll explain. The Farmer’s Wife was a monthly magazine published in Minnesota between 1893 and 1939. I dare say farmers and their families felt often quite isolated in the days before rapid transport, telephone, TV and the internet. This magazine gave the lady of the house a forum for pastimes such as household management, dressmaking, gardening, slaughtering (animals, that is) and cooking.

If you are a lover of historic cookbooks you will be enchanted by this volume. The recipes are family recipes which often give an indication of the roots of those farmers or their interest in faraway places. There are Cornish pasties, Guernsey Gash, Sally Lunn, Southern Apple Dumplings and Raleigh Cake. The farmer’s wife took great pride in her baked goods which were appreciated by husbands and children who all worked hard to make a success of the farm.

Lela Nagri, the editor of The Farmer’s Wife Baking Cookbook, has tampered with the original recipes as little as possible. She has done some helpful conversions from archaic measurements such as gills to ounces but the words of these ladies have been preserved.

The most marvellous illustration of rich and colourful language can be found in the Quick Breads chapter. A contributor from Wisconsin writes “Make a stiffish paste with flour and lard and a pinch of salt, not no baking powder. Wet it up with milk if you got it, water if you ab’n got it....The children so dearly like it, and they say currans be full of the new fangled “vitamines” the Doctors be always ordering, they ought to be good for ‘em. If you get tired of currans you can make a “Figgy” wan fer a change. Figs is just Cornish for raisins”.

The Farmer’s Wife Baking Cookbook isn’t an out-moded recipes book. The cakes and pastries here are good solid fare that will be enjoyed by you and your family in the 21st century just as much as those folks back at the start of the 20th.

There are lots of recipes here that will be familiar to those who have been fortunate enough to find an authentic American diner. Cream Pies are a simple, cheap and delicious dessert and there are several in this book. Favourite Pie dates from 1913 and is a rich apple tart topped with meringue. These might not be exotic but they are authentically American and still worth making.

The Farmer’s Wife Baking Cookbook is probably a book for the more confident cook who already has a feel for baking. It has 300 or so recipes so there are plenty to get your culinary teeth into. I think it’s a winner and a volume that I’ll be using often.

The Healthiest Meals on Earth

I have read (or tried to read) many a health food cookbook and some of them are a struggle. Lots of the food rests in that part of the colour spectrum that ranges all the way from beige to magnolia. Those ingredients that are promoted are often a bit too chewy (perhaps the action of masticating burns calories), with strange earthy or grassy flavours. This book has helped restore my faith in healthy eating.

Jonny Bowden is the bestselling author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth and The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. He is also a life coach so he probably understands what it takes to persuade people to make healthy choices.

It’s about Polymeals. “What’s that?” I hear you ask. It stems from a suggestion from the medical community that there might be a polypill, consisting of 6 main medicines, that would be the panacea of all ills. Oscar Franco, a scientist at Columbia University took that idea and translated it into meals that are built around 7 or so key elements. Those elements are fish, garlic, almonds, fruit, vegetables, dark chocolate and a glass of red wine.

Johnny has presented meals that come as close as possible to Oscar Franco’s “perfect” meal. The idea is to maximise anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, fibre, good fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals like cacao in chocolate. All the meals here were selected on three criteria: maximum nutritional impact, taste, ease of preparation.

The Healthiest Meals on Earth has three sections: Four-course Polymeals, One-pot Polymeals with Simple Sides, and Delicious Drinks - The Liquid Polymeal. Each section has a selection of recipes that meet the aforementioned criteria and there are plenty of notes and lists to help you understand the value of various foods.

The recipes here are, without exception, lovely... ummm, well, OK, there is one exception which is brown rice which falls into the beige and chewy category, but that’s my only reservation. A nutrition book that suggests you might like Sweet Almond Butter Apricot Cookies has got my vote. Persian-style Chicken with Walnut, Onion and Pomegranate Sauce is said to be a disease-fighter and is anti-aging. I’ll be making that one often!

The Healthiest Meals on Earth is both impressive and informative. The food is appealing and likely to encourage you to eat meals that will do you good. You get a lot of book for your money.

Matt Tebbutt Cooks Country

Matt Tebbutt Cooks Country is about fresh seasonal food. The Country in question is ...not a country but rather Britain, and it gives a nod to the international culinary arena via some tasty dishes. It’s a sumptuous volume with delightful photographs by Chris Terry, showing food, Matt, and family. It’s a warm, rich-looking page-turner.

Being a fresh seasonal produce book the chapters are divided by month, or rather two months. It starts with January – February and, as you would expect, ends with November -  December. Each chapter has a foreword describing the delights of that pair of months, and then it’s on to the recipes.

The food here is a combination of classic and contemporary, a broad base of ingredients and great use of lamb and seafood. Matt lives in Wales so he takes evident pride in his local meat and fish. Not always presenting the produce in the traditional manner, he isn’t afraid to ring some interesting changes.

Rump of Welsh Lamb, Spiced Aubergine, Mint Yoghurt and Flatbread is a good example of a fresh approach to a traditional roast. Matt suggests roasting the lamb till pink and serving it with the aromatic vegetables that owe their origin to the celebrated Imam Bayeldi so often enjoyed in Turkey.

Another innovation is Black Pudding, Smoked Eel, Caramelised Apples and Cider Mustard Sauce. I guess this is “rustic” Surf and Turf. A striking autumn dish and a truly different combination. This would make a delicious light lunch or cold-weather starter.

Roast Chicken with Bay Leaves and Preserved Lemon is exotic without being spicy. This would be enjoyed even by those who profess to only eating “good British food”. A clean, salty tang comes from the preserved lemon, which adds unique flavour to the chicken. If you still prefer an unadulterated bird then you could consider Spiced Lentils with Crème Fraiche as a side dish. Comforting.

Matt Tebbutt Cooks Country is a book full of inspiration and it’s a book you’ll use. The highest praise you can give a cookbook.

Route 66 Backroads

Route 66 must surely be one of the most celebrated highways in the world. India has its Grand Trunk Road and evokes pictures of overloaded trucks, roadside stalls selling spicy curry to travellers, and perhaps the occasional elephant. England has the M25, which brings to mind a car park. The USA has Route 66, which is steeped in charm and adventure and the traffic does keep moving.

This most famed of highways starts at Green Park in Chicago. Mark Twain wrote in 1883 "It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago. She outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them."  The city still has a buzz of excitement, which is a fitting start to your adventure.

This book is about Backroads and they take you to the heart of real America. Small towns that, although a few miles either side of the old and now almost vanished Route 66, give a feel of days past. You’ll find real diners that all overseas visitors seek and seldom find. Meatloaf and apple pie rather than a golden arch. There are fine dining opportunities in larger towns and cities in every state, but you’ll miss a treat if you don’t try the small-town eateries and bakeries.

Route 66 Backroads offers a wealth of information to encourage you off the beaten track. There are 50 driving tours to choose from, each giving a unique perspective. You can visit birthplaces of the famous, battlegrounds, oil rigs and museums. The landscape changes along with the culture and architecture. Start with skyscrapers but linger to enjoy the adobe of old Santa Fe, one of my favourite spots in the whole world.

I have travelled extensively in the States and I have read many a guidebook. Most will direct you to world-famous sights, celeb restaurants and costly leisure activities and shows. Route 66 Backroads introduces you to a road less travelled but no less fascinating. The trip (or trips) of a lifetime.

James Martin Desserts

anyone who is a fan of this popular chef will want a copy.

Sweet Baby James is considered by some to be the best of James Martin on TV. He has a talent for desserts and puds, which are made even more comforting and homey by the addition of anecdotes. James tells of his Gran who would make pastry while watching Coronation Street. More accurately, his Gran would listen to Coronation Street while watching the pastry.

There are some spectacular dishes here but you don’t need to be an expert patissier to try your hand at these delights. James has a wealth of advice in the Basics section and that will give you the confidence to tackle all the recipes, not only from this book but the skills will serve you well when using any other cookbook.

The chapter headings prepare you for the treats in store. There is everything here from Hot Puddings to Ice Creams and Sorbets and everything in between. The dishes are classic and traditional but with the occasional contemporary twist. That isn’t to say that they are all British. There are some European favourites that will be familiar to most readers.

James starts the Hot Puddings section with Bread and Butter Pudding but he uses croissants instead of the more usual white sliced. It has a less regular crust than the original and has a lighter texture. The use of white chocolate and whiskey are more of James’ departures but you could always substitute another spirit and use dark chocolate. An orange liqueur would work well.

The Tarts and Flans chapter offers Baked Pear and Honey Tart. This is a dinner party version of the old favourite custard tart. Lemon Meringue Pie is another standard that has been forgotten but it can be delicious when made as illustrated in Desserts. Apple and Thyme Tarte Tatin is a contemporary take on the famous original.

You will expect me to have my favourites and I do. Sorbet is such a popular dessert because it’s a light and refreshing end to a meal and makes a lovely afternoon snack on a hot summer day. The advantage is that sorbet is made in advance so is ideal for meals with friends. James offers Apple Sorbet and Fresh Mango Sorbet. Lemon Granita which is like a very smart flavoured ice made in a freezer box rather than an ice cream maker is a simple alternative to sorbet.

James Martin Desserts is a book full of puds to remind you of Sunday dinner when you were a kid, but it will equally encourage you to make the effort to tempt your own family. Make some sweet memories for them. Great value for money.

The HP Sauce Cookbook

The author, Paul Hartley, has a wealth of experience in the food industry. He has run a European- style Cafe-bar in London and an award-winning country pub in Somerset. He is a major contributor to Breakfastandbrunch.com. Paul also has a clutch of other store-cupboard cookbooks to his name.

HP sauce has been around in its present form since the turn of the century... the previous one, that is. The British Houses of Parliament have always had pride of place on the label. A bottle of the celebrated sauce was spotted in that building and so the name was adopted: “H”ouses of “P”arliament. Short, to the point, memorable, and iconic.

This flavourful sauce was the element that was said to have made the unvarying menu of “bully beef” palatable for the First World War troops. The label, at that time, was in French as well as English. It was rumoured that it was in French because so much of the sauce was shipped to France; or that it showed solidarity with our French allies. Truth was that the manufacturers thought it made the sauce seem upmarket and posh.

The HP Sauce Cookbook is a history but it’s also, as the title suggests, a cookbook and the dishes are savoury, comforting and warming. Slow-cooked Barbecue Pork Belly is going to be a regular on many BBQ’s this summer. OK, so the marinade uses Coca-Cola and that might raise a few eyebrows, but remember that it contains lots of sugar to help caramelise the meat, plus flavourings, and it is a common ingredient in American kitchens. HP sauce is used to good effect to produce a tangy glaze.

Paul has a Brunch Wrap that will be popular with weekend guests. It’s an ideal dish for those days when time is at a premium but you still want to spoil people. Make the filling the night before and make the wraps in the morning. Great for any lover of an English breakfast. This is like “the full Monty” in pastry.

I must admit, dear reader, that I would not choose HP for my fish and chips as promoted in this book. I am a dedicated tomato ketchup girl and that won’t change. But I could never make a Welsh Rarebit without a good dose of HP. It’s a classic snack which you could describe as an elevated cheese on toast. Buy the best cheese and bread, and success is assured.

The HP Sauce Cookbook is a book full of nostalgia but also contemporary recipes. There can be few in the UK who have not tried this sauce but it might come as a pleasant surprise to overseas cooks. Try it and you’ll find it to be a handy addition to your larder. The book will give you pointers to make the best of this British staple. Enjoy!

The Chopsticks Diet

I guess that just the word “diet” will have half of my dear readers turning the page (if they were able to do such a thing on a website) and the other half waiting with bated breath for the next word that will change their lives completely. For those diet-haters I ask you to read on. For those who expect a magic solution for weight loss with no effort I must tell you there will never be one, but you might just find that this book helps.

Kimiko Barber is an award-winning author of books on Japanese cooking. The Chopsticks Diet is slightly different from others of Kimiko that I have reviewed. They focused on taste and some of the renowned health-giving properties of Japanese food. The Chopsticks Diet takes a slightly different and rather revolutionary approach, that of the combination of appropriate foods and the use of chopsticks.

