Updated 24th January 2012

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One More Slice

I confess that I had not heard of author Leila Lindholm. She is a celebrated TV chef and author ...but in Sweden. Good to see that a few publishers are looking further afield for good cookbooks. A different slant is refreshing and now all we have to do is persuade Food TV producers that some different faces in front of the cameras, behind the pans, would be welcome.

This is Leila’s fourth book and it has its focus on baked goods, along with some pasta as well as some gorgeous ice creams. There are well-loved classics but even these have been given twists. The first recipes are for Pizza and there are a dozen varieties offered, as well as suggestions of a few items to be made with left-over dough. Pizza with asparagus and goats cheese makes good use of that short season when those distinctive veggies are at their best. Pizza pinwheels show the glitzy side of a basic bread which is artfully turned into apero nibbles. Sardines and parmesan give tang although I would try this with a little anchovy as well. These are rather like savoury palmiers on steroids.

Sweet Pizzas are a dessert departure. Ricotta and mascarpone form the bed for berries, apples, figs and chocolate in various combinations, and these pizzas are not only delicious but they are visual stunners. Simple to make and economic if one sticks to seasonal fruits.

I love real cheesecake. I am referring to baked cheesecake rather than those made with gelatine. No, nothing wrong with them, but I just don’t consider them as authentic. Give me a modest wedge of the real thing, preferably in a favourite café in New York, and I’ll be a happy shopper. Leila offers us a bumper seven kinds of New York Cheesecake although the original will forever remain my favourite. Once you have mastered the basic recipe then it’s just a matter of adding a little of this or a suspicion of that to make a lime, strawberry or pumpkin cheesecake. The mixed berries and the ricotta cheesecake are also rather tempting, though.

The Pasta chapter gives a basic dough recipe and, sensibly, recipes for ravioli fillings. To be honest I don’t ever make pasta from scratch unless I am making ravioli. It’s worth making a big batch when you do go to that trouble. The meat filling has few ingredients, one of which is cream for a silky moist richness, although the ricotta and lemon filling is both fresh-tasting and creamy. Just garnish with a little melted butter and a grating of lemon zest.

The author is Swedish so I guess it’s no surprise that Dime bars are featured in a recipe. I am an addict, so Dime bar ice-cream is my pick of the book. No need for an ice cream maker, the airiness of this confection relies on fluffy egg whites. Use the freshest of free-range eggs for this as all the ingredients are raw. Leila suggests Lime Strawberries to go alongside this ice-cream cake, but I don’t think you need them – a small stack of Dime bars would be visually appealing.

One More Slice is a practical and attractive book. The recipes are enticing with some innovations. I look forward to more from Leila Lindholm.

Cookbook review: One More Slice
Author: Leila Lindholm
Published by: New Holland
Price: £19.99
ISBN 978-1-78009-00-9

The Big Red Book of Tomatoes

I love that title “The Big Red Book of Tomatoes”. Comforting and very reminiscent of a Christmas Annual – one of those bumper volumes that constituted a heavy lump at the bottom of the pillow-case on Christmas morning. It does indeed have an old-fashioned and trusty air about it.

It’s that time of year when we are hoping for a crop of delicious and glowing tomatoes warm from the vine. Perhaps this regrettably sunless summer has left more than a few of us with more than a few green and bullet-like orbs that stand little chance of changing hue.

Tomatoes are healthy and available all year round. Cast away prejudices that you might hold against tinned toms. They are honestly a much better bet in the winter than those pale imported horrors on offer in the supermarket. A good quality tomato in a can will have been picked at its peak of ripeness.

Lindsey Bareham has presented a 400-recipe tome containing what seems like every conceivable tom-based dish. I fancy myself a dab-hand at the stove but even I could not envisage such a number of appropriate recipes, but here they are and they make a fine collection from every ethnic origin.

We tend to think of the tomato as being the epitome of the healthy Mediterranean diet, even though they are indigenous to the Americas. It is a testament to the versatility of this fruit/vegetable that it has been embraced so enthusiastically. Even the fussiest of eaters will tuck into a tomato sauce-laden pizza or garnish almost any meal with a shake or two of ketchup – and, yes, I do believe it constitutes one of your five a day.

There are a creditable number of pasta recipes here as one would expect but I have been drawn to some other dishes that are a bit less ubiquitous. Tomates à la Provençale do indeed have that flavour of the Mediterranean. A simple yet versatile dish that will be a marvellous side for everything from a traditional roast to a summer barbecue.

English Muffins with tinned tomatoes and poached eggs is a quick and comforting dish that will be welcomed at any time of the day. A sustaining and vibrant breakfast plateful, and the sauce can be made in advance so all that’s needed is a few moments of poaching and toasting.

Sauce Aurore is new to me but well worth trying. It’s a combination of classic béchamel and a tomato coulis. It’s most often found coating boiled eggs and then being browned under the grill. It would be a delight napped over white fish, though, or perhaps even prawns. A very stylish sauce to have up one’s chef’s jacket sleeve.

The Big Red Book of Tomatoes is a must for any cottage gardener. There are recipes here to enable the green-fingered to make good use of a glut of green tomatoes as well as those red and luscious fruits of high summer.

Cookbook review:The Big Red Book of Tomatoes
Author:  Lindsey Bareham
Published by: Grub Street
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-908117-12-0

French Brasserie Cookbook – The heart of French home cooking

The prospect of “French cooking” brings many of us out in a cold sweat. It’s the thought of a sauce with 27 stages and pastry that takes a week to prepare that sends us into a tizzy. Who has time, and who needs to eat a kilo of butter at each meal; and then there is the cream. But that is just a particular type of French cooking, that perpetuates the myth that it’s all about rich cheffiness. There is another sort of French cooking that more nearly reflects French home cooking and it’s growing in popularity.

A brasserie offers traditional food but the sort that would have been made in French homes: fresh and seasonal produce treated with respect. The cooking methods don’t demand that the domestic cook have a diploma from the Cordon Bleu. A French kitchen is just as humble as yours – gadgets from IKEA and shelves garnished with stock cubes and even lentils in tins. Mon dieu!

Daniel Galmiche is a French chef in Britain. He has a wealth of family recipes that translate into brasserie-style dishes, as well as classic brasserie fare from across France. There are the ubiquitous Croque Monsieur and the dolled-up Croque Madame, which constitutes a meal in itself. Everything to make a Francophile’s heart beat faster.

Duck Rillettes is a favourite spread and it’s delicious and comforting. It makes an ideal snack when served with just a crusty baguette. A little jar of this is perfect to tote on a picnic, but served with Melba toast this becomes a tempting starter for a smart dinner party that has the advantage of being made in advance of the event.

Toulouse Cassoulet has become popular, not just in the south of France from whence it came, but across the country, and it’s now reached these shores. It’s a hearty but economic dish and a real winter warmer. Garlicky Toulouse sausages are the essential element along with the white haricot beans. Just a couple glasses of good red wine and some French bread, and an authentic French meal can be enjoyed by family and friends without breaking the bank.

Reviewer cannot live by main course alone, and I think that Raspberry Clafoutis represents the essence of brasserie menus: a traditional pudding that is found in casual restaurants as well as homes across France. Its name sounds convincingly Gallic but consider a Yorkshire pudding with fruit and you will have the idea. A simple dessert to make, and it’s versatile, as the fruits used can be changed with the seasons.

Daniel Galmiche is a familiar face on our TVs and it seems he also has a talent for choosing recipes that will appeal to the British audience. Lots of dishes that you will have enjoyed when on holiday, and perhaps a few that will become regulars chez vous. A gift-quality book, and nothing too challenging even for a novice.

Cookbook review: French Brasserie Cookbook – The heart of French home cooking
Author: Daniel Galmiche
Published by: Duncan Baird Publishers
Price: £20.00
ISBN 978-1-84483-992-6

The Cookiepedia – Mixing, baking and reinventing the classics

It’s a time of belt tightening and financial gloom, and it’s said that we are all hankering after old-fashioned lifestyles. We want to be wafted back to more moderate times where riots only happened “over there” and we all knew for sure that we would have a job next week.

There has been more interest than ever in cooking in general and baking in particular. Cookies tick all the boxes for comforting decadence. Small indulgences (although you can have a few per sitting) that look delightful, and that can be formally decorated to accompany a traditional bone-china tea set, or rustic and moreish for casual snacking with a mug of something hot. Endless options.

The Cookiepedia offers a raft of classic recipes in a very practical format.  Spiral bound with organic and earthy-coloured pages, appealing photography, and recipes that are easy to follow, with ingredients that won’t demand that you cough up the last of your nest-egg. Store-cupboard staples will form the basis of many of the cookies here, or they would if you have a stash of chocolate and a jar of peanut butter on the top shelf.

You can still feel noble even if you have got a passion for baked goods. Lots of cookies here that are filled with fruit, and Fig Bars are my pick of the Fruity chapter. These are said to be similar to those famous fig biscuits found in supermarkets. There is a variation offered as well: Maple Date Bars, which might even be more delicious than the original.

I am so often at a loss for something sweet to eat at the end of a rich Indian meal. The Cardamom Cookies here offer the solution for a nibble with a cup of tea to finish an Asian feast, or even for a crunchy alternative to some of the traditional biscuits for your afternoon break. The Cookiepedia suggests a decoration of slivered almonds but for a smart dinner party you could consider a speck or two of silver vark – edible silver foil. Truly exotic and decadent.

So that’s the face of posh cookie eating, but most of us want to indulge, and the most iconic of cookies must surely be the celebrated Chocolate Chip Cookie. Not exactly a traditional English biscuit, like a digestive or a Shrewsbury, but it’s nevertheless one that comes to mind when one thinks of 1960s American TV programmes. It’s always the one that a little kid is offered along with a tall glass of milk in every US film promoting family values. They are simply the most comforting of sweet treats and can be made with dark chocolate for an adult twist.

The Cookiepedia has delectable cookies for every occasion and for every member of the family. Get the kids involved in cooking. Mixing is fun and baking is fast, as will be the vanishing of those aforementioned baked goods.

Cookbook review: The Cookiepedia – Mixing, baking and reinventing the classics
Author: Stacy Adimando
Published by: Quirk
Price: $18.95 US
ISBN 9781-1-59474-535-5

Simply Good Bread

This book should have arrived a few weeks ago. One is always advised to bake bread when the estate agent is bringing viewers around. It’s that tempting aroma that makes a house seem like a home. It’s said that bread-baking is an almost dead art but I believe it’s enjoying something of a revival.

A good bakery- bought loaf is a pricey item these days but there are more people than ever before seeking a tasty artisanal product. In these times of belt-tightening we are casting around for that feeling of security, and that seems to be found in the guise of old-fashioned home-made quality foods. OK, so some might resort to a bread-making machine but there is no shame in that and it will save you time... although I have never quite mastered the knack of using such a thing. I stick to a pair of hands, and I need the exercise anyway.

Peter Sidwell has penned Simply Good Bread hot on the heels of Simply Good Taste, although you could say that this new masterwork is an extension of the first volume. It’s just as much about good taste as good bread.

There are fifty recipes here and they work for machine and for hand. They include basic breads – white, wholemeal, brown, ciabatta, focaccia and even naan. They are simple recipes and will give the novice a bit of confidence. Baking is, after all, part skill and part alchemy, but follow these good recipes and don’t cut corners and you will have a result of which to be proud.

The recipes in Simply Good Bread are so well chosen that you will likely want to make all of them. They are mostly yeast breads but there are also soda breads, and a gingerbread that will be perfect for Sunday tea on a cold weekend. It’s one of those Victorian favourites which evokes visions of sitting around a roaring fire, adults discussing the wonders of the Great Exhibition, children playing quietly with wooden toys. Peter’s gingerbread is moist and moreish, and uses both ginger beer and candied ginger for extra gingery flavour. Malt Loaf is another traditional and sticky confection that seems to have sadly fallen from favour. It is a yeast bread but far removed from your regular white sliced.

My husband hails from Yorkshire and is prone to wax lyrical about Oven Bottom Cakes. Peter has a recipe for Oven Bottom Muffins which must be similar. A simple dough is transformed into a comforting snack when split (still warm in my southern opinion), buttered and spread with jam.

Onions seem always to work well when baked into bread. There are several recipes here that are mouth-watering. Spring Onion Bagels will smell delicious while baking and even better when toasted. Peter suggests several toppings but I would just give it a thick spread of salted butter to enjoy the savoury sweetness of the spring onions.

My pick of the book is the recipe for Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Bread.  One would expect this to be a bread labelled “only for the practised baker” or “this’ll take a weekend”.  It is, however, surprisingly easy. Roast the garlic till soft, sweet and creamy, and mix it into the dough before baking.  Stunning when served with roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes and even a good cheddar.

Simply Good Bread is a book to use. That surely is the mark of a good cookbook. There are recipes for breads for every occasion and none of them will be beyond the skill of even the first-time bread baker. Perhaps this book will even help the flagging housing market.

Cookbook review: Simply Good Bread
Author: Peter Sidwell
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-0-85720-313-7

Eating In – Delicious home cooking to enjoy all year round

Sue Lawrence came to prominence in 1991 when she won Masterchef – those were the days when I actually watched it and the programme was more about the judged than the judges. She has made numerous TV appearances since then and has received awards for her writing.

Eating In is a very personal cookbook. You can actually hear Sue talking as you roam through the chapters. A lilting Scottish accent and great good humour garnish every paragraph, making this book very much a culinary conversation rather than a text book. The recipes are just what you would hope from Sue, with plenty that reflect her passion for all Scottish food.

The chapters are divided by event and occasion rather than season or course. Hogmanay, Burns Night and Hangover Breakfasts are included as one would expect, but you don’t have to be a Scot or under the weather to enjoy everything here. There are dishes for Sunday lunch, family celebrations, Christmas, and TV suppers, along with much more to help those of us who are strapped for ideas for family events.

There is an appealing mix of tradition and innovation from Sue. Yes, plenty of haggis in various guises but this isn’t a cliché ingredient. It’s a delicious staple that should be made more of. It has a particular savoury roundness and a comforting texture. The recipes that take advantage of this are not edgy or weird but present a bit of inspiration for us haggis lovers.

Hummus with Haggis and Pine Nuts is my favourite of several haggis recipes. It couldn’t be easier to prepare and the end result is flavourful and has a pleasing crunch from the nuts, missing from the Middle Eastern original. It’s heartier than the common version of hummus and it’s moreish. A striking dip for bread or crackers, and it also works as a light lunch with a mixed salad.

Scots are famed for their sweet teeth and baked goods. Plenty here to tempt one away from the diet. If you are going to slide off the low-calorie wagon (probably a tea trolley) then do it with style with Treacle Tart Bars. They have that old-fashioned taste that seems to have almost disappeared. Golden Syrup is a unique confection that is underutilised and underrated. OK, so it’s not like it’s one of your five a day, but indulging periodically is good for the soul.

These bars are simple to prepare as Sue uses ready-made shortcrust pastry for the base. This is a great recipe for using up your leftover white bread. Sue suggests day-old sourdough but I have had good results with cheap and nasty white sliced. The lemon zest and juice are crucial to the tray-bake: the citrus helps to cut through the extreme sweetness.

Porridge makes a healthy and sustaining breakfast but it does get boring after a few days. Sue offers us Coconut Milk Porridge with a garnish of fresh fruit. A sprinkle of toasted coconut continues the exotic theme. I am not persuaded by the addition of puffin to porridge, as they would have eaten on the now uninhabited isle of St. Kilda. I wonder why its population left. I suspect they were in search of a cornflake.

Eating In is a garland of little nuggets of sensible food. Ordinary ingredients simply prepared. Lots of twists on the Scottish classics. A book to use all year. This will be on the list of my favourite books for 2011.

Cookbook review: Eating In
Author: Sue Lawrence
Published by: Hachette Scotland
Price: £25.00
ISBN 978-0-7553-6005-5

My Indian Kitchen

Even the title holds out great hope for the oft-confused home cook. We are looking for books written with us in mind. A book that takes note of the fact that we are unlikely in the West to have “staff”, a tandoor and a man that pops by on a Wednesday just to grind some spices.