The dishes that Kimiko offers are tempting to the taste buds and a feast for the eye. I am not a great lover of health foods that are bland and unappetising. We shouldn’t consider weight problems as an illness that can only be treated by unpleasant medicine in the shape of unpalatable meals. That just feels like punishment and reinforces the impression that we have been “bad”.

The key is in the title “Chopsticks”. If you use chopsticks to eat your food (OK, we will exclude soup) then you are bound to lose weight. You will naturally eat slower and take smaller mouthfuls and this fools you into thinking that you have eaten more than you have. Meals will be smaller but you will not feel deprived or hungry.

Yes, you could continue to eat your habitual foods with chopsticks and you would probably lose some weight, but how much nicer it is to enjoy a dish that is attractive and looks like it SHOULD be eaten with chopsticks. If you are going to make changes then have some fun.

The recipes in The Chopsticks Diet are enticing. There are just a few uniquely Japanese ingredients but they will be readily available from larger high street supermarkets, or online if you are a computer-savvy shopper. The basics are fresh vegetables, fish and noodles and will be healthful even if eaten with a fork.

The Domburi recipes are perhaps my favourite. The Chopsticks Diet has a selection of these dishes that are quick and easy to prepare. It’s rice with a variety of toppings and I think Domburi should be as well-publicised as its cousin, sushi. Egg and Spinach Domburi is comfort food Japanese style. The egg creates a sauce for the rice and gives a marvellously silky texture. A classic.

The Chopsticks Diet is a fresh and welcome approach not only to weight loss but to healthy eating in general. The recipes are stunning but not difficult. Gone are the days of cardboard crackers and calorie counters. Eat well and enjoy your food. It’s doing you good.

Made in India

My passion for Indian art started in the 1960s when UK shops were filled with all manner of Asian textiles, pictures and ornaments. These were the years of pop art, Hari Krishna and tie-dye. Made in India reflects “real” popular Indian art, that is to say the art available to the masses via advertising hoardings, boxes of matches, calendars etc. It ranges from primitive to elegant but always evocative.

The authors are evidently enamoured with this art form as they have produced similar volumes for Made in China and Made in Japan. Kalim Winata is a computer animation artist and an expert on Asian art. Reed Darmon has designed numerous books and gift products published by Chronicle Books.

Made in India is a chunky, compact volume that offers hundreds of images of everyday Indian graphic design from past centuries. They include folk art, religious prints, and black and white postcards from the time of the Raj, and artwork for children’s books. It’s a book to linger over.

Film has had a big impact on popular art. Made in India has a section devoted to that genre. Not the glitzy posters of Bollywood but marvellous romantic portraits of Ashok Kumar, for example, who was the king of the movies between the 30s and the 60s.

The transport posters are quite lovely and the artistic equal to any much-admired European equivalent. The luggage labels for celebrated hotels such as the Taj and the Oberoi would have adorned the cases of rich travellers of a century ago. An Air India fan of the 1960s is a snapshot of the Flower Power style of that era.

Do I have a favourite image from this lovely little book? Well, yes and it has to be of the goddess Saraswati. This representation is said to have been modelled on Bollywood star Hema Malini. It is a marvellously vibrant and charming print full of colour and religious symbolism. It remains stereotypically Asian while hinting at European Art Deco of the 1930s.

Made in India will be sought by any lover of art history, of popular art, of folk art or of all things Indian. It offers a peek into advertising graphics of the subcontinent. It’s amusing and thought-provoking.

Japan – Eyewitness Travel

You can travel to many countries and get by without a guidebook. You might get lost, you might wish you had the address of a hotel that had sheets on the beds, and you might possibly even regret not taking a packed lunch... but you’ll get by. Japan is a bit more difficult to negotiate without a bit of professional advice.

Japan is full of contradiction and enigma. It’s ultra modern in so many ways but it clings to its traditions. It has a matter-of-fact attitude to nudity in the communal bath houses but remains conservative in matters of morals. It’s a country that has embraced western-style fast food but offers death-dicing fish dishes and live octopus. Comic books are celebrated but religious festivals and rituals are still practised even by the young, who will pray for good exam results (although I expect lots of western students have secretly done the same).

This is a country that has caused anxiety in many a visitor. It’s not the threat of violence or antisocial behaviour (less likely here than most other countries) it’s the fear of making a social gaff, of offending a host or a colleague. Japan – Eyewitness Travel goes some way to steering you through the problems you might encounter when meeting the locals. There are few rules to remember but it’s a good idea to know what they are before you land in Tokyo.

The Japanese are polite and understanding of foreign visitors but you’ll be less embarrassed if you can conform to the general norm of behaviour. Take shoes for example... or rather take shoes off. You’ll be able to tell when removing shoes is appropriate. There will likely be several pairs of empty ones by a door and probably a pair of slippers as well. If in doubt... watch what others do.

Japan – Eyewitness Travel doesn’t leave much to chance. Everything is discussed, from dining etiquette to bathing etiquette. You might still feel a little out of place but at least this book will enable you to interact with the Japanese and leave a positive impression. You’ll learn about culture, history and religion and be able to make your own travel itinerary. The maps are superb and the photography is marvellous.

You can read a pile of books on Japan before you go. One of them should be Japan – Eyewitness Travel. You’ll only want to take one so let it be one that will introduce you to every region of this lovely country, that will offer dates of festivals, addresses of restaurants, and a great selection of hotels. Most importantly it will offer support to enable you to feel comfortable with this unfamiliar culture. This book will whet your appetite for the trip.

Bollywood Posters

Over the years, Sheena Sippy has shot ad campaigns for Johnson’s Baby Soap and others. She has also immortalised celebrities such as Zakir Husain, international model Naomi Campbell and politician and ex-cricketer Imran Khan. Sheena also undertakes freelance assignments for fashion magazines like Verve and Elle.

She was probably destined to do great things. She comes from one of India’s best-known film families. Sheena is the eldest daughter of director Ramesh Sippy, best known for directing the popular and critically acclaimed film Sholay (Embers). Sheena’s grandfather, G.P. Sippy, is known for several popular Bollywood hits such as Seeta Aur Geeta, Saagar and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman.

The text for this amazing posterama is written by Jerry Pinto. He has had an long career which started at the tender age of 16. He wasn’t a trainee journalist or a “best boy” for Bollywood movies, he was a maths tutor! He has had a wealth of experience in the world of writing. He has penned poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and in 2006 he wrote Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb, an affectionate portrayal of the dancing legend who had survived in the heady Mumbai film industry for 30 years.

Bollywood Posters is a glossy, large-format volume that will be sought after by Bollywood film enthusiasts, lovers of all things Indian and those who are fascinated by popular art. It contains  over 200 posters covering all styles of film. Posters of original films are contrasted with the remakes illustrating the change in taste and printing techniques.

This magnificent book charts the history of these posters from the beautifully hand-painted examples of the first posters to the digitally-perfect productions of the modern era. Perfect with regard to crispness of image, perhaps, but there was indeed something magical about the works of art of those long-gone days when the swish of a large-scale brush could draw the viewer into another world. This genre must be considered the archetypal Popular Art, as India has a huge population of film-goers who have even been rumoured to sell their own blood to buy a ticket to the movies.

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of these film posters, not only to the Mumbai film industry but to the film-going public. Vibrant colour and scenes of gods, villains, beautiful women and an array of weaponry have graced the streets of Indian cities for generations. They advertise films of courage, comedy, drama and despair but the posters are now, quite reasonably, adored for themselves. They tell the story of Indian film and Indian society. Fabulous!.

Bollywood Posters
Author: Jerry Pinto
Photographer: Sheena Sippy
Published by: Thames and Hudson
Price: £19.95
ISBN 978-0-500-28776-7

Raghu Rai’s Delhi

Raghu Rai may not be a name familiar to you unless you are a photography professional. He has, however, had a career which has been so noteworthy that he was awarded the Padmashree in 1971, one of India’s highest civilian awards. Raghu’s National Geographic article “Human Management of Wildlife in India” won him high praise in 1992. He has won national and international awards, and has exhibited in Europe, Japan and Australia. His work has appeared in many of the world’s most prestigious magazines and newspapers including Time, Life, GEO, The New York Times, Sunday Times, Newsweek, The Independent, and the New Yorker.

Raghu Rai’s Delhi is an archetypal coffee table book... that is to say that it is the size of a small coffee table. I have reviewed many large-format books but this is the largest and the most impressive. This is surely going to become a classic not only of Indian photographic subject matter but of photographic work in general, not for reasons of sheer volume but for quality of composition.

This book is the third that Raghu Rai has published on Delhi and it spans 40 years of this man’s celebrated work. He has enjoyed changes in photographic technology over those years and now carries only a digital camera. He hasn’t turned his back on black and white, he assess each shot and converts colour to monochrome, and the mix of both genres adds much to this major work. The colour pictures have vibrancy and impact and the black and white show mood and texture.

You don’t have to have a passion for the subcontinent to appreciate Raghu Rai’s Delhi. It is magnificent in its representation of humanity that we can all relate to. This book dwells neither on poverty nor on opulence, it shows candid scenes from everyday life, scenes that might have gone unnoticed or considered banal by those of us with a less practised eye. Each shot captures a never-to-be-repeated moment. A story vividly painted.

Do I have favourite pictures? Perhaps. “Peeping Faces, New Shopping Complex” shows a modern, light and airy sari shop with shelves filled with precisely folded lengths of gorgeous fabric. Modern furniture gives an almost Scandinavian feel to this picture which does still manage to speak of Indian style and grace. The facing page is “Reflections at Pizza Hut” showing a scene that could be repeated all over the world, but the reflections in the window suggest an older India. 

Raghu Rai’s Delhi is quite simply the seminal photographic work on this amazing city. I have pored over this book for hours. Each frame is a masterpiece in its own right. Raghu Rai deserves his praise and awards. His talent must be a gift from one of India’s many Gods.

Raghu Rai’s Delhi
Author: Raghu Rai
Published by: Thames and Hudson
Price: £49.95
ISBN 13: 978-0500543771

Mix – Australian Woman’s Weekly

Australian Woman’s Weekly have a reputation for quality cookbooks. Each recipe is triple-tested so you know they work. OK, so the cover doesn’t sport a celeb chef but if you honestly want to cook then you want good solid writing with something edible after your hard work... although the work won’t be that hard.

Mix is a book that presents recipes for a whole spectrum of sweet baked goodies. The chapter headings are enough to make you reach for the mixer and throw another log into the range. Scones, Muffins, Friands, Cakes, Biscuits (cookies for my US readers), Slices, and Puddings are all here in abundance. But hang on...what was number 3 on the list? A printing error? No, friands are small, individual cakes made in tins a bit like Yorkshire Pudding tins.

The authors start by  giving some handy baking tips: Scones need a light touch, Muffins become stodgy when the mixture is overheated,  Cakes should be mixed with electric beaters, not a blender. All that said, I should add that baking does demand a bit of care but if you have good recipes then you are assured of success. All you need to do is measure and weigh and take note of oven temperature. Each recipe in Mix has all the information you’ll need including preparation time, cooking time and how many people the recipe will serve. You will have to adjust that estimate if you have children with hollow legs or a Mother-in-law with a sweet tooth.

There are quite a few traditional cakes here but also lots that are new to me and I love those surprises in any cookbook. Upside-down Toffee, Date and Banana Cake is a change from the usual Pineapple version with a cherry in the middle. Almond Honey Spice Cake hints at Greece or Turkey. It has a Honey Orange Cream to serve and a small coffee would be perfect alongside.

Slices are popular in “Costbucks” cafes all over the world. Make some yourself. Nanaimo Bars are a favourite slice from Canada. It’s a three-layer affair but not difficult to make and worth the labour. Tangy Lemon Squares are... well, tangy and the ideal treat for those of us who don’t like our cakes over-sweet. Lemon Delicious Puddings are my pick-of-the-book and you’ll understand why when you make them. A sponge-like top with a pool of lemon waiting to erupt over your probing spoon. Now isn’t that poetic?