Hari Nayak might not be a familiar name to us in the UK but he is deservedly celebrated in the US.  He has his own food consultancy business and is a restaurateur and promoter of Indian food in America, and he is obviously a talented cookbook author. Although he was born and brought up in India he is a graduate of the CIA. No, dear European reader, Hari isn’t a spy for the US government. CIA in this case is the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. He is a man who definitely has a cheffy finger on the pulses of both East and West. A unique perspective.

This is a stunning large-format cookbook that you would want to own even if you didn’t have a notion where your own kitchen might be. (It's that room with a couple of taps and the microwave.) It entices the reader with images of spices and finished dishes, and it will truly tempt you away from your culinary lethargy (or fear) and into your own kitchen to replicate some memorable dishes that offer authentic tastes of the Subcontinent.

Hari does not assume that the reader in an expert Indian cook or indeed a cook of any ethnic persuasion. The recipes are well-written and give an overview of classic Indian dishes. Classic, yes, but that does not translate to difficult or long-winded. You will be able to make everything here with ease and with the use of spices that you will likely find in your local supermarket.

One of the simplest recipes is for Street-style Grilled Corn on the Cob. It’s summer so the grill is a prominent item of garden furniture. Do something amazing with humble ears of corn, and perhaps consider a whole al fresco Indian meal by adding Masala Lamb Chops and a green salad. I would suggest preparing more lamb than you would normally, as the aroma of grilling meat is mouth-watering. A memorable side dish would be Hari's Smoky Fire-roasted Aubergine (eggplant). This is flavourful and comforting and can also be used as a dip with Indian breads as a starter.

Hari has introduced some elements of innovation. Food should, after all, evolve so Hari gives a nod to his cultural heritage with chai, but goes on to use that favourite beverage in a decadent Crème Brulée. India does have a good array of traditional desserts but Chai Crème Brulée is a twist on the French original, some might say an improvement. Don’t just save this for the end of an Indian meal. It will get compliments at any dinner party.

My pick of the book is probably the recipe for Marinated Roast Leg of Lamb. It’s not something you’ll rustle up in a hurry for unexpected guests but it is worth the time invested. Having said that the time invested is mostly marinating time and you don’t have to keep the lamb company while it’s absorbing those spices. It’s a straightforward dish to make and one that you will make often. The perfume of this cooking meat will fill your home and tease your guests with the promise of a delicious Indian meal before they even reach the table. The leftovers make flavourful sandwiches, or they would if there were any, but that is unlikely.

The lavish photography makes every dish look enticing and even those who are familiar with Indian recipes will find lots of new delights; but this book will be particularly inspiring for those who might have only eaten Indian food in restaurants. My Indian Kitchen offers authentic and accessible dishes that can be prepared without tears (get someone else to peel the onions). A gift-quality book with which you will not want to part.

My Indian Kitchen
Author: Hari Nayak
Published by: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 978-0-8048-4089-7

Classic Indian Recipes

I am often put off by cookbook titles that include the word ‘classic’. That term sometimes indicates that the dishes are going to be over-fussy and will be relying on rare and costly ingredients for impact. One has visions of the kitchens of Versailles bustling with portly and ill-tempered chefs presiding over an army of downtrodden kitchen menials and each one of those babysitting larks tongues or poking a pot of peacock porridge. If one is considering Indian cuisine the vision is even more intimidating. Will there be a ‘classic’ and indispensible kitchen gadget (probably in brass and exquisitely wrought) to purchase? Perhaps those unfamiliar spices demand a trip to a charmingly exotic gully in Delhi – although one could try the internet.

Fear none of the above scenarios, dear reader. Manju Malhi presents her Classic Indian Recipes and they are written with the modern home cook in mind.  Yes, they are ‘classic’ but that word could be replaced with ‘I have heard of those’ or ‘familiar restaurant’ and equally apt ‘easily made in Twickenham’ (reader substitutes his/her own address). Lots here to excite and encourage domestic gods or goddesses who have hitherto been a bit shy in the presence of a green chilli.

Manju is an Indian but she is also a West London lass, so has an insight into the anxieties of Europeans who would like to make traditional Indian food but have felt themselves incapable. There is no magic formula to preparing striking samosas or amazing aloo gobhi. All you need is a recipe and a bit of confidence. There are no mysterious cooking techniques to master, no additional kitchen equipment needed (assuming you already have a hob) and once you have amassed a collection of half a dozen or so spices you will be ready to tackle all the recipes listed here.

These are simple recipes to follow and they encompass some of my personal favourite dishes. The Sweet Lemon Pickle will be a flavourful garnish to many of the other dishes listed. Anything that only has to be prepared once every 8 months is bound to be popular with all of us with a passion for good food but who have little time. The ubiquitous coriander and mint chutneys are also here and they will be your essential condiments.

I love dal (lentils) in all its forms. Dal Makhani is a perennial restaurant item, as its rich, spiced silkiness is deeply comforting.  It’s rather calorific but a little goes a long way. Simple to make at home and the process can be speeded if one has access to a pressure cooker. It seems that every housewife of Indian descent has at least one and perhaps two of these practical contraptions. You’ll manage very well with just your regular pots, though.

Indian sweets and desserts are overlooked by many other Indian cookbooks, but here Manju offers a creditable selection that takes us from the relatively healthy yoghurt-based Shrikhand to the sweet that I’d fight you for – Doodh ki Barfi. You might not recognise the name but think of those Indian sweetshops with their piles of cubed and sugary delights. You can now make these chez vous for a fraction of the price of the commercial varieties. I would add a little cardamom for extra flavour.

My pick of the book is a recipe for a vegetable which is delicious served alongside almost anything. It would work well as a nibble with drinks and the only drawback is that you will never be able to make enough. It’s Bhindi Jaipuri and it’s addictive. Okra is about as popular in urban legend as broccoli but this is a must-try dish. The coated and fried okra are transformed into vibrant and crunchy morsels. Moreish – but feel noble: they are vegetables and one of your 5-a-day.

Classic Indian Recipes by Manju Malhi is great value for money and a solid introduction to Indian cooking.

Asian cookbook review: Classic Indian Recipes
Author: Manju Malhi
Published by: Hamlyn
Price: £10.00
ISBN 978-0-600-62235-2

Antonio Carluccio – 100 Pasta Recipes

He is one of the world’s most respected authorities on Italy's great food. He has written more than a dozen bestselling books and has also made numerous television programmes, including Two Greedy Italians which he made with the lovably cheeky Gennaro Contaldo.

Antonio ran the Neal Street Restaurant in London's Covent Garden and spent 10 years developing Carluccio's Cafés. In 1998 Antonio was awarded the Commendatore Award, Italy’s equivalent of a knighthood, for his contribution to the Italian food industry; and in 2007 he received the OBE from Britain.

What’s the first dish that comes to mind when we think of Italian food? Pasta. But it’s not a dish, it’s more of an ingredient, and an indispensible part of any Italian repertoire. You will be relieved to learn that it’s OK to buy pasta, either fresh or dried. If you are taking the dehydrated option then be sure that you buy the best quality. All my Italian friends use dry pasta so I feel no shame in doing the same; however, there is a recipe for pasta dough for those who are looking for a project rather than a speedy meal.

Antonio Carluccio’s 100 Pasta Recipes does indeed offer some very fast sauces that will enable you to have dinner on the table in the time it takes the pasta to become al dente. Spaghetti Carbonara – coalman’s spaghetti – is a classic in restaurants as well as in homes. Antonio offers the reader an authentic recipe which uses no cream. Its richness comes from both eggs and cheese. I think generous grindings of pepper are key here.
Italians are romantics and they seem to have a habit of naming food after occupations. We can’t find the same on British menus. No sign of chiropodist’s casserole and there probably never will be a postal worker’s pasty. Not only does Antonio include the coalman’s pasta of choice but he also offers Pasta alla Carrettiera – Cart-driver’s Spaghetti. It’s a tuna-based sauce and worthy of the most cultivated of manual workers, who seem to eat very well in Italy.

A hearty and economic dinner that even the kids will love is Penne Rigate with Sausage. Once again it’s the quality of ingredients that’s the most important element. Look for pure meat sausages that are well seasoned. The family will be sitting down to this winter warmer just 20 minutes after the pasta water comes to the boil.
There are a few non-pasta dishes here. Summer Bread Salad makes a cool and light starter for those delightful al fresco meals that we enjoy all summer long in the UK. OK, so that’s a bit of poetic licence, but this is truly a simple stunner and is also a marvellous side dish for grilled fish or your regular roast chicken. You’ll feel you have spent Sunday in the south of Italy.

Antonio Carluccio – 100 Pasta Recipes is full of easy dishes that will be enjoyed by your family during the week, when time is short. There are others that will impress your friends, whom you will be able to entertain without the need to take out a bank loan. There are some familiar dishes but more that will be new to most non-Italians. Another practical cookbook from this charming man.

Cookbook review: 100 Pasta Recipes
Author: Antonio Carluccio
Published by: Ebury Publishing
Price: £7.99
ISBN 978-1-84-990148-2

Flavours of Babylon

I guess we all think that we know lots about Iraq. It visits our sitting room every evening. There are snippets of tragic news on the radio every day and the very name incites strong emotions in many. But few of us have considered that war-torn land as having much of a culinary heritage.

It’s true to say that the cooking canvas is less richly adorned than it once was. Violence and tyranny have taken its toll and a proportion of its people have fled, taking with them thousands of years of tradition and culture.

Linda Dangoor was born in Baghdad but she left with her family when she was ten years old. But they still have their memories, and their recipes steeped in Iraqi-Jewish tradition that they continue to replicate wherever they settle. It’s a perennial truth that those exiled from home will view food as a precious link.

Flavours of Babylon presents Linda’s family recipes as well as some contemporary dishes. It’s a volume filled with delicious charm. The food is aromatic rather than fiery with spice. The flavours are delicate but well defined and there are many dishes that will be new to the British home cook. Nothing that will be too taxing for the novice, and there is plenty here to inspire the more-practised amateur chef.

Turshi – pickled garlic and cucumbers – is a celebrated preserve. Linda offers a pickling paste to make in advance and to use for future batches of garlic and cucumbers. You will likely already have the necessary spices in your store cupboard and the vegetables are readily available.

Mukhallala – pickled turnips – are the ubiquitous kebab accessory. You might not recognise the name but you will probably have already eaten them several times. They are those Barbie-pink vegetables that nestle amongst the other garnishes on the kebab-house cool-counter. Take them out of that unpromising environment and you have a crisp and fresh pickle to enjoy with your starters and salads.

Mahasha – stuffed mixed vegetable platter – is a winner. Simple, delicious, economic and visually appealing. This recipe is for 4-5 people but it could easily be increased to feed a crowd. It incorporates tomatoes or red peppers, courgettes, onions and vine leaves to create a colourful tapestry. You’ll need a large shallow pan, or a couple of them if you are making a bigger batch. This is where that round metal roasting tin you bought on your last trip to Turkey will come in handy. An ideal summer lunch served with some crusty bread and a salad.

Flavours of Babylon presents a raft of beautifully photographed recipes. All the ingredients are accessible to the British home cook. So many of these dishes are dearly-loved family favourites like Linda’s mother’s T’beet – slow cooked Sabbath chicken. Striking and good enough for a smart dinner party but so reasonably priced that one could enjoy it every week, just as Linda’s family have done for generations.

This is a fascinating volume from this multi-talented lady who is perhaps better known as an artist and ceramicist. Linda Dangoor shows us a positive side of Iraqi culture shared by its exiled people. Iraq’s sad loss is our enriching gain.

Cookbook review: Flavours of Babylon
Author: Linda Dangoor
Publisher: Waterpoint Press
Price: £16.00
ISBN 978-0-9567325-0-7

Classic Vegetarian Cookery

Arto der Haroutunian died too young. He has left a cult following and a series of books to remind us of the very reasons that he still inspires cookbook collectors and home chefs alike. He had a particular all-encompassing view of the world that enabled him to graze the globe and archive his findings in a most palatable fashion.

“Classic” in culinary terms is often fussy, dusty and boring. We think of a battery of sauces, egg dishes and poached white fish. Combine that “classic” with “vegetarian” and the future reading opportunity is looking gloomy. There is bound to be a cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes and a slew of other dishes that we probably trot out week after week.

OK, that’s the assumption, but it’s wrong. Arto der Haroutunian has collected recipes that truly are classic but they are not from the usual culinary traditions. There are vegetable dishes from Nigeria, Finland, South America, Bulgaria and many other countries, each with their own “classic” but unique recipes.

It’s true that there are a few familiar favourites such as stuffed vine leaves but even that standard is offered with a couple of filling options. French onion soup is listed along with an Iranian alternative. Yes, the cauliflower is here but sans cheese sauce – South American Midnight Cauliflower takes advantage of garlic, black olives and a little chilli powder to elevate this unloved veggie into dinner-party fare.

Although these dishes are striking they are also simple, and use, for the most part, few ingredients. We know we should eat more fresh vegetables and that prospect is becoming more attractive now that meat has become so very expensive. Vegetables are not as cheap as they once were so we need to present them in a fashion that befits their elevated status. Arto has suggestions for our most common produce, but he also introduces his readers to some of the more exotic veggies that are now available in larger supermarkets as well as in ethnic food shops.

There is plenty here that will help those of us who are strapped for cash. Baked Beans. No, not those tinned teatime treats of childhood memories (or my more recent recollections of dinner when husband is away). These are robust and thoroughly adult, a winter warmer for a crowd served with some crusty bread. This is a simple recipe but the simmering takes an hour or so. This process can be speeded up if one has a pressure cooker.

Plantain Curry is well worth trying. A plantain looks like a large green banana and is a staple of West Indian cooking, and this is indeed a Caribbean recipe. It has few ingredients and the spices are from the Indian palette so you’ll have no trouble finding those. It’s thought that this dish was brought to the West Indies by Indian immigrants.

If you are not a full-time vegetarian then you can peruse some of the versatile sauces included. Harissa is a vibrant North African preparation that enhances lamb and chicken as well as vegetables. Yoghurt and Garlic Sauce might not sound riveting but it’s made in moments and is a delicious garnish to roast chicken.

Classic Vegetarian Cookery is an indispensible addition to the cookbook library of Arto der Haroutunian fans, but it’s a practical and beautifully-written volume that deserves a place on the bookshelf of any lover of good food. Another great-value “classic” from Grub Street.
 
Cookbook review: Classic Vegetarian Cookery
Author: Arto der Haroutunian
Published by: Grub Street
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-908117-01-4

Sandwiches, Panini and Wraps

We all understand the need to eat healthy foods. We tick off our five a day – although we sometimes struggle to reach three. There is fresh seasonal produce and other savoury delights on which to graze, and the constant need to find a fast and delicious meal.

Sandwiches can fit the bill – or they can fall far short. There is surely nothing worse than a meagre, dry and elderly sarnie. Britain was once famed for them but now almost every supermarket and bakery offers marvellous ingredients encased in good-quality bread.

Yes, it’s all about the choices of bread and filling. Texture is a crucial element, as is the combination of salad, meat, fish, cheese and vegetables that create unique flavours. These sandwiches can be hot or cold and take advantage of grainy loaves or light flatbread; they can present a fusion of exotic ingredients or they can showcase more traditional roast beef or cheddar cheese.

Many of us eat sandwiches every day and it can get boring. We invite friends over for a quick lunch but we wouldn’t dream of giving them a sandwich because it can get boring. There are evenings when we only fancy a fast supper but we don’t make sandwiches because they can be boring. There is indeed a theme here.

Stefania Corsi lives and works in Rome; we know that Italians have a well-deserved reputation for good food and that includes sandwiches, mostly panini. These toasted and crunchy savoury delights have become popular in cafés across the globe. They are made with a heated panini press but one can utilise a domestic sandwich maker or even those toaster bags that I personally could not live without.

We will all have our favourite fillings. I go for a mix of ham and cheese with a schmear of English mustard, although that seems banal in comparison to the options illustrated here. How’s about a Fig, Pancetta and Goat Cheese Panini? Pecorino, Pepper and Anchovy sandwiches have all the taste of the Mediterranean. Black Bean Wraps with Guacamole are substantial and full of flavour. There are recipes here for both the guacamole and the salsa (although both are available pre-prepared from your local deli).