Mix is another winner from the Australian Woman’s Weekly stable.

500 Ice Creams and Sorbets

You know by now, dear reader, what a fan I am of this series of books – the 500 series from Apple Press. Compact, chunky and a picture with every recipe, and lots of recipes! There are basic dishes (or, in this case, ice creams and sorbets) and then half a dozen or so variations. The format works well and the recipes do too.

The author, Alex Barker, has had a wealth of experience in the world of food writing. She was the Cookery Editor of Woman’s Own and Prima UK magazines before launching and editing Let’s Cook magazine. She has devoted the last 15 years to her own business, Food Features Photographic Library and Studio.

I have been toying with the idea of an ice cream maker for a while. This book pushed me over the edge of temptation and I have in my possession a brand new gadget soon to be christened (not really a religious term but the only one I could think of) with chilled cream, milk and probably vanilla. I should say that the recipes in 500 Ice Creams and Sorbets can be made with a whisk and elbow grease but it will be a bit more or an aerobic work-out.

There can be few who don’t enjoy a frozen dessert of some description. We might prefer the stylish sorbet or water ice to a sundae with extra sauces, sprinkles, fruit and a paper parasol. It’s all here and with so many to choose from there will be something for everyone. These recipes are easy and inspiring. It’s not rocket science and the process has been evolving since at least Roman times, so I’d say the recipes should be just about perfected by now!

Yes, I’ll start with Vanilla Ice Cream but New York Cheesecake Ice Cream will follow shortly thereafter. Cream cheese and biscuit give this one its taste of Manhattan and would provide a nicely themed end to a meal of burgers and steaks from the BBQ this summer. Rocky Road Ice Cream is another with an all-American feel. A great one for the kids who will, no doubt, love the marshmallows and chunks of chocolate.

There are some very smart sorbets for the more sophisticated palate. Tropical Fruit Sherbet is made with any one of several exotic fruits. Alex suggests guava, pineapple, mango and papaya and I’d remind you that you can often buy cheap pineapples so plan ahead and take advantage.

The most stunning of the sorbets is, for me at least, Champagne Cocktail Sorbet. Freeze the glasses with a little brandy or cassis in the bottom. Alex says not to keep this for more than a few days. No problem!

500 Ice Creams and Sorbets is a book stuffed with ideas. Frozen desserts are a god-send for dinner parties. That’s one course finished days in advance. It’s a good way of getting milk into your children and you can keep an eye on sugar and additives. I think Ice Cream is the next big health-food trend!

500 Ice Creams and Sorbets
Author: Alex Barker
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £9.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-313-0

Pickles, Relishes and Chutneys

This is the sort of book I want to snuggle down with on a cold winter evening. Pictures of tasty and tangy condiments remind us that there will soon be a season of mist and mellow fruitfulness (sounds familiar so I guess someone has said that before... probably Keats!). There is nothing like your own preserves to go with cold meats and cheese and it’s not as difficult as you might imagine.

Catherine Atkinson is a full-time writer and food-consultant. She has worked on such magazines as Woman’s Weekly and Me Magazine. I have already reviewed several of her books and I know that we are in safe hands.

Pickles, Relishes and Chutneys is the style of cookbook that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Catherine is convinced that you’ll want to make these pickles and provides you with plenty of photographs to tempt you, and step-by-step photographs to steer you through the various techniques to enable you to achieve success every time. This isn’t rocket science. We have been making bejewelled jars of fruit and vegetables for centuries with far less equipment than you’ll have to hand.

There are over 70 recipes here so there will be something to suit everyone. There are lots of old favourites like Piccalilli and Green Tomato Chutney (you’ll make kilos of that if you live in the UK where we have summers the length of a long weekend) but there are plenty of exotic alternatives that I am sure your Granny never made.

Italian Mustard Fruit Pickles will transport you back to evenings sitting under vines in Tuscany, Hot Thai Pickled Shallots would be a lovely addition to an Asian buffet, and Cranberry and Red Onion Relish would be just right with the Christmas left-overs. Fiery Bengal Chutney is probably not for the faint-hearted although there are other Indian chutneys a little less breath-taking.

Catherine’s chapter on Sauces and Mustards is interesting and offers amongst others Tangy Tomato Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce, Roasted Red Pepper and Chilli Ketchup. The mustards are worth exploring, with Tarragon and Champagne Mustard, Clove-spiced Mustard, and Horseradish Mustard that would be marvellous with roast beef.

Pickles, Relishes and Chutneys allows even a novice bottler to make shelves of bright goods to be enjoyed throughout the year. Catherine Atkinson has penned another practical guide to tasty pleasure.

The Mushroom Feast

Jane Grigson is one of Britain’s most celebrated food writers. Her untimely death in 1990 left a big gap in food journalism. Her legacy is a list of amazing books and daughter Sophie who has taken up the baton of culinary education in fine fashion.

The Mushroom Feast was originally published in 1975 but perhaps it’s more pertinent today than when it first graced bookshop shelves. The only mushrooms readily available in the 70’s were the cultivated, round and regular sorts found in supermarkets. Things have moved apace in the fungi world and now there is an amazing variety of mushrooms in greengrocery aisles all over the UK.

Jane was lucky to live in France for many years and was able to take advantage of local know-how when it came to such passtimes as wine making and mushroom hunting. France has a long tradition of wild mushroom collecting and chemists run a “spot the deadly mushroom” service. Not sure what kind of advice you would get from Boots on the high street but it’s likely to be “think you want Waitrose mate”.

Eating your own freshly collected mushrooms isn’t as chancy as you might think. There are relatively few that will kill you outright but there are a number that will give you a nasty tummy upset and you wouldn’t want that. Best thing is to collect with an expert... or a doctor. I’ll stick to shop-bought.

There isn’t much you can do with a mushroom that you won’t find in this volume. Jane was as thorough in her research for The Mushroom Feast as she was for her other books. She starts with Preserved Mushrooms and progresses through main dishes to mushrooms as side dishes for fish, poultry and meat. There is a chapter on Japanese and Chinese use of mushrooms which hints at our contemporary love of the Shiitake.

The recipes have a French bias as you would expect but there are nods to other culinary traditions as well. Smoked Haddock Kulebiaka is a pie of fish, rice and mushrooms and is a winner for a smart lunch. Jane also offers a salmon version with which I am more familiar and I believe is more authentic.

Mushroom Ketchup is a condiment appreciated by the English since the days of Mrs. Beeton. This sauce imparts an almost meaty quality to dishes. It’s rich and flavourful and worth the effort of making yourself and especially if you have a supply of cheap or free mushrooms. No need to use the exotic varieties, the common ones will work.

I was bound to enjoy The Mushroom Feast. It’s a book for those who love to cook but you don’t have to be an expert. Jane’s recipes suit a range of proficiency and taste and will also be enjoyed by any serious cookbook collector.

Sacred Sierra – A Year on a Spanish Mountain

Well, to be honest, I didn’t find the title very inspiring. Sounds like a hermit looking for religion and it probably wasn’t going to be a fun page-turner... but I was wrong. Sacred Sierra – A Year on a Spanish Mountain is light-hearted and thought-provoking. The author finds a 12 year old barman, and political activists who dance naked around bonfires.

Jason Webster, the aforementioned author, and his Spanish girlfriend embark on an adventure which has become more common over the past decade. They left their familiar lives and bought a house and a bit of mountain and settled down to make a new life that was totally removed from anything they had experienced before.

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen and it could well have turned out to be an expensive disaster. They have many obstacles to overcome or be overcome by but they showed an attitude that endeared them to the locals. Jason writes this book as a monthly journal of their trials and tribulations but also as a farming almanac showing little insights into the rhythm of the changing seasons and crops.

The landscape is breathtaking but the people are the real stars of this story. They are amazing characters who display warmth, generosity and courage. It’s true that Jason would not have achieved all that he did without the support of his friends who gave advice to a very green foreigner. They truly believe their small corner of the world to be enchanted and perhaps they are right. There are strange lights on that mountain and rumours of unexplained events.

There is a rich culture in the region of Castellon. There are stories of Cathars and Templars of Catholic tradition and pagan past. Jason punctuates his book with legends and fairy stories which add still more to the mystery. He has been included in rituals and rites that would normally be reserved for the indigenous population.

Jason learns to keep bees, to harvest olives and to make his own alcohol. The very mention of that has probably increased sales of this excellent book by 50%. He clears his land and searches for his missing roof. It’s a journey of discovery and personal growth. A book that you will have to read to the very last page. It has a cliff-hanger of an end... but the end isn’t the end, it’s just the start of the next chapter.

The Food Manual

This is a Haynes Manual. That will mean nothing to you if you have never owned an old car. Haynes will probably not ring bells if you have only taken your car to the service garage for a regular check. Haynes is THE word in auto manuals and now they are branching out to give advice on human insides and maintenance.

The author, Carina Norris isn’t a car mechanic but she is a registered nutritionalist, author of books on nutrition and health and contributor to radio, TV and newspapers. Carina introduces you to the nuts and bolts of a healthy diet and body fuel!

The Food Manual is a colourful, bright and attractive volume. Nutrition and health books are so often a struggle to understand. They tend to assume you know something about the subject and the advice is sometimes so off-putting that is encourages you to give up on a new life-style before you have even started. I found The Food Manual to be a commonsense guide with lots of information that is presented in an accessible fashion.

Carina not only directs us to healthy foods but talks about the food nasties. There are chapters devoted to particular age groups and their specific nutritional needs. As we age our bodies require more or less of those foods that we have become accustomed to. It’s good to know you can help yourself by changing your diet to counteract some of those less pleasant aspects of the passage of time.

Weight is always a weighty subject but The Food Manual gives hope to those of us who fear a life built around a close relationship with bathroom scales and elastic waist-bands. There are tips that will help when you just MUST have that meal at the Calcutta Curry House or Sorrento Bar and Grill. There are healthy options when eating out and you just need to know what they are to be able to spend a guilt-free evening.

The Food Manual is more impressive than I expected it to be. It’s easily read and understood and you’ll feel supported rather than patronised.

Annabel Karmel Family Cookbook

This is a bright, fun and charming book that you will probably have to wrestle away from your little ones. The kids might not be doing all the cooking but it’s the kind of book that will fill them with lots of oooohh and aaahhs and “I’d like that, Mum”.

Annabel Karmel is an MBE and is the UK’s bestselling author on children’s nutrition but she is ever mindful that food has got to be fun or the little darlings will just not eat it. I should point out that not all the food is specifically and uniquely for the smaller members of the family. This is a family cookbook after all.

The chapter on Fussy Eaters will likely be the chapter that sells this book. Annabel gives plenty of advice that will help parents over that iffy stage when mealtimes are a battlefield of red faces and tightly closed little mouths. All is not lost as along with the sympathy there are tempting and healthy recipes that will hopefully have the youngsters tucking in.

The star of the book must be the No-Bake Train cake. This has surely got to be the most popular of all kitchen projects for mums and dads to enjoy with their children. It would be perfect for a party, with the guests constructing their own dessert from the assembled sweet goodies.

Finger food is irresistible and takes away the fear of meals. It’s not exactly encouraging children to play with food but it makes mealtime less stressful and a dish of raw fruit and veg with some tasty dip will be hard to pass up.

The adult food is lovely. Risotto Primavera is a good way to get vegetables into the whole family. Soup au Pistou is a traditional French soup with the taste of basil and Parmesan. Spring Chicken Casserole is lighter than the regular Coq au Vin and it’s ideal for the slightly warmer weather.

Talking of warm weather, you might fancy a picnic. Annabel has lots of sandwich ideas and some simple Mini Pizzas made with puff pastry, but the Apricot and White Chocolate Cereal Bars will be the ones you hide from the kids. They are too young to appreciate them.

Annabel Karmel Family Cookbook is full of ideas and inspiration for every member of your family, not only delicious food to eat but fun food to make.

The Lebanese Cookbook

Hussien Dekmak is a name you might not be familiar with. That is to say, if you live outside London or you have not thus far had much interest in Lebanese food. Hussien is a young chef who has brought Lebanese food to North London in the guise of his celebrated restaurant Le Mignon. Time Out has called it “an outpost of classic Lebanese cooking in Camden”.

The Lebanese Cookbook draws you in from the first glance. The cover is subtle but impressive with contrasts of matt and gloss, and the classy photography continues inside. Martin Brigdale has presented some of his best work here. Crisp pictures that show off Hussein’s dishes to best advantage.

The marvel of these recipes is that they are so simple. Many pages have two short recipes and that helps to calm the nerves of the less confident cook. All the ingredients will be available in your favourite supermarket with perhaps a trip to the spice emporium for spices such as sumak and Lebanese spice mix (you can make that yourself from common spices that you probably already have), but you’ll find a packet of that lasts ages.

The joy of Lebanese food is that there are plenty of vegetarian choices. A traditional Lebanese meal finds all the dishes served at the same time, thus getting over the embarassment of presenting different dishes for guests some of whom are vegetarian, others who prefer seafood to meat, and others who really only want to eat bread and salad.

There are lots of the familiar favourite Lebanese dishes here but also a few that are less often served in your local restaurant. Broad Beans with Garlic and Coriander has just four ingredients plus seasoning. Fried Mushrooms with Garlic is quick and simple and both these dishes would make lovely additions to the traditional Mezze table, or just use them as side dishes.

Hussien has plenty of lamb recipes as expected but also chicken and fish. Fried Jumbo Prawns with Garlic would be my pick for a fast but decadent meal. Not cheap these days but what a treat. Grilled Fish on the Barbecue would be delicious and has a hint of cumin. Serve that with some salad and Lebanese bread - and Hussien thoughtfully gives you the recipe for that as well.

The Lebanese Cookbook is an attractive introduction to Lebanese food. Delicious!

Backroads of New York

If you have only ever had one trip to the States then chances are you visited New York (unless you have kids in which case you might have chosen Florida or California for either Disneyland or Disneyworld). It’s probable you would have limited yourself to the city and that is reasonable for your first visit or a weekend shopping trip... but there is a whole state to see and it’s nothing like Manhattan.

Backroads of New York is penned by Kim Knox Beckius with gorgeous photographs by Carl E. Heilman II. It’s a large format volume that gives a real taste of that lovely state. Water, trees, quaint towns. It’s a large state that reaches from the tip of Manhattan to the border with Canada. It’s steeped in history as it’s the part of North America that has been inhabited by Europeans for the longest time. It’s seen wars between the original tribes and the French and the English.

It’s amazing how fast New York changes from sky-scrapers and apartment blocks to hills, forest and even deer and turkeys by the side of the road. The state boasts mountain ranges with magnificent views of waterfalls and countryside that is little changed since the advance of Europeans was just a nasty rumour.

Kim has divided the book into 6 regions so it’s easy to pick an area and explore it to the full. The chapter headings will start you dreaming. Outer Long Island, The Lower Hudson Valley, The Catskills all sound romantic and hint at summers spent hiking, biking and sitting in Adirondack chairs reading the New York Times.

It’s not just a state for summer vacations though. Consider an autumn break when the leaves change colour. It’s a remarkable sight and popular with what some locals call “leaf peepers”. Fall is the time for hot apple juice and baked goods from small shops along the backroads. You’ll need to wrap up against the chill of the mountain air but you’ll be assured of an unforgettable trip.

Backroads of New York will supply you with maps and inspiration. The text hints at a fascinating part of the USA but leaves you plenty to discover for yourself. Go and enjoy a slower pace of life that doesn’t include Bloomingdales and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Good Things – Jane Grigson

Jane Grigson (yes, she was Sophie’s mum) is recognised as being one of Britain’s finest food writers. OK, she is not perhaps given the recognition of Elizabeth David but she is still highly regarded by those in the know and those who have a love of sensible recipes, well written and enduring.

First published in 1971, Good Things remains pertinent into the 21st century. Jane was evidently a woman before her time. She wrote in the original introduction, “... I feel the delight lies in the seasons and what they bring us... the strawberries that come in May and June straight from the fields, the asparagus of a special occasion... The encouragement of fine food is not greed or gourmandise; it can be seen as an aspect of the anti-pollution movement in that it indicates concern for the quality of environment...” Wasn’t that a prophetic statement?

Jane states that “This is not a book about cookery, but a book about enjoying food.” The chapter headings reflect the author’s passion for the good things in life but also her interest in dishes that would, at that time, have seemed edgy and too foreign. I was surprised to see Snails. This was after all 1971. Jane lived for many years in France and so was no stranger to these little delicacies, although I am sure that the purchasers of the first edition of Good Things would probably have moved swiftly over that section. Ceps and Girolles are mentioned in the Edible Woodland Mushrooms chapter and there are a good half-dozen recipes for chicory. Jane presents a spectrum of recipes that range from the rustic to the posh, but none being too elaborate for the home cook.

It’s not about French cooking. It’s about Good Things and many of them are British. Sweet Lamb Pie from North-West England, Fidget Pie (apples, onion and bacon), Piddy Oggies (a sort of pasty) and real Raised Pork Pie which is hard to beat when it’s made well. Cornish Leek Pie is a new one for me. A creamy single-crust pie which couldn’t be easier to make, and it’s cheap. Good Things don’t have to cost the earth.

Good Things by Jane Grigson isn’t a full-colour, glossy, big coffee-table book. This is a readable, engaging cookbook that is relevant to our hectic and financially strapped lives. A definite “must have”.

500 Cupcakes and Muffins

500 Cupcakes and Muffins is the proof that Fergal not only is a good chef but has a passion for the good things in life. There is something very special about an individual something, made for you alone: cupcakes are the snack of the moment and muffins have found renewed popularity in smart coffee bars throughout the developed world... although I don’t think world development has anything to do with muffins. It’s probably just a coincidence.

Cupcakes have been around for years. Freely available in supermarkets, they were small white sponge cakes in metallic cases with fondant icing that was a good half-inch thick in luminous yellow or orange. There were also chocolate varieties that were so rich that they could reduce to a state of nausea all but the most practised confectionery eater. But now can make light, appropriately sweet and beautifully decorated cupcakes with Fergal’s expert advice.

This is another of the 500 series from Apple Press. They are chunky and attractive and packed with information. 500 Cupcakes and Muffins has lots of pretty pictures by Ian Garlick which illustrate the recipes so well. Plenty of ideas for decoration.

Fergal has a good selection of muffin recipes. These are rather like tall and hearty cupcakes and they can be savoury as well as sweet. Blueberry Muffins are classic, with a purple stain which marbles the light sponge. You can substitute strawberry, raspberry or blackberry if you prefer.

My favourite savoury muffin must surely be the Caramelised Onion Muffin. A simple recipe which has a pleasing hot bite of chilli. Although Fergal suggests Vidalia onion (available in the US) any onion would work. Try a red onion for sweetness. The muffins will store for a couple of days so that makes these ideal for a make-ahead breakfast for guests.

Lime Meringue Cupcakes have lemon meringue pie as their inspiration. The meringue is used instead of icing. Banana Cupcakes are moist and have the advantage of standing up well in the freezer. Lovely additions to the afternoon teatime table.

Cupcakes for Kids is a fun chapter that will encourage you to involve your children. Older kids can mix and bake, and even the smallest ones will be eager to be in close contact with icing and sprinkles. Space-Dust Cupcakes will be popular with anyone who enjoys exploding garnishes.

500 Cupcakes and Muffins isn’t just a book for youth and the calorie-unconscious. There is a chapter on Low Salt Cupcakes and another for Special Diets. There are Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, Flourless Cupcakes, Egg-free, etc. There’s something here to suit most needs.

This is a book to please the whole family. It’s an ideal gift for anyone new to baking. Those little cakes are less intimidating than a gateau. Experienced cooks will appreciate some new takes on old favourites. Fergal Connolly should be proud of his first book.

Easy Indian Cookbook

This is a large format volume... seriously large but it’s spiral-bound and this reviewer loves that. What joy! A book that stays open on the counter. The pages offer a photograph by William Lingwood for every recipe and the text is big and easily read and understood. This book does give the impression that it’s going to live up to its title. To keep you in the right frame of mind, the publishers have also included a music CD to create the right ambiance for an exotic meal.

The author Manju Malhi is evidently well supported. Her acknowledgments read like a Who’s Who of the media food world. AWT, Jeni Barnett, Alan Coxon, Paul Hollywood to name but a few. Manju has been a regular on our screens for quite a while and it’s evident that people in the know have faith in her. That’s a good start, but how about the food?

Well, the dishes look lovely and will be familiar to British restaurant goers. You’ll be able to prepare many of your favourite Curry House meals. Not all of these are authentic recipes handed down through generations since the plaster on the Taj Mahal was still wet, but they reflect what we have come to expect from an Indian menu. Chicken Tikka Masala is here and that’s home-grown... that is, a British home!

Easy Indian Cookbook doesn’t assume you know anything about cooking Indian food. It’s not condescending or patronising but it gives you lots of basic advice that will be welcomed by the novice. There is a good glossary of ingredients with Hindi as well as English names and some basic cooking techniques which will hold no terrors.

The recipe chapters cover everything from chutneys, spice mixtures and breads to meat and side dishes. There is also a selection of sweet treats and that’s good to see. It’s often difficult to find an appropriately exotic end to an Indian meal. The Menus chapter will help you present a balanced meal combining flavours and textures that will make you look like you know what you’re doing.

One of the classiest of dishes is Prawn Poori. This isn’t a difficult recipe, none of them are, but it’s impressive. Pooris are deep-fried breads that are rich and flaky. The prawns are succulent with a hint of heat from green chilli. I guarantee that you’ll make this often. It’s smart comfort food.

Easy Indian Cookbook is a marvellous introduction to Indian cooking. An attractive book that would make a great gift for anyone who wants to try their hand at the cuisine we love so much.

India Color – Spirit, Tradition, and Style

Can there be a land that has given more to style than India? I admit I have a bias but it is evident that we in the West and particularly in Britain have long embraced all things Indian.

Melba Levick is the photographer for India Color. She has several other books under her belt... well, almost 50! She specialises in travel, architecture, gardens and design and all of those are featured in this volume to good effect. Melba has the practised eye of one able to get that shot that tells the whole story, that second of expression or movement that conveys so much. The text by Mitchell Crites and Amita Nanji gives context to Melba’s marvellous photographs and elevates this book from a coffee table curio to a sumptuous travelogue.

This isn’t a 21st century phenomenon. This is a love affair that has endured for centuries. Victorian ladies spent chilly evenings swathed in Indian shawls. Indian fabrics were a mainstay at the celebrated Liberty’s store in London, and Indian paintings have adorned many a European wall. It’s that combination of design and colour that has remained traditional and uniquely contemporary.

India Color is a marvellous showcase for those elements that are familiar yet still exotic. A shop selling nothing but bright bangles carefully arranged by colour giving the impression of shelves stocked with glinting rainbows. Trays of silver armlets which need no precious stones to create a sense of continuity and cultural identity, each piece being of traditional and regional design.

India Color touches on so many aspects of Indian life and all of them are overlaid with brilliance. Toys, mirrors, musical instruments, ceramics, carved stone and wood are all are here in abundance but so are turbans and saris, and the people themselves - they are the most vibrant.

Not many countries decorate the livestock as well as does India. An elephant presents a nice big canvas and looks spectacular with painted ears, head and trunk, and what could be more evocative of the real India. A country successfully reaching for modernity whilst maintaining a grip on all that is amazing from the past. Long may it continue. India Color is just a glimpse of the tapestry and a lovely glimpse at that.

Rajasthan – Lonely Planet

This might be your first big trip and the success of that adventure might well lay in preparation and planning. You’ll want to be informed of things to avoid and others not to be missed. Rajasthan – Lonely Planet is an ideal tool to supply some travel needs. You’ll want to get the most from this colourful region of India. Rajasthan – Lonely Planet

So why would you want to go to Rajasthan? Well, why wouldn’t you? It’s a desert land of forts and palaces. Why do I say it’s colourful? The people have a love of all things vibrant to contrast the immense areas of barren land, and that land is the size of Germany!