There are several sandwiches here that constitute full meals and they are among the most appealing in this book. Consider a moist and spicy Meatball and Baba Ganoush wrap. The recipe makes enough to serve 6 so it’s ideal for a summer lunch, or as part of a light dinner for you and friends whilst watching the big film or an unmissable sporting event. (Is there such a thing?)

Sandwiches, Panini and Wraps offers inspiration for healthy and fast meals as well as a few decadent treats. Many here would be fun for younger members of the family to prepare. Allow them to build the sandwiches themselves – it’s a good introduction to ‘almost‘ cooking. This is great value for money and a practical book to make those lunchtimes a little less soporific.

Cookbook review: Sandwiches, Panini and Wraps
Author: Stefania Corsi
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £10.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-419-9

Mighty Spice

John Gregory-Smith has penned a unique and fascinating volume. It considers the spices themselves rather than focusing on a particular culinary tradition. So many countries have cuisines that showcase spices. Chilli is common across the globe but was unknown outside the Americas before that continent was discovered; these days we could not consider making an Asian curry without a few chillies.

Mighty Spice takes advantage of a selection of 25 or so spices and they will all be available to you in your local supermarket, or online if you live in a lighthouse. No, don’t take fright at the imagined complexity of these dishes. John uses a maximum of five spices for each recipe. Once you have your collection of powders and seeds then you’ll be set to make everything in this book: simple yet vibrant dishes.

There is an element of food-related tour guide here. John has travelled extensively and, naturally, he has been eating along the way. He wasn’t your usual backpacker: he had a successful career in the food industry but this was still a voyage of discovery, just as all good voyages should be. He ate in homes and in favourite cafés, every meal giving inspiration and an overview of that particular country’s culinary heritage.

There are plenty of dishes here that you will recognise from your own travels but many more that will be less familiar. Indonesian Nasi Goreng is a perennial restaurant favourite but it’s quick and simple to prepare at home and this recipe makes good use of leftover cooked rice. Always cook more rice than you need just to have some “fast food” the following day.

Mexican dishes are more popular than ever. Frijoles Negros – Mexican re-fried beans – are ubiquitous in Mexican homes and Mexican restaurants across the globe. This is comfort food at its finest. Creamy and substantial and a side dish for any self-respecting taco or tortilla or Mexican scrambled eggs for a memorable breakfast.

Bangkok Garlic and Black Pepper Chicken is my pick of the book. Yes, just pepper as your main spice and I bet you already have that in your store cupboard. Garlic is in every supermarket and this recipe uses 8 cloves, which is probably a whole head. That sounds like a lot for just 500g of chicken breast meat, but garlic has two faces: it's pungent and spicy in its raw form but it becomes unctuous, sweet and rich when cooked. Chicken is still the most economic of meats and this dish is of dinner-party quality.

Mighty Spice is ideal for lovers of flavourful dishes. John Gregory-Smith’s thoughtfully-selected recipes showcase particular spices but also give an overview of culinary style. These dishes range from the chilli-hot to the mildly-aromatic. There are those that are robust and others, like John's selection of desserts, that are sweet and perfumed. Something for every taste.

Cookbook review: Mighty Spice
Author: John Gregory-Smith
Published by: Duncan Baird
Price: £20.00
ISBN 978-1-84483-991-9

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion

Well the title ‘The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion’ encouraged me to think that this was going to be a rather serious tome, probably penned in the 1930s by the aging bartender in some swep-up hostelry in Venice. The subtitle held out a bit more hope that this was going to be a rollicking good read: ‘151 cocktails that will freshen your breath, impress a hot date, cure a hangover, and more!’ Perhaps this wasn’t a manual on how to pour sherry, after all!

Duane Swierczynski is the author and we must thank him for the dedication and the evident self-sacrifice necessary to undertake this extensive research. There are plenty of classic and celebrated cocktails listed but Duane presents them as garnishes to various occasions, predicaments or rites of passage. Choose your particular social event or dilemma and find the tipple deemed most appropriate.

The chapters start with The Perfect Set-up, end with The Perfect Hangover Cure, and considers the passage from one to the other. ‘The Perfect Place’ chapter offers libations from several American cities (this is a US-biased volume), but also London, whose cocktail is, surprisingly, the Blue Hawaiian. This isn’t a sign of beverage continental drift – this cocktail was created in London’s Zanzibar Club. A further mixology connection to London is ironically the Manhattan, which was first mixed for Winston Churchill’s mum!

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion is a veritable manual of social etiquette. The chapter on Special Situations could help you maintain the last shreds of your dignity. The cocktail for when ‘You’re Having Trouble Pronouncing Words’ suggests a Tom Collins. The logic is that one is still able to say “Tom Collins” long after the ability to articulate any other words has passed.

Under the title of a drink for “The Coldest Day of Winter”, in The Perfect Time and Season chapter, Duane describes a Hot Toddy from Alex Guzman, bartender at the Algonquin Hotel in New York. It’s a simple yet effective warmer with a base of either whiskey or rum; aromatic heat is supplied by cloves and cinnamon. There is additional advice with some of the cocktails, and the Hot Toddy sports this gem for the coldest day of winter: “Avoid a frozen strawberry Daiquiri sipped really fast with a straw.” A pearl of wisdom if ever there was one.

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion is amusing but it’s a genuinely good cocktail handbook. The historic and cultural notes are both informative and hilarious. Choose this as a flat-warming gift for those who want to throw drinks parties that will at least start off chic and sophisticated. That last chapter will come in handy the day after the night before.

The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion
Author: Duane Swierczynski
Published by: Quirk
Price: US $14.95, £8.49
ISBN 978-1-59474-507-2

My Family Feast – A world of family recipes and traditions

Feasts are at the very centre of our best and most dearly-held memories. Christmas or Hanukah or other important festivals with all those traditions: the same dishes on the table, the best foods of the season, Grandmother’s crockery, and tales of past feasts.

My Family Feast – A world of family recipes and traditions invites us into the homes of folks who hail from across the globe. They are now building new lives in another land and perhaps that’s the reason they cling to those memorable meals cooked in their respective countries of origin. Those homes are filled with the delicious scents of cooking, from Afghanistan to Vietnam. Recipes from India to Italy are replicated and shared.

For many of us, food is not just about nourishment but conviviality and this book has heaps of both, garnished with diverse cultural overtones. This is family cooking, and simple and hearty fare. Each chapter has its focus on an individual family; we hear their stories of fortitude and flight, and then it’s on to the food.

The recipes here are simple. They have been handed down through generations of home cooks. Nothing too cheffy: hardworking families don’t hire a chap in a toque and white jacket when they want to lay on a spread for their loved ones. It’s a solid international cookbook with something for every taste. Snacks, main courses and sweet treats are all listed.

Ljevaca is a baked dish of courgettes, cottage cheese and polenta. Perfect for a lunch or a snack. An economic recipe that will serve a family of six for very little money. This is a Serbian speciality that needs hardly any preparation. It takes 40 minutes or so to bake but you don’t have to hold its hand while it cooks.

There is always room for dessert, and Greece has Loukoumades. These are the famous honey-drenched delights much beloved by all those with a sweet tooth. An ideal end to a meal of 12kg of lamb. Yes, I did say that the recipes are simple, but there are one or two that are designed to feed a dozen or so guests.

An Iraqi feast might present diners with Chicken Biryani. This is another dish that stretches the pennies. 2kg of chicken can feed 10 people. Rice and pasta are used as the filler along with vegetables and dried fruit. This could be a regular big-family favourite, and a huge bowl is a spectacular dinner party centre-piece. Entertaining on a budget.

I am always tempted by Indian sweetshops. Those pastel-coloured pyramids of burfi are almost impossible to pass by. Naru are caramel and coconut balls and making them at home will save a trip to your nearest Asian neighbourhood. They can be made in your very own kitchen, with just desiccated coconut, brown sugar and ghee to be added to your usual shopping list. The recipe makes 30 – 40 balls and that’s easily enough for 2 people chez nous.

My Family Feast – A world of family recipes and traditions is a charming book. The dishes are not extravagant but they are important to each of these families who have shared their food memories. You will have your own special recipes and your own traditions but these new ones will at least add to your culinary repertoire in the most delicious fashion.