Lonely Planet have years of experience (they have been around since 1973) and their guidebooks are some of the best. They have expert researchers who share their advice. They don’t just steer you to the most celebrated of tourist spots (although you won’t want to miss the Taj Mahal), they will point you to Sam’s Cafe for a sit down and a nice cup of chai. You’ll be confident about venturing a little way of the well-trodden trail because the man from Lonely Planet has been there before you.

Read “Getting Started” before you get started. It states the obvious but the obvious is often the first thing that is overlooked. My sister forgot her passport and had to hide under a coach seat to cross the border from France to Belgium. There is a handy tip about taking a torch with a headband, and a universal sink plug. This is essential kit even when planning a trip to Rome!

It’s a good idea to have some notion of what you want to see when you get to Rajasthan. Lonely Planet has suggested three classic routes to consider. The Golden Triangle of just over 700km which will swing you by Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Maharaja Circuit (that’s the one for me) is a loop of 2000km incorporating The Golden Triangle but then takes in forts and palaces in central Rajasthan. A Month-Long Sojourn is 2500km and allows you to delve into the spiritual heart of Rajasthan, its less well-known palaces and spectacular wild life. Truly a tip of a lifetime.

Lonely Planet has stuffed this volume with everything for the independent traveller. You’ll be able to choose restaurants and hotels to suit your budget. You’ll be able to order a meal, chat to the waiter (OK, a very short conversation), and ask for the bill, in Hindi. You’ll find your way around the extensive public transport system. Buy this guide in good time and start to plan your dream.

Rajasthan – Lonely Planet
Authors: Lindsay Brown and Amelia Thomas
Published by: Lonely Planet
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-74104-690-8

Anjum's New Indian

recipes from that series. Her last book called Food Made Easy focused on dishes from the first debut series. That book was an instant best seller and was one of the top 10 cookbooks for 2007. This book, however, introduces regional Indian cooking.

This young woman is attractive, smiley and vivacious. She has taught many culinarily-impaired Brits how to cook authentic Indian food. Her series is targeted towards those who are interested in family cooking rather than restaurant fare that is often unrecognisable from original dishes.

Although New Indian explores regional cuisine, the chapters are divided by food type rather than geography. There are chapters on Light Meals and Snacks, then on to meats and vegetables,  Beans and Lentils etc, to Desserts. Anjum starts with Before You Start which gives advice on the use of ingredients in the Indian kitchen.

The recipes are lovely and for the most part simple. The accompanying photographs by Vanessa Courtier are beautiful and help to give this volume a light modern feel. Anjum gives guidance on buying produce and spices for each dish. You’ll know what to ask for in an Asian supermarket.

Many Indians eat no meat at all so it’s no surprise to find so many vegetarian dishes. Goan Spiced Aubergine is easy and would be a great side-dish to fried fish. Stir-fried Peas could be used in the same way or as a filling for samosa, making a lighter snack than those with the more usual potato and pea stuffing.

Dal of many kinds is eaten by most Indians every day. It’s comfort food of the highest order and healthy, which is more than you can say for most dishes we crave. Tarka Dal will be familiar to those who frequent Indian restaurants. If you enjoy the dal from the local takeaway you will love the lighter home-made version and it will be a lot cheaper! Black-eyed Pea Curry is hearty and warming. It only takes 30 minutes if you use tins of black-eyed peas. That’s almost faster than the takeaway.

You’ll need something to eat with your curry or dal and a favourite is Roti or Chapatti. I have had a lesson from a professional so I can tell you it’s far easier than you would imagine to make puffy and soft breads in just a few minutes. Anjum takes the mystery out of the process so you’ll be able to present fresh, straight-from-the-pan roti along with an aromatic Indian meal for your guests. How smart is that?

Anjum’s has penned a book that reflects our desire to eat Indian food that would be recognised by Indians. We want healthy, light and delicious dishes with the minimum of oil but still full of flavour. A great introduction to Indian regional cooking with a contemporary feel.

Sushi

Vickie Liley is versatile to say the least. She is a recipe writer, food stylist and photographer. She is responsible for the majority of the pictures in this book and they are lovely. She has appeared on TV and radio. She has penned several other books including Asian Cooking Companion, The Complete Book of Hot and Spicy Cooking, and Simple and Delicious Dim Sum, all from Apple Press.

Sushi is becoming more popular in Britain with many supermarkets selling plastic-wrapped versions. It looks very nice and it’s probably better for you than a fat-rich sandwich or sausage roll. But sushi is all about freshness so why not make it yourself. It’s cheaper than shop-bought and you’ll notice the difference.

As I have said, it’s not complicated cooking but there are some skills to perfect. This book provides you with everything you’ll need to select the few items of necessary equipment and the ingredients. There are practical step-by-step pictures by Alan Benson that will take the fear out of the process.

In truth it’s several processes depending on the type of sushi, but you’ll soon master them and then it’s on to the recipes or more accurately the fillings. Vickie has an attractive selection of classic sushi that might be familiar to some of you. There are others that are equally authentic but new to many. Sushi isn’t all about raw fish. You will find plenty of vegetarian sushi and we won’t know if you make your own sushi filled with Marmite or strawberries. You can mix and match combinations of fillings and shapes.

The chapters include Thin-rolled Sushi, Thick-rolled Sushi, Inside-out Sushi, Hand-rolled Sushi and Stuffed Sushi. There is also a section on traditional soup to start your Japanese meal. Sushi etiquette is also discussed as well as information on appropriate drinks.

Vickie Liley illustrates a gorgeous array of delicious fresh sushi that will be a great introduction to sushi-rolling for the novice, and give inspiration to the more proficient. Sushi is also an ideal medium tfor introducing kids to food preparation. I have a young friend (I don’t insult him by calling him a kid) who mastered the art in just an evening. He presented us with a dazzling display of fish and vegetable sushi for the New Year. This book is an ideal gift for anyone interested in a stylish and guilt-free dining experience. Great value for money.

Contemporary Indian Cuisine

I confess that I had not heard of the author Anil Ashokan but that should not be considered as a reflection of the man’s skill. My only excuse is that he exercises those aforementioned skills in Sydney, Australia and that is about as far from London as you can get. Anil trained at the much celebrated Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai and has worked in several 5-star restaurants around India. He has found further success with his latest venture, Qmin in Sydney.

Anil Ashokan isn’t an Asian Naked Chef but you might say he is stripped down to the essentials. His recipes are authentic but he is mindful of the time constraints of working folks. He gives you permission to use garlic and ginger pastes from the store, and he doesn’t demand that you crush whole spices with a stone; a coffee grinder will do.

There are 120 or so recipes which will inspire you. They are comfortingly simple to prepare and are ideal for those who are new to preparing Indian food. Anil even offers advice on menus so you’ll have an idea of what to serve with your Eggplant Lucknow Style. Equally a well-practised home cook will find some unfamiliar dishes and some innovations.

Lamb is a popular meat in India and it’s shown to good advantage with Daalcha (Lentils with Lamb). It’s a winning combination and a good choice for these days of cost cutting. Any lamb suitable for slow cooking will work well in this recipe. If you want to push the boat out then Raan-e-Khyber (Braised Whole Leg of Lamb) is always impressive for a special meal for guests.

Do Kism Ke Murg Ki Seekh (Tandoori Chicken Two Ways) will appeal to the lovers of familiar restaurant-style Chicken Tikka Masala. This recipe is a definite improvement on that “Calcutta Curry House” standard of luminous, over-sauced poultry. This dish is of succulent chunks of moist chicken with two separately served sauces. Tandoori Salad and an Indian bread are all you’ll need to complete this light meal or starter.

Contemporary Indian Cuisine offers one of the largest chapters on Indian desserts that I have come across. Anil's recipe for a fruit-filled samosa is so simple that it wins a medal for “Why Didn’t I Think of That First”. Anjeer Aur Akhrot Ki Kulfi is traditional Indian ice cream with figs and walnuts. Anil gives two versions so even those of us without an ice cream maker can still enjoy this frozen treat.

Contemporary Indian Cuisine deserves to be popular. Anil Ashokan has penned a book that is a marvellous showcase for Qmin and is also a remarkable volume for anyone with a love of fine Indian food. A delight!

Shanghai City Guide – Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet produces some of the most relied-upon and trusted guides around. The company started in a small way in 1972. Tony and Maureen Wheeler published the first Lonely Planet guide to meet the needs of an increasingly mobile and ever-curious population. Lonely Planet is now the largest independent travel publisher in the world. These books have been used and abused by travellers who choose the less travelled road and those who want to get the best out of the journey.

Shanghai is a unique city that has embodied elements of both East and West for centuries. It had a reputation in the 1930s as a den of vice with gang warfare, drugs, jazz and prostitution. Things have changed and Shanghai is now a mecca for those looking for business opportunities in the newly prosperous China, but there are still a few ladies of the night if you look for them... and I am sure you’ll do no such thing!

There is plenty to keep you occupied in Shanghai and Lonely Planet offers a handy Itinerary Builder. This allows you, at a glance, to find sights, shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment in any of the eight neighbourhoods showcased. The Bund offers The Shanghai Museum, West Nanjing Road finds the Jade Buddha Temple, and Pudong has the China Sex Culture Museum (I only went in to ask directions to the opticians, Mum). If you can’t spend much time in the city then this table will give a good overview.

Any city can be exhausting so it’s good to consider out-of-town excursions, and Lonely Planet suggests four. Hangzhou has West Lake with walks and boat trips to calm you after days of pounding the pavements. Suzhou will tempt you with the shade of its gardens and the Silk Museum. The Canal Towns are picturesque with some original Ming and Qing architecture with those bridges that you’ll no doubt remember from your Granny’s willow pattern plates. Moganshan is forested with iconic bamboo, pine and juniper and is always cooler than the city.

Shopping is a major part of any trip and there will be plenty of retail therapy opportunities. Good buys include silk and tailored clothes. Pearls can be reasonable but you have to be able to spot the fake. (Don’t the real ones dissolve in Coke? But the test is a bit counterproductive.)  There are bargains to be had in home furnishings in most department stores...and IKEA!

Finding food in Shanghai will never be a problem. Eating is a popular pastime and there are several streets devoted to restaurants. Shopping Malls have food halls and you shouldn’t be a snob by avoiding chain restaurants as they are good value and used by tourists and locals alike.

Lonely Planet has one of the best Shanghai guides available, and the pull-out map will fit nicely in your pocket. This book will direct you to a bed, a meal, a bar, some fun and hopefully new friends and long-lasting memories of a fascinating city.

Korea – Lonely Planet

I know for sure that not many of you, my dear readers, have visited Korea. It’s a land less explored by tourists than its near neighbours China and Japan, but it has so much to offer the traveller. Korean history is rich and turbulent, its food unique and its culture proud.

Lonely Planet presents a guide that is thoroughly researched and with the independent traveller in mind. It starts with an overview to help you make up your mind that you need to go. It’s a vibrant country and Seoul, the capital, has a reputation as the city that never stops. There are late-night markets, early-morning cinemas and 24-hour baths – now that’s a long bath!

The Korean countryside is peppered with charming villages, temples, rice paddies and National Parks. You might find a Korean phrase book to be an advantage. It’s less likely you’ll find an English speaker away from the larger cities but that’s part of the adventure. The whole of South Korea is small enough to fly across in an hour so you’ll never be too lost.

Read the “Don’t Leave Home Without...” section before you leave. Check your socks as you’ll need to take off your shoes to visit private homes, traditional restaurants and religious buildings. You don’t want to let yourself down by showing your toes through holes. Practise parading naked in front of strangers so that you’ll not be embarrassed when taking a communal bath.

Lonely Planet has designed 5 South Korean and 1 North Korean itinerary for you. Classic Routes takes 10 days and covers 750km. This takes you from Seoul in the North to Busan in the south with a trip to the volcanic island of Ulleungdo on the way.

Honeymoon Island is a 1 week, 300km trip around Jejudo. They will let you onto the island even if you are not on honeymoon but this resort has a romantic reputation. Go scuba diving and walk along beaches at sunset (aaahh), visit waterfalls and take in an amazing Chinese acrobat show.

Korea is a conservative country and women can sometimes find themselves in difficulties. The advice here is the same as for most destinations: dress in a modest fashion, act with dignity and wear a big hat if you have blonde hair – men might ask if you are a Russian prostitute! People are, on the whole, pleasant so don’t be put off.

Korea – Lonely Planet is a guide that will steer you away from problems but will give you sufficient advice for you to be able to plan your ideal trip and to take advantage of all that Korea has to offer. It’s not quite China and it’s not quite Japan but it’s very definitely a Korea in its own right.

Top 100 Low-Salt Recipes

Misadventure in the Middle East

Henry Hemming and his companion Al are presented with unexpected difficulties near the start of the trip. Not as you might expect from indoctrinated, religiously over-enthused border guards in Iran. No, the problem starts with Eastern European border guards in Slovakia who refuse entry to the two bohemians (in lifestyle not nationality). The grounds for that refusal? They are obviously Islamic extremists bent on riot or civil unrest. Well, one of the lads had a beard and the other had a dangerous tent pole but neither are Muslims.

Henry and Al had recently met some young Muslims in the Czech Republic who had described the changes to their lives since 9/11. They only fly, these days, as a last resort because fellow passengers are uneasy travelling with those who look so obviously Islamic.

Misadventure in the Middle East isn’t the usual holiday romp. These guys are artists who are youthful and naive. They are exposed to Iranian skiers who keep out the cold with slugs of alcohol and drugs. They are targeted by Hungarian criminals. They view torture chambers, secret beaches and artists studios, but most importantly they have the rare opportunity to interact with the locals.

If you want a travel book about real people, current attitudes and hopes, then Misadventure in the Middle East is the volume for you. It isn’t a book of romantic rug sellers, shopping opportunities and smart restaurants. Henry and Al don’t point you in the direction of the best hotels. This is a book for those travellers who “want to know”. It’s gripping and thought-provoking and a thoroughly good read.

Left for Dead in the Outback

How I Survived 71 Days Lost in a Desert Hell. Sounds like the headline from a 1950’s tabloid running alongside “My Auntie’s Cat is an Alien”. It might sound a bit extreme but this is a fascinating book.

I must warn you that this is the least-PC book you will ever encounter. You’ll get the most from it if you read it with the strongest Australian accent you can muster (easy if you happen to be an Australian) and preferably leaning on a bar with a bronzed chap called Bruce serving you a cold beer. Read a few chapters of this and you will feel the sun on your back, the red sand between your toes and hear the gentle swish of the corks hanging from the underside of your broad-brimmed hat. (That last bit isn’t mentioned in the book but I thought it sounded ethnic, romantic and it helps set the scene.)

Left for Dead in the Outback isn’t a book for those of a delicate disposition. The language is just what you would expect from a roughty-toughty Australian who has had a colourful life. The narrative hasn’t been scrubbed up to appeal to a wider audience. This is the text equivalent of a chat with a man who has beaten conditions that would have defeated any but the skilled bushman or the very lucky.

Ricky Megee is the chap in question. Day 1 of his ordeal found our hero being abducted in a bizarre fashion and it went downhill from there. He was left to die a horrible and slow death with nothing but the clothes he wore, minus shoes.

He isn’t a natural-born nature boy but he did once watch a TV documentary about survival skills. Having a strong stomach allowed him to eat things that most of us would find unappetising to say the least. Leeches constituted much of his meagre diet. I might, in similar circumstances, have hit them with a brick to stun them before eating... but Ricky is made of sterner stuff than that. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. It must, after all, have been a brave man who ate the first egg.

Left for Dead in the Outback is hard-hitting but inspiring. It will appeal to anyone heading for Australia with an adventure holiday in mind. You’ll look at the desert landscape with respect and you’ll not be giving lifts to strangers!

Fast Pasta

The fact that pasta is fast will not come as some earth-shattering revelation. The strength of Fast Pasta is the wealth of ideas to expand your repertoire of pasta dishes from the regular Wednesday night Spag Bol to include dishes that are smart enough to tempt dinner party guests or to impress the mother-in-law.

Fast Pasta is another in that chunky and compact series from The Australian Women’s Weekly. These are books for those who want to cook. It sounds obvious that a cookbook would be for cooks but lots of them are for cooks that like to LOOK at books. That’s all very nice but you’ll still need a battery of practical kitchen aids and this falls into that category.

Cooking pasta is a good start for a novice cook. It isn’t rocket science but there are just a few rules. Fast Pasta has all the basic advice you will need to enable you to have perfect pasta every time. It comes in an array of shapes and you’ll learn why a particular sauce is recommended for either a thin strand or a robust, rough form.

Every dish has a page and a picture. Don’t you just love a recipe that leaves lots of white space around it and only has a few ingredients? There are so many here that are short and to the point. Quick, simple, delicious and different. You, I don’t doubt, have a favourite pasta recipe but the choice of sauces is almost limitless. There are plenty of classics like Macaroni Cheese and Fettuccine Alfredo but there are a host of others to suit every taste...and pocket.

Bucatini with Moroccan Lamb Sauce is one of the more exotic offerings. Sounds complicated but it will be on the table (or hopefully on your best North African plates) in 30 minutes. Any pasta with seafood will be special and there is a good selection here. Angel Hair Seafood Laksa takes only 25 minutes to prepare and has a real taste of the Far East. Smoked Salmon and Dill Salad transports you to Stockholm and is ideal for a summer lunch.

You will be expecting, dear reader, for me to describe my favourite recipe from this particular volume. It’s Spaghetti with Anchovies and Garlic Breadcrumbs and it’s mouth-watering. It’s a great meal for unexpected guests as it uses store cupboard staples and it’s cheap. A good glass of red, and a convivial evening is assured. It takes just half an hour to produce a scrumptious meal proving, once again, that you don’t have to be a slave to the stove to eat well.

Another practical book from The Australian Women’s Weekly. A book for cooks and those who want to be.

Lighten Up

Jill Dupleix is a tall, attractive Australian who has oft graced our TV screens on such shows as Good Food Live. She was The Times Cook for six years and writes for Sunday Times Style and Delicious magazine. She has won the Miriam Polunin award for Work on Healthy Eating from the Guild of Food Writers in 2008.

Lighten Up is a glossy, full-colour, striking volume with some of the best food photography around, by Petrina Tinslay. The text is large and bold which gives an overall impression of gutsy style. The recipes are clear and easy to follow and you will, dear reader, want to follow these recipes.

This book isn’t just a cookbook. It’s about life style and encouraging some of us to make subtle and painless changes.  Jill doesn’t preach nor does she take the moral high ground. She has firsthand experience of eating and drinking, and of both those things getting out of hand. Lighten Up offers support for people who live in the real world with all its constraints of time and money.

The food is gorgeous. Jill starts with breakfast and you won’t feel short-changed. Crunchy Granola is a winner and it’s made in advance so there is no excuse for skipping the most important meal of the day. Breakfast Burrito is a special treat for the weekend or guests. It has smoked salmon and avocado for the topping so this will keep you going till lunch... or have this for brunch.

There are plenty of warming soups and lots of salads for when the snow stops, and there is a chapter of Spicy Food. Singapore Chilli Prawns are delicious and a fresh take on Singapore’s national dish of Chilli Crab. This is a bit more affordable and less terrifying for the novice cook. Chicken Satay is another spicy and traditional temptation and it couldn’t be easier.

There are lots of fruity, sweet things to delight the dessert lover. Persian Rice Pud, Red Wine and Berry Soup, and my favourite Very Berry Puds. Don’t think you will have a feeling of hollow self-sacrifice after one of these.

Lighten Up is for all of us who are reluctant to break bad eating habits. This isn’t about being cruel to be kind, it’s about food that will naturally do you good... and about making better choices. Your body will thank both you and Jill. Great value for money.

Pie

The author, Angela Boggiano, is a girl after my own heart. She is of Italian descent and of Northern English roots so she has a passion for cooking and a need to communicate that passion. Lucky for us. She is an experienced food writer who has worked on numerous magazines and has several books to her credit.

There is a lovely selection of traditional pies here but also some ideas that could easily be adapted by changing fillings. I am particularly impressed by Gooseberry Raised Pie which is totally new to me. It has the hot water crust of a pork pie but it has a sweet filling. Peach and Apricot Amaretto Pie is a single crust pie with an interesting crunch of Amaretti biscuits on top. Smart enough for any meal for friends, drizzled with single cream or crème fraiche.

Baby Apple Calvados Pies are a little different from the regular apple pies. The apple brandy makes for a richer filling and individual pies always make guests feel pampered. Don’t we all prefer a whole something to a slice of something? Perhaps a SMALL glass of Calvados would go well with these baby pies.

For many people the word “pie” conjures memories of savoury pies. I confess that one of my earliest recollections is of eating a meat pie from the foil dish one freezing night whilst watching stockcar racing. Not exactly gourmet fare but the hot, steaming pastry encasing a gooey gravy with a few morsels of meat was welcome. Let’s not be food snobs. Even fast food has its place.

Angela has enough savoury pies to gladden the heart of any hearty eater. Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is perhaps the most celebrated of British pies. There is plenty of advice about making a raised pie so it should hold no terrors. It’s a handy skill to master and a lot less complicated than it sounds. Raised Fish Pie uses a shortcrust pastry which gives a more delicate crust to surround a filling of salmon fillet and smoked salmon. Angela suggests a lemon and herb mayonnaise to serve with this and I’d add a green salad or some green beans.

Pie is a stunner. If the thought of pie-making has even crossed your mind then buy this book. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. Yummy!

Complete Indian Cooking

Meena trained in food technology and hotel management with the prestigious Taj hotel group. Combine that with a passion for food and you have a recipe (sorry for the pun) for culinary success. She has, in fact, packaged her talents and sold them on to the general public, but Complete Indian Cooking is about cooking from scratch with hardly a jar to be seen.

There are over 180 recipes in this volume which is really two books in one: Flavours of India and Indian Cooking for Family and Friends. Meena does not assume that you are a seasoned Indian cook so she introduces us to India’s Culinary Traditions, Favourite Ingredients, Cooking Tips and Kitchen Equipment.

The food is mouthwatering. I have a love of Indian food and I’ll enjoy eating my way through much of this book. The photography by John Freeman is first class, showing both the food and Meena to best advantage. It’s a large format book with great visual appeal and is a marvellous showcase for Meena’s food.

The recipes are broad-based and offer plenty of choice for both vegetarians and meat eaters. The meat of choice is, unsurprisingly, lamb but there are fish dishes aplenty as well as sweets. The recipes are easy to follow and are, for the most part, simple to prepare. The key to success is the combination of spices. There are no complicated cooking techniques and you’ll already have the kitchen equipment.

There are some stunning dishes here. Prawn Balichow is a favourite relish but I have only ever tasted the commercial varieties. This isn’t difficult to make and it’s lovely as part of a starter or buffet. Devilled Prawns would be a delicious alternative.

The chapter called Rice, Bread and Accompaniments has some lovely dips. Coriander and Mint Raita will be familiar to restaurant goers, as is Sabzi Raita served with Biryani. Lentils with Cream and Butter is real comfort food, rich and unctuous, so eat this with just rice or bread... not white sliced though.

Complete Indian Cooking is a book to use. It’s attractive and sumptuous but it would be a shame to keep it anywhere but the kitchen.

500 Cookies

Now, I am not a girl with an overly sweet tooth. I can pass up a slice of most cakes without so much as a backward glance... but cookies, or biscuits if you are British, that’s a different story.

The appeal of a cookie is its size. They offer a delicious sweet treat in just a couple of bites. A wedge of cream-filled gateau is sometimes outfacing but a well-timed cookie is almost always welcome. A cool glass of milk for the kids and a nice cuppa for the adults and a relaxing interlude is assured.