Cookbook review: My Family Feast – A world of family recipes and traditions
Published by: Hardie Grant Books
Price: £20.00
ISBN-13: 978-1740668965

New Vegetarian Kitchen

No, don’t just skip by this review. New Vegetarian Kitchen should not encourage shudders from meat-eaters. This book is a striking and mouth-watering showcase for dishes that just don’t happen to contain bits of fish or animals. Everyday meat-eating is a rare occupation in the 21st century, even for those who would not consider themselves in any way vegetarian.

Times and tastes change. These days we choose to eat vegetables because we want a healthy diet and it makes economic sense. One can still buy a shopping bag full of fresh fruit and veg for the price of a couple of steaks. Not many of us still hold to the principle that a meatless meal is no meal at all, but we still need some inspiration.

Nicola Graimes has penned a truly practical book that will be welcomed by committed vegetarians, but equally by those who just enjoy good food. One needs to remind oneself that the meat is missing; it’s not a diet plan; it’s not a volume of recipes containing unappetising but worthy ingredients; not a lot of beige and fibery dishes here. Flesh isn’t included but flavour is.

Pan-Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Dolcelatte is indulgence at speed. This recipe contains no live yeast and relies on self-raising flour to give the dough a lift. It’s the quickest pizza you will ever make. One can obviously use any toppings but the sweet onion and tangy cheese Nicola suggests is a winner. It’s bound to be a family favourite as the kids can make the base from scratch and it will be cooked before they have time to become fidgety.

Sweet Vanilla Risotto Cakes with Caramel Drizzle would be a star in any genre of cookbook. If you can make a regular savoury risotto then you can make these cakes. There is no mystery or artful knack involved here. Just follow this simple recipe and success is assured. Economic ingredients provide a moreish pud for either a family dinner or after a convivial Italian meal. A comforting change from the ubiquitous tiramisu.

My pick of the book is Cauliflower and Cheese Custards with Roasted Tomatoes. This is a great way to tempt picky kids into eating a vegetable which is almost as unpopular as broccoli. Cauliflower, in my opinion, always needs good PR. Yes, it has a certain architectural charm but, let’s be honest, it’s no stunner alone. These custards would make a light lunch or a vibrant starter with the tomatoes dressed with both balsamic vinegar and North African harissa paste.

New Vegetarian Kitchen offers new recipes that reflect the way we want to eat today. It’s a good balance of sweet and savoury, exotic and familiar. Attractive to both the novice and the practised home cook. This book, a bag of fruit and veg and a passion for delightful food is all you need to eat well this summer. Perhaps a knife and fork would come in handy.

Cookbook review: New Vegetarian Kitchen
Author: Nicola Graimes
Published by: Duncan Baird Publishers
Price: £20.00
ISBN 978-1-84483-936-0

The Free Range Cook

Annabel Langbein is a name new to many of us in the UK but that will likely change with the publication of this her latest book and the airing of a TV series. Annabel is a celebrity cook from New Zealand and she founded the International Culinary Institute of New Zealand. She has presented many television and radio shows and written a shelf of cookbooks.

Annabel and her family have a home beside Lake Wanaka in New Zealand's Southern Alps. She has studied horticulture in New Zealand and attended the Culinary Institute of America, so she is well placed to present a book that revels in food that’s fresh and seasonal. OK, so the seasons might fall at a different time of year in New Zealand, but we all know when spring starts wherever we are, and in the UK that often seems like June.

The Free Range Cook is an apt title. The food might not all be free-range but the cook is. Perhaps Annabel could be described a giving free range to her talents. A free-style cook she definitely is. Nothing fussy or over-fingered amongst these dishes. She has a real sense of how we want to cook and eat – not just those food lovers on the other side of the globe but we in the northern climes as well.

There are some classic recipes in The Free Range Cook as well as contemporary and unique dishes that combine to make this a well-rounded and practical volume. No complicated cooking methods, no exotic cooking gadgets, and the ingredient lists are pleasingly short in most cases. Lots of pages with two recipes: that always makes my heart skip a beat of lazy culinary joy. A few ingredients well-chosen, with the prospect of a meal in a timely fashion, has got to be good news for all but a fanatic.

Cheese-making can be quick. Admittedly you won’t get strikingly tangy year-old Cheddar... unless you want to wait a year, but Annabel talks us through the easy steps of making delicious soft cheese while you sleep. The creamy preparation can be flavoured with fresh herbs or sweetened with honey and cinnamon for a light taste of the Med.

Lemon Curd is a traditional favourite and this book offers the recipe for the curd as well as for mini Lemon Curd Tarts, which are ideal to present as part of a dessert platter. Another item on that grand plate would possibly be a slice of Strawberry Cloud Cake. An ideal dessert for making ahead of time, a frozen airy mousse that will add a dash of Barbie pink to your sweet selection. This would be a stunning summer celebration cake.

Cypriot Shepherd’s Pie is my pick of the book. Twenty minutes of preparation then an hour in the oven will result in a very stylish yet comforting mid-week dinner. Do the prep the night before to save time. Garlic, cumin and cinnamon are the spices which elevate this pie to something far above the remembered school-dinner boring norm. Economic and delicious.

The Free Range Cook is a sensible and attractive book to cook from. I couldn’t find a single recipe that I would discard. It has a noble natural feel to it but it’s not a preachy over-worthy tome. Annabel Langbein has a passion for good food and she is trying to start an epidemic. It’s a joy of culinary enthusiasm and a whole heap of mouthwatering and moreish food.

Cookbook review: The Free Range Cook
Author: Annabel Langbein
Published by: Mitchell Beazley
Price: £20.00
ISBN 798-1-84533-645-5

Sanjeev Kapoor - Master of the Art of Indian Cooking

Japanese Bible

There is no denying the popularity of Japanese food in the UK these days. There has been a proliferation of new restaurants showcasing that cuisine. All of our cities will have some and many have a slew of sushi-peddling establishments, but few offer extensive menus of cooked Japanese food. Even the Japanese do not live by sushi alone. Nice from time to time but boring for both lunch and dinner seven days a week.

We can easily cook real Japanese food ourselves. The Japanese have cold snowy winters just as we do in Northern Europe and they need hearty and hot fare just like us. This volume offers a good over-view of authentic Japanese cuisine, and the ingredients will mostly be on-hand in your local chain supermarket.

If one still craves cool rice then try Onigiri. These are stuffed rice balls and the equivalent of a sandwich. They are a staple of bento boxes which are sold at every Japanese railway station. They are simple to make and can be filled either with some well-flavoured left-overs or the suggested stuffing of tuna and Japanese mayo. These would be a great addition to an Asian buffet.

Donburi are those bowls of hot rice with various toppings. Prawn Sukiyaki on rice has a mound of garnishes that are light yet flavourful. It’s a complete meal and very attractive. Use the basic recipe but substitute the seafood with thin slices of cooked beef or a selection of vegetables. Fried Pork Cutlet might not sound very Japanese but in fact it’s very popular and it makes a good topping. Donburi is traditional and versatile.

Green Tea Ice-cream is my pick of the book. Tea in all its guises is more popular than ever these days. We have enjoyed a revival in the classic English afternoon tea, but it’s the health properties that have given these leaves a boost. Japanese green tea has a distinctive agreeable taste and imparts a beautiful pistachio-green colour when used to infuse milk-based dishes. Green Tea Ice Cream makes a fitting end to a Japanese meal, where presentation is key to success. Its delicate flavour calms the palate, and a simple mound of this could persuade many of us down the Zen path. Nothing fussy here: few ingredients providing a confection that is as correct as an understated but well-crafted Ikebana – flower arrangement...and made in your very own understated IKEA-inspired kitchen.

Japanese food might have been hi-jacked by fast conveyor-belt sushi shops, and they do have their place in the food chain, but we can prepare authentic Japanese food at home. No need for special knives or crockery, and the Japanese Bible introduces the reader to the dishes that the Japanese would cook for themselves.

Asian cookbook review: Japanese Bible
Published by: Dorling Kindersley
Price: £5.99
ISBN: 978-1-4053-6326-6

Thai Bible

A few years ago Thai restaurants were rare but that’s changed, and some lucky folks even get to have holidays in Thailand. They return home and search for those exotic and evocative tastes of Bangkok. Whilst it’s true that one can find some authentic dishes in those aforementioned restaurants, one can’t eat out very often ...unless one is also a restaurant reviewer.

Thai Bible is part of a series from Dorling Kindersley, little books that seem to weigh a lot for their size. 150 or so recipes in this particular volume and a raft of colour photographs to tempt one into the kitchen. The cooking techniques are simple and most dishes are fast to prepare. You’ll find the majority of the ingredients at your local supermarket, although a trip to an Asian store might be necessary if you live in anything other than a cosmopolitan neighbourhood.

Looks like summer has arrived. It stayed dry in London for the Royal Wedding and many of us have got the barbecue dusted off in readiness for some scorching days. Well, OK, that might be a bit optimistic but we can indeed expect some al fresco dining opportunities, and there are many dishes in this volume that would lend themselves to such occasions. Barbecued Pork Ribs are simple to prepare and the essential marinade has few ingredients, all of which can be found in your regular supermarket. I am sure the recipe would work equally well if one used pork chops or even pork loin. Black pepper is the predominant spice here.

Asian desserts are few and far between, so it was a surprise to find almost a dozen here. Yes, they are Thai but they would be an apt finale to any Asian meal. Coconut Custard has only four ingredients and makes a stunning dinner party dessert with very little effort. Perhaps Mango Sorbet would be my star choice from the Sweets chapter, though. This recipe needs an ice-cream maker but you will be delighted by the end results of your very slight labours. Mango has a distinct flavour that loses nothing of its intensity in the freezing process.

I have several favourite recipes from Thai Bible. Mushrooms and Chinese Cabbage in Oyster Sauce is savoury and moreish. The oyster sauce is not at all fishy. It has in fact an almost meaty flavour which adds richness to simple vegetarian dishes.

Grilled Mackerel with Chilli and Tamarind Sauce is the must-try recommendation. Another one for the barbecue. This is an oily fish and we should eat more of it. It has a marked flavour that I find agreeable but this recipe offers a marinade of spicy character which might persuade guests who don’t like fishy fish to try a corner. The fish will cook in just 6 minutes so still time to slap on some burgers if those friends are still unconvinced.

Thai Bible is amazing value for money. A chunky book filled with practical recipes to remind you of long-haul vacations. Avoid the airport misery and enjoy those tantalising aromas and delicious meals emanating from your own kitchen.

Asian cookbook review: Thai Bible
Author: Jackie Passmore
Published by: Dorling Kindersley
Price: £5.99
ISBN 978-1-4053-6323-5

Quinoa – The everyday superfood

Pronounced 'keen-wah', quinoa is a frequently overlooked and relatively unknown superfood, containing a perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids. It is gluten-free and a great source of protein.

Derived from the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name ‘kinwa’, this ancient grain originated in the Andes. It was successfully cultivated for human consumption 3000 years ago. The Incas called the crop ‘chisaya mama’ or mother of all grains. It’s said that the emperor would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using golden tools. After the conquest of South America the Spanish conquistadors forbade quinoa cultivation because of its religious and cultural significance.

The grain has enjoyed a revival in Peru over the past decades and is now finding a new and appreciative audience worldwide. Its healthful qualities are prized but quinoa isn’t a medicine. Consider it as a delicious addition to your larder or take advantage of its lack of gluten if you are intolerant. It’s versatile and can be used as flour in baking or presented as a grain, whole or sprouted, in cooked dishes and salads.

Red quinoa is showcased in the recipe for Salmon and Red Quinoa on Asparagus with Lime Cilantro (coriander) Sauce. The delicate pink of the fish is framed by the earth-red of the grain. A visually appealing dish and a stylish introduction to what, for many, is a new foodstuff. Yes, it looks good but it’s the taste and texture that will encourage you to make this often.

It’s easy to sprout quinoa, and kids will love to take part in the process. They will be sure to eat salads garnished with their handiwork as long as you don’t tell them it’s doing them good. There are some tempting and fresh ideas for light salads, as well as others with robust flavour from chilli. This is not the beige and bland health food fare we endured in the 80s.

Quinoa isn’t only used for savoury recipes – quinoa flour is used here in several sweet treats. Raspberry Coconut Bars are simple to make and will be appreciated by those who have to avoid regular white flour. It’s Peanut Butter Cookies, though, that have my vote for the sweet chapter.

Authors Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming have penned a manual of more than 170 recipes for this still unfamiliar grain. We are more conscious than ever before of the need to eat well, and this is a book for those with specific dietary issues, as well as those who just enjoy good food. A unique volume.

Cookbook review: Quinoa – The everyday superfood
Authors: Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-417-5

200 Mini Cakes and Bakes

There cannot be many who would not enjoy a luscious slice of cake. Cupcakes are popular even as replacements for wedding cakes, and macaroons seem to have taken the world by storm. We all love something sweet to help down a cup of tea or coffee, or to finish a meal.

Baking is enjoying something of a revival. It’s due in part to our longing for a return to a simpler life and traditional values, and there is a renewed interest in afternoon tea. Individual cakes or biscuits (cookies) perhaps remind us of childhood but now we sit down to an elegantly-laden three-tier stand rather than those paper plates at well-remembered kids parties.

200 Mini Cakes and Bakes offers recipes for sophisticated treats as well as family favourites. Lots of traditional cakes but some rather exotic temptations as well. There are child-friendly iced biscuits and some small sweet bites that need no cooking at all. Ideal recipes for rainy day projects – lots of sticky fingers and buckets of icing. Yes, I can hear parents squealing with delight at the very prospect.

Baking is fun but one does need reliable recipes. Careful measuring of ingredients is the key to success but the actual method of preparation for cakes is simple. The recipes here are well written and clear, and each recipe has a photograph to give confidence. There’s plenty of inspiration for the use of the aforementioned bucket of icing as well as some other very classy decorations. One could use a basic recipe for a cupcake, for instance, and garnish with icing and jelly beans for a 5th birthday party; and use the same recipe decorated with gold glitter for a 50th wedding anniversary.

Lamingtons are small cubes of cake decorated with chocolate and coconut. They are said to be named after Lord Lamington who was Governor of Queensland from 1895 to 1901, and are supposed to replicate his favourite hat. For many years Lamingtons were served on state ceremonial occasions in Queensland, although Lord Lamington wasn’t a lover of these eponymous cakes. He referred to them as “those bloody poofy woolly biscuits.” They are, in truth, light and delicious.

Desserts in Asia are not as common as in the West, so I am always pleased to find recipes that would work well at the end of an Eastern meal. Coconut and Rosewater Slice boasts elements that give a nod to both the Subcontinent, with coconut, and Turkey, with rosewater and melted Turkish Delight drizzle.

My recommendation from 200 Mini Cakes and Bakes is Tangy Lemon Squares. I never tire of this balance of sweet and sharp. An easy bake to execute and it’s a delight to nibble sitting in the garden on hot summer afternoons.

200 Mini Cakes and Bakes is a book to cook from. The recipes are practical and appropriate for youngsters who will enjoy the no-bake sweets, as well as for the more confident who will find lots of contemporary twists on the classics. Great value for money.

Cookbook review: 200 Mini Cakes and Bakes
Published by: Hamlyn
Price: £4.99
ISBN 978-0-600-62269-7

French Lessons – Recipes and techniques for a new generation of cooks

I have often said, and indeed at length, that I do not subscribe to the philosophy that French food is best. In my humble opinion it stands shoulder to shoulder with the other classic cuisines of China and India. Each one offers something unique and distinct.

There is much to recommend French food, however. If one can master some typical French cooking techniques then one is able to replicate not only traditional French food but most dishes from the Western battery.

Justin North is a New Zealander who has cooked in various parts of the world. He is evidently charmed by French food and his skills have served him well. He has selected recipes on which to practise, and with which to perfect your own abilities. All the recipes are surprisingly simple but they will each introduce you to a particular cooking method or mode of preparation. Just because it’s French does not mean that one has to be born within the shadow of La Tour Eiffel to execute it well.

It’s difficult to choose just a couple of recipes to illustrate the style of book. It’s all French but Justin scans the whole spectrum of food groups – from simple salads to the more angst-inducing soufflés. Not too many lengthy lists of ingredients, either.