This is another in the 500 series published by Apple Press. They are chunky, colourful and well-written volumes and very good value for money. They look great on the shelf but they will spend more time on the kitchen counter.

Philippa Vanstone has penned 500 Cookies. She gained her formal catering qualification at Westminster College in London and that establishment has one of the highest reputations around. She has travelled the world researching bakery products and has also worked as a lecturer at Thames Valley University. Philippa now works as a freelance cookery writer specialising in sweet things. That’s got to be a dream job.

Cookie making is a good introduction to baking. They are, for the most part, simple, attractive and versatile. Philippa gives you all the basic techniques, equipment and even storage... of cookies, not equipment. But you’ll be eager to get cooking and eating and that’s another advantage of cookies: they will be ready in no time.

Every cookie imaginable must be listed between these covers. Classic, Teatime, Chocolate, Bars and Savoury chapters are all here as well as others for special diets. There are lots that will be familiar family favourites. Scottish Shortbread for the Scots, Biscotti for Italians, Peanut Butter Cookies for Americans, Anzac Biscuits for those from down under, Snicker Doodles for ... umm, well, not sure about the ethnic origins of that one!

Cookie Bars are baked in a tray rather than being individually cut, pressed or shaped. They fill that void between cookie and cake and are often layered. Lemon Bars are tangy and the bar of choice for those of us who prefer a less sweet confection. Honey Nut Squares are another two-layer bar much appreciated by those who enjoy a rich taste with a crunch.

If you are looking for a dedicated cookie book then 500 Cookies is well worth a look. The recipes are broad-based, easy to follow and many of them would be ideal for children who would love to make, decorate and eat almost all of them; but there is also much that is sophisticated and adult.

Top 100 Omega-3 Recipes

Omega-3 is famously found in oily fish. It is said to reduce the risk of heart attacks, relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and encourage brain and optical nerve development in babies and children. The good news is that there are other foods apart from fish that supply omega-3 and this book points you in the direction of a varied, delicious diet.

This is a chunky, spiral-bound volume. Colourful and practical and it stays open on the counter. It’s full of information and recipes. The list of ingredients which contain omega-3 will be heartening to anyone who isn’t a lover of fish... oily or otherwise. Nuts and seeds are a good source as well as soya products, kale, rocket, and spinach. If you enjoy shellfish then you’ll be pleased to know that crab, mussels, prawns and squid all have omega-3.

The recipes are divided by meal. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and Top 100 Omega-3 Recipes offers delicious choices that are appealing even if you don’t need an omega-3 boost. Fruity Maple Porridge will keep you going till lunch. Flaxseed and dried apricots make this a healthy start. The Oaty Breakfast Bar is so tasty that it’s hard to believe that it’s good for you... but it is; and anything with yogurt-coated raisins has my vote. All the nutrition information is given for each recipe so you can see it’s no joke.

Seafood is well represented here as you would expect. Seafood Lasagne is smart enough for any bunch of discerning guests even though it uses frozen seafood mix. Makes life easy and keeps the price down. Pissaladiere is a long-time favourite and revives memories of summer in the south of France. It’s almost a pizza and almost a tart, with a tangy topping of anchovies, onion and black olives. You have permission to use bought puff pastry so there is no excuse for not making this dish.

I had expected Top 100 Omega-3 Recipes to be a dessert-free zone but there are some interesting examples. Bread and Butter Pudding gets its omega-3 from Omega Bread (recipe in this book). Baklava is an ideal end to an exotic meal and the omega-3 in this case comes from nuts and flaxseed. I would guess it’s possible to add a few grams of flaxseed to most cakes or puddings to increase your intake.

Top 100 Omega-3 Recipes has simple and tasty food and gives sound advice on how to improve your health by eating rather than swallowing supplements.

The Lyle’s Golden Syrup Cookbook

The author, Paul Hartley, has a wealth of experience in the food industry. He has run a European- style Cafe-bar in London and an award-winning country pub in Somerset. He is a major contributor to Breakfastandbrunch.com.

The Lyle’s Golden Syrup Cookbook is a stylish volume full of iconic graphics and recipes, both traditional and modern. The cover is emblazoned with tins of syrup and those tins represent one of the most recognised brands around. In 2007 Guinness World Records recognised Lyle’s Golden Syrup as having the world’s oldest packaging for a brand. The company has been around since 1883 so I guess that says it’s a popular product. This is one of the British staples that can be found in food stores from Toulouse to Timbuktu. The locals might not know what to do with it, but the tins always decorate the shelves so nicely.

I have already mentioned treacle tart. It’s a classic and this book wouldn’t be credible without a good recipe. Syrup Sponge Pudding is another family favourite. Note that the name of the syrup is not specified because it was only ever made with Lyle’s Syrup. This is rib-sticking winter gooeyness. Rich Parkin is a Victorian cake that remains a favourite in Yorkshire tea rooms to this very day. Great with a nice cup of tea.

That’s got the nostalgia out of the way, so on to some new ideas that take a tin of Lyle’s to new heights and probably help to give it a broader appeal. How about Mango and Ginger Chutney. Might not be authentically Indian but good all the same. Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lemon is a marvellous combination. Chicken and garlic always work well together and lemon will take the edge off the distinct sweetness of the syrup.

The Lyle’s Golden Syrup Cookbook is charming, well written and thoroughly entertaining. The recipes are all that you would hope but with a few contemporary additions. I, once again, look forward to Sunday night teatime.

Cook Yourself Thin

The full title is All New Cook Yourself Thin – Quick and Easy (Shift the bulge and still indulge with over 100 new recipes). Still sounding good, but it’s about common sense. Diets often don’t work because they don’t fit into your existing lifestyle. They don’t take account of your tastes or budget and don’t tend to encourage you into eating habits that are sustainable. You take a diet and you break a diet and so the cycle continues.

Well, I was only half joking about the exercise. It’s half the weight-loss equation. It’s not rocket science, it’s maths. If you consume 1000 calories but you only use 500 of those calories then those other unused calories stay with you. If you use 1000 calories but you have only tucked into 500 calories worth then you are burning 500 calories of your store of calories.

Did you know that each pound of fat contains about 3500 calories? To lose a pound a week you need to reduce your intake by 3500 calories. Remember that a healthy diet has about 1500 calories per day for women and 1800 for men.

If you are the sort that sits for both a job and a hobby then you should look at increasing exercise. Take an honest look at yourself. You will know if you have a food problem or an exercise problem, although it’s probably a bit of both. Start with some walking. No need to join a gym. You’ll lose weight and improve your health.

Cook Yourself Thin offers help to count calories and also to select menus. The recipes here don’t give the impression of being low-calorie. No need to feel like you are a diet victim. This is real food that is just as healthy for those who don’t need to shed the pounds. It’s good news because you don’t want to fall into the trap of cooking different meals for different members of the family. Each recipe has preparation time, cooking time and calories per serving. Your aim is to have a maximum of 500 calories for a main meal, and every dish in this book has less than that.

Braised Lamb Shanks only has 323 calories and looks filling and manly. Texas Chilli Con Carne has 287 calories and that’s the version with added crème fraiche! This is one for the whole family. The kids will love it because it’s got Texas in the title. Chicken and Mushroom Curry isn’t authentic Indian fare but is tasty and only has 359 calories including the rice. No need to phone out for the oily takeaway.

Cook Yourself Thin gives real hope. It’s a small change to your eating habits to give quick and lasting results. Adapt your favourite recipes by using skimmed milk, less fat and less cream. Use the recipes in the book and keep an eye on the calories. Walk up the stairs. Walk to the next bus stop. Walk a bit faster. You know you want to do it – you’re reading this review, aren’t you!

Turkish Cooking

Tess Mallos is an author with a wealth of experience. She has worked as a consultant in the food industry for over 40 years. She has developed recipes, written books and magazine articles, and prepared food for photography and TV. She was born in Australia to Greek parents and she has a remarkable knowledge of food from both the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

All the best and most popular Turkish dishes seem to be included. For those of you who have been lucky enough to travel, Turkish Cooking will transport you back to city breaks in Istanbul or holidays by the Aegean. The recipes are traditional but accessible to us in Northern Europe, and very few demand ingredients that need a specialist Middle Eastern deli.

Pilaf in Pastry (Yufkali ic pilavi) is one of my favourite Turkish dishes. It looks like an old-fashioned steak and kidney pudding but the crust is of light filo pastry. This is a sophisticated pie stuffed with rice and lamb with dried apricots and slivered almonds. It makes a lovely centrepiece for a light lunch.

Turkish Cooking has plenty to tempt vegetarians. Leek Pie (Pirasapide) has a tangy filling. Feta cheese offers a salty note which is a tasty contrast to the sweetness of the vegetables. A shortcrust pastry is used here rather than the less robust filo. This pie is truly delicious and works well as picnic food.

It’s no surprise to find Turkish Delight (Lokum). Freshly made it’s tender with delicate flavours and superior to anything that you could buy in a British supermarket. Baklava is one of the most ubiquitous desserts and it’s not difficult to make. If you want a light and refreshing treat then Water Ice is just what you are looking for. Tess has a selection here from the usual Lemon to the more exotic Cherry and you don’t need an ice cream maker to prepare these refreshing palate cleansers. What an impressive end to a real Turkish meal or even as a cooler on a hot afternoon!

Turkish Cooking offers all the classics and more, and if you are looking for a Mediterranean cookbook then this one offers lots to tempt you.

The Slow Cooker Cookbook

So what is the appeal of this mode of cooking? Well, in my case it’s not the desire to have a classy looking kitchen gadget on display - my slow cooker, as I have said, is not. It’s all about flavour and convenience. You can safely cook overnight or through the day with no fear of welding your meal to the casserole.

Gina Steer has penned a cookbook which offers a wide range of recipes to suit every taste. It’s not only meat dishes that are well represented. There are recipes that are suitable for vegetarians and although I must admit that I have never made dessert in a slow cooker, there is an interesting selection here.

My favourite slow cooker recipes take advantage of cheaper cuts of meat and in particular sausages. Gina offers Black Beans with Sausage. The sausage in question is Toulouse which is made more flavourful by the addition of spices such as cumin and mustard with a bit of heat from chilli. The same sausage puts in a second appearance in Pork Cassoulet.

Beans of any kind are ideal in a slow cooker. No problems with beans boiling dry. The cooking times sound lengthy but remember that you can sleep or work while the slow cooker cooks. Barbecued Beans only has 15 minutes preparation time. Start the beans in the morning and they will be finished by the time you get back from the office.

The dessert chapter has some delicious surprises. Maple Syrup Pudding is great old-fashioned comfort food. The pudding recipe will become a standard that you can change. Use golden syrup to make traditional treacle pudding or use your favourite jam. What could be nicer to come home to on a cold winter’s night?

The Slow Cooker Cookbook is a great introduction to, in my opinion, an indispensible kitchen aid. The new crockpots save time and effort, and also money: you’ll make tasty meals from humble ingredients.

Black Pudding and Foie Gras

Andrew Pern is the author and chef who plates many a serving of Black Pudding and Foie Gras at his Michelin-starred restaurant (The Star Inn, Harome, Near Helmsley, North Yorkshire). This is his first book but you wouldn’t know it. Andrew has an informal, chatty, conversational style that is quite charming. He is a committed foodie without being cheffy or patronising.

Black Pudding and Foie Gras is part autobiography and part recipe book. It’s a format that works well, offering an absorbing read as well as inspiring ideas. There are lovely pictures of Andrew’s wife and children which helps to make this a truly family journey from farm to fame. There is a whole section devoted to produce suppliers so it’s also a celebration of community.

So to the recipes. It’s all about fresh and seasonal fruit, veg, fish and meat. There are innovations but also versions of traditional favourites. Black Pudding and Foie Gras is the obvious signature dish. It’s a winner, combining a simple and relatively inexpensive, humble blood sausage with the delicious, controversial and classy Foie Gras.

Hartlepool Smoked Salmon Cassoulet with a Herb Crust would be a meatless choice for a flavourful and unique meal, although Andrew’s Posh Fish Fingers get my vote. These are ideal for kids but adults would find them a comforting starter. Roast Monkfish Tail with York Ham is equally as posh as the fish fingers. Very Smart!