Pissaladier is a Southern delight. It’s reminiscent of a pizza but topped with caramelised onions, melting anchovies and black olives. It’s a dish that can make a complete meal with just a green salad. I often serve this as a starter on those days when we dust off the barbecue. It takes the pressure off the garden chef if he knows that the guests have something to stave off the hunger pangs while he tries for the third time to light the coals. It’s a must-try recipe – sweetness from the onions and an agreeable saltiness from the fish.

The aforementioned soufflés are demystified here. There is a recipe for Prune and Armagnac Soufflé that really does give a taste of France, and offers an explanation of why French food is so highly regarded. It’s a dessert found on the menus of some of the finest restaurants. It’s light and fluffy and those plums give a very adult taste. It’s dinner party fare without a doubt, but Justin gives us a method which allows much of the preparation to be done beforehand ...4 days beforehand.

French Lessons – Recipes and techniques for a new generation of cooks is a manual that cuts through the hype of French cooking. It’s much easier to present a French meal than many would suppose. It’s a myth to suggest that the French housewife is some kind of virtuous kitchen slave. She has a full-time job just like you, and therefore uses recipes that reflect the best of French cooking but without tears.

This is an attractive volume of over 300 recipes, with menu-planning sections so you can entertain in true Gallic style. A real snip at only £16.99. A gentle introduction to French cuisine.

Cookbook review: French Lessons – Recipes and techniques for a new generation of cooks
Author: Justin North
Published by Hardie Grant
Price: £16.99
ISBN 978-1-74066-885-9

200 Risottos and Rice Dishes

There are two things that are important in our modern hectic lives: speed and economy. It’s the same with regard to food. We might not want to spend time slaving for hours in the kitchen, and perhaps we have more financial anxiety than ever before. Yes, we could go out for cheap (and often nasty) “fast” food, but how’s about cooking at home ...and, no, you won’t have to spend hours chained to the stove.

You could jump in the car and head for a dubious burger or a hutful of pizza. You could pick up the phone and order a meal that will arrive shaken and late. Both options are fine periodically; let us not pretend that we have never passed under the shadow of a golden arch nor reached for that well-thumbed restaurant menu pinned to the kitchen wall. But there is an alternative. Rice.

200 Risottos and Rice Dishes offers the reader, well, 200 risottos and rice dishes! The majority of these recipes take only 20 minutes to prepare. They are by nature economic as they have rice in various guises as the main ingredient. We all have it in our store cupboard and it’s in every supermarket. Yes, there are a couple of recipes that demand exotic rice, but mostly they take advantage of the common sorts with which you will already be familiar.

Rice, like pasta, is a universally loved food. Much of the world has rice as a staple. Kids enjoy eating it. Some of our favourite dinner party dishes showcase these humble grains. There are spicy dishes, herby dishes, vegetarian dishes and sweet dishes.

The recipes here are mostly for complete meals, although there are step-by-step instructions on cooking just plain rice. If you cook more than is needed for your side dish then you’ll have plenty left for the next day. You could use that rice for Rice with Leeks, Ginger and Cumin, and you could be eating it in just 15 minutes. There is a good selection of dishes here that use cooked rice, but be sure to keep that pre-prepared rice in the fridge and use those left-overs within 24 hours.

200 Risottos and Rice Dishes has something for every taste. Biryani, Paella, classic Risotto, Nasi Goreng, Chinese Fried Rice and more are listed. Perhaps my savoury pick of the book is Pilaf with Saffron and Chicken. This only takes 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook. Just time enough to load the dishwasher, lay the table and open a bottle of light red. This book suggests a vegetarian alternative of Tofu and Mushroom Pilaf Rice, which sounds delightful.

I am a lover of old-fashioned rice pudding. A nice dusting of nutmeg on the top and some sticky burnt bits around the Pyrex casserole always gave me great joy. These days I am more often tempted by coconut rice, either as part of a main course or as a dessert. 200 Risottos and Rice Dishes has Coconut Rice with Cardamom. I am addicted to that aromatic spice and I therefore assume it will shortly be banned by the powers-that-be in Brussels! This is a simple yet classy dessert that works very well at the end of an Indian meal, a Western meal, after lunch of any description, as a snack, and probably for breakfast.

200 Risottos and Rice Dishes costs less than a fiver. It’s a practical little book with a picture for every recipe, which is always reassuring for a novice. There are no taxing cooking methods to master and no especially imported equipment to buy. These are sensible recipes for delicious dishes that won’t break the bank.

Cookbook review: 200 Risottos and Rice Dishes
Authors: Laurence and Gilles Laurendon
Published by: Hamlyn
Price: £4.99
ISBN 978-0-600-62267

Gran’s Kitchen –
Recipes from the notebooks of Dulcie May Booker

Some of us are lucky enough to have or at least remember our own grans, grannies, nanas, nans or nannies. I am sure every nationality will have its own collection of fond names for those ladies. I have been interviewing chefs for my forthcoming book, and a good number of them mention the influence their grandmother’s cooking had upon them; some even suggested that they were persuaded to take the path to culinary stardom by the prospect of replicating some of their grandmother’s memorable dishes.

OK, so perhaps that has not been a universal experience. Grans are almost always lovable but some have had only dubious cooking skills. Mine was a substantial and cuddly lady who loved to watch wrestling on the TV, but her bread pudding was legendary. Not a light and airy bread-and-butter pudding – we are talking bread pudding with which one could patch the corner of a tenement block. When you were full of Nan’s bread pudding you stayed full.

Natalie Oldfield has a gran with impeccable gastronomic credentials. She makes that proper food that many of us are lucky enough to remember from childhood. Pies and cakes and biscuits from scratch, as well as a collection of bottled goods. No costly ingredients but good honest wholesome fare, the sort that is enjoying something of a revival.

Any British lover of traditional cooking will recognise so much here. But leafing through this book for the first time I noticed that Dulcie May Booker used lemons from her own tree by the back door. That was my first clue that this lady didn’t live in Ealing. She is a New Zealand gran and brings a little exotica to those otherwise traditional recipes. My grandmother would have been a stranger to a passion fruit but we now have them in every supermarket, making all of these recipes accessible to the British cook.

There are lots of delicious baked goods here including Anzac Biscuits. The word ANZAC was given to Australian and New Zealand soldiers in World War 1. The term is particularly associated with the landing at Gallipoli in 1915. They are a traditional and prized Antipodean cookie.

I have several favourites from this book. Luscious Lemon Slice reflects the style of the whole volume: a simple recipe with few ingredients. Fish Pie has always been one of my ultimate comfort foods and there is a classic example here – a good recipe to stretch the fish. Kids will love the creamy texture, and fish is good for all of us.

My pick of the book is the recipe for Cottage Pie. This is rather different from the one I make, in that it is constructed in a pastry case, it has cheese in both the pastry and potato topping, and the beef is flavoured with curry powder. The pastry case allows for much neater presentation, and the curry elevates the dish from the often rather bland concoction. A substantial winner.

Gran’s Kitchen – Recipes from the notebooks of Dulcie May Booker is heart-warming and charming but it is a cookbook to be used. Nothing too taxing for the novice and no expensive ingredients. It’s an attractive volume, clearly written and with marvellous photography. Great value for money as well.

Cookbook review: Gran’s Kitchen – Recipes from the notebooks of Dulcie May Booker
Author: Natalie Oldfield
Published by: Hardie Grant
Price: £16.99
ISBN 978-1-74066-930-6

Rose Petal Jam – Recipes and Stories from a Summer in Poland

The very title ‘Rose Petal Jam’ evokes shimmering heat-hazed visions of meadows, trees, clear sky, and perfume wafting on a warm breeze. One could be anywhere: England on an August afternoon, perhaps Italy when the world is quiet after lunch. But this book concerns itself with Poland, and it is enticing.

Rose Petal Jam – Recipes and Stories from a Summer in Poland allows me to indulge my twin passions of food and travel. It masterfully charts a path between cookbook and travelogue, and is an illustration of how something can grow to be more than the sum of its parts.

Beata Zatorska had penned a cookbook, but wouldn’t it have been lacking something without those touching family stories? She has written a charming travel book about her beloved