Perhaps my favourite chapter is Desserts. There are some stunners here. Surprising, attractive and tempting - Rich Dark Chocolate and Orange Tart with Satsuma Sorbet for example. The Sorbet will be the dish that finally persuades you to buy that ice cream maker although you could make it in a box in the freezer. Honeyed Crème Caramel with Mead-soaked Sultanas is a gorgeous version of a French bistro standard. Delicate and sweet and it only takes 20 minutes to make. OK, the cooking time is 1½ hours but you don’t have to stay and hold its hand.

Black Pudding and Foie Gras is a gift-quality volume that allows a glimpse into the life of a young chef who has passion for the good things in life. To quote Oliver Twist... “Can I have some more?”

Forgotten Fruits

But what is it all about? Forgotten Fruits could be about that rotting mango at the back of the fridge or the wrinkled Christmas Satsuma in the fruit bowl. The full title is Forgotten Fruits – A Guide to Britain’s Traditional Fruit and Vegetables, and it’s also a social history of the most charming kind.

Christopher Stocks should be proud of this his first book. He is no stranger to writing, though: he has worked for Harpers & Queen, ES Magazine, Sky and Wallpaper. He has recently acted as the gardens correspondent for the Independent On Sunday and is a regular contributor to Gardens Illustrated.

Forgotten Fruits is full of historic anecdotes as well as horticultural information. This book will have you mentally planning your orchard and adjoining veg garden, even if you only have a window box and live in a 6th-floor flat in Feltham. You will be transported back to a more gentle time populated with head gardeners and the wealthy who employed them.

The author introduces us to the origins of fruits that are still familiar today. A brewer from Bermondsey retired to Colnbrook in the 1820’s. His home included two acres of orchards and gardens. Around 1825 he planted some apple seeds and he chose Ribston Pippin apples. It took a couple of years for the resulting seedlings to bear fruit but when they did those apples were unlike the parent fruit and had a much-improved flavour. The retired brewer was a Richard Cox and the fruit was christened Cox’s Orange Pippin!

Forgotten Fruits isn’t a recipe book but it will be enjoyed by anyone who loves food and has an interest in its origins. Forgotten Fruits isn’t a traditional gardening book but it will be appreciated by those who grow fruit and vegetables and want to continue with older varieties. Forgotten Fruits isn’t a history book but it has a wealth of information about changing tastes. I enjoyed this book immensely.

Healthy and Delicious

Reader’s Digest has produced Healthy and Delicious and it’s a mine of information about vegetables and how to eat a healthy diet. It’s a large format volume with a picture for each recipe. There are lots of cooking tips and even notes on ingredients. There is an A-Z Guide to Vegetables and a freezing chart. Fresh is good but be practical and use frozen veggies rather than no veggies at all. I have no qualms about using frozen peas and frozen sweet corn, although I do think that frozen mashed potatoes is a freeze too far.

Each recipe has cooking and preparation times as well as nutrition information. Spicy Swede and Potatoes offers 3 of your 5 portions of veg and it only takes 10 minutes to make and 24 minutes to cook. Satay-roasted Roots gives you 4 of those 5 so I guess I’ll be eating that and half a large courgette every day!

A sneaky way of getting an extra portion of vegetable is via a dessert. I had not, I confess, even considered that carrot cake would be included. OK, so most of the sweet treats here will only have a value of, say, ½ a portion but there are little gems that are a full portion. Sweet Potato Pie with Cranberry-Pecan Marmalade is one of your 5 a day.

Healthy and Delicious has lovely recipes but its strength lies in its portion information. You will be able to look at all your other cookbooks through more educated eyes. We all need to make good food choices but we need know about that food in order to make informed choices. Healthy and Delicious is a broad-based recipe book but also a kitchen tool. Use it and find easy and tasty ways of eating those 5 a day. It’s one of the best value books around.

The Top 100 Healing Foods

Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” That’s probably a positive approach to healthy living. We eat, if we are lucky, three times each day and that food has an impact on our well-being. Some of us might have a genetic tendence towards a particular illness but we can, at least, give ourselves a better chance of combating disease if we eat appropriate foods.

One of the most important elements to The Top 100 Healing Foods is the Key to Symbols table on the contents page. This gives you, at a glance, the healing or preventative properties of the aforementioned 100 foods. The book is divided by food type and has the obvious fruit and vegetable chapters, and also a section entitled Others which lists such things as honey and dark chocolate. Each page is devoted to a single ingredient (a few foods have two pages), where it lists nutrients and there is a recipe and description of the health benefits.

Let’s look at Cranberry, for example. There is a recipe for Cranberry and Banana Smoothie, Paula advises that you should choose cranberry juice sweetened with apple juice rather than sugar. Cranberries are said to be good for urinary tract infections and they promote anti-cancer activity and can prevent kidney stones. The symbols suggest that cranberries are good for almost everything.

If you are unfortunate enough to be already suffering from a nasty complaint then take a look at the Ailments Directory. There are a host of illnesses here ranging from the serious to the mundane. I wouldn’t recommend that you treat yourself with only these 100 recommended foods for critical illness, but I am sure they all help and might even be all you need to find relief from minor problems.

Paula has written a book that is full of information presented in an easily understood format. The Top 100 Healing Foods is sure to be popular with anyone who takes an interest in nutrition and a holistic approach to health. Great value for money.

The Organic Pharmacy

The book, "The Organic Pharmacy", is filled with information on herbal remedies, homeopathy and nutrition, and shows how these products can work with your body to enhance your health and therefore beauty. The book suggests organic treatments for over 30 complaints including sore throats, arthritis, infertility and acne.

Drawing on years of experience Margo helps you design your own personal skincare regime that she says will help you look and feel younger and more energetic. There is plenty of advice for looking after ageing skin. Seems that beauty products containing green tea could be my salvation...er...helpful to the older woman.

Although I am not a total convert to the organic and herbal philosophy, I do find Margo’s book interesting. There are lots of homeopathic remedies that will be familiar to any of us that either don’t like taking drugs or had grandmothers. An infusion of peppermint is used to treat a fever, lungwort is an ancient cure for coughs, and bloating can be treated with ginger which has long been considered to have digestive qualities.

The Organic Pharmacy - The Complete Guide to Natural Health and Beauty is an attractive volume that will have great appeal to anyone who wants to consider herbal detox or treatment for minor ailments. It sets out the increasingly popular approach taken by Margo Marrone.

Fat Bloke Slims

encouraging my dear readers to enjoy food. You can’t truly love meals if they are playing a negative part in your life. You should be able to eat and feel good about yourself rather than living with the knowledge that you are slowly killing yourself.

Bruce Byron is a name that might be familiar to some of you. He is celebrated for his role as DC Perkins in The Bill. He has also starred in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, as well as The Mummy Returns and From Hell. He was a chubby chap who needed to lose 3 stone or he was going to lose his life...probably.

The facts are sobering. Currently in the UK 60% of men are technically overweight and one in six is actually obese, and that is a figure that has more than tripled in the last eighteen years. The dangers of early death are real with increased risk of heart disease which is the UK’s biggest killer. It takes the lives of one in five blokes. Someone in Britain has a heart attack every two minutes. Makes you think!

Fat Bloke Slims – How I lost Three Stone, to give its full title,  is a book written to chart Bruce’s journey from the overweight to a healthier and slimmer version of the original. His efforts had nothing to do with wanting to look like an Adonis on the beach, but rather more the desire to see his kids grow up. He had the first symptoms of problems and decided that his current life style presented too many risks.

There are few books of this type that are directed specifically to men. They are different from women (you don’t say!) and have issues that need addressing. There is more culture and peer pressure to overcome and Bruce offers strategies to avoid over-boozy evenings with the lads. Real men do look after themselves. It takes more than macho male bonding sessions at the gym, you’ll need to eat sensibly as well. If you are seriously overweight then you need to look at the part that food plays in your life.

Fat Bloke Slims is a well-written book that gives sensible advice. It takes into account that life gets in the way of the best plans. Bruce has put in the work and research to discover a method that might truly aid men who want to shed some pounds. He did it and any overweight man can do the same.

James Every Day

Fast Chicken

Handmade Breads

Whilst it’s true that there are more of us baking bread these days, it’s also evident that there are many more who think of bread making as a mix of alchemy and terror. Homemade Breads by Ciril Hitz will offer a wealth of new recipes for the experienced baker and lots of advice and hand-holding for the novice.

This is an attractive book with step-by-step photographs by Ron Manville. The techniques are not complicated but a picture paints a thousand words: it’s reassuring to see exactly what the dough should look like, the shape of a roll or the finished loaf. Ciril shows the 5-strand braid which I have long wanted to learn but which has been impossible for me to master. Now, with the aid of pictures, all my bread will be braided and beautiful.

You might not have heard of Ciril Hitz. I confess that I had not, although his credentials are impeccable. He is US-based but has won numerous awards including the silver medal at the celebrated Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Bakers) in Paris. Now, the French are not ones to give away gongs to foreigners so you can imagine that the silver medal was well earned.

Handmade Breads divides the world of dough into 10 sections, and offers several different breads from each of those distinctly different doughs. Each recipe is clear and easy to follow. There are 40 or so bread-based treats to enjoy and something for everyone. From the simple white sandwich dough, for example, you can produce Cinnamon Spice Swirl Bread, Raisin Rolls and whole wheat bread.

The Baguette Dough is a good start with lots of ideas for shaping. Breadsticks are made from the baguette dough and how impressive would they be when next you present an Italian meal, and home-made Ciabatta and Focaccia are always great with lovely fresh fillings or with some rustic and chunky soup.

Ciril Hitz has written a book that makes bread making accessible to everyone. Bread baking fills your home with a lovely and comforting aroma. It’s the real thing and so different from the supermarket French Stick or the tasteless White Sliced that has been the staple in so many of our homes.

Handmade Breads
Author: Ciril Hitz
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-303-1

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery

public. I have been looking forward to delving into the pages and it has not disappointed.

The name Grigson will be familiar to any cookbook-reading, food TV-watching gastronaut but most will have Sophie in mind. Jane was Sophie’s mum and has still a reputation that is right up there with the likes of the great Marguerite Patten, Elizabeth David and Gordon Ramsay... OK, so I put that last one in to check if you are paying attention!

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery has, as the name suggests, a French slant. Written in the 60s, it offered a glimpse into what seemed at that time the strange and exotic world of “foreign” food and memories of holidays daringly taken on the wrong side of the Channel. Attitudes have changed and we now delight in the prospect of eating and hopefully cooking items that we have marvelled at - noses pressed up against the windows of charcuteries all over the Gallic world.

If you are a lover of pies, patés, sausages, hams with a few nice sauces then this is the book for you. This isn’t a book stuffed with colour photos but it’s solid writing with recipes that are surprisingly simple and easy to follow. Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery is probably even more relevant now than when originally published.

The recipe for Sausage Meat (Chaire à Saucisse) has several delicious variations with advice on turning the sausage into paté or stuffing. There are country sausages, Toulouse sausages, Alsace sausages and boiled sausages.

White pudding, as opposed to black pudding, is seldom seen in the UK. Admittedly it isn’t a thing of beauty but it can be tasty comfort food when made with a recipe that includes enough spice. Jane Grigson has Boudins Blancs de Paris that will take you right back to that little bistro just between the metro and the bike shop.

You don’t need to be an expert in the kitchen to find Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery of value. There are plenty of tips on sauces. I think all the classics are here including mayonnaise, parsley sauce and mustard sauce. None of these are over-taxing and a home-made sauce will elevate an ordinary roast bird or pork chop into something special with very little effort.

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery is an essential volume for any serious cookbook collector, any lover of fine food, all those who seek out the ready-prepared dishes in French Charcuteries and any of us who want to make those dishes ourselves. Yes, we can do it. Read the book!

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery
Author: Jane Grigson
Published by: Grub Street
Price: £14.99
ISBN 1 902304 88 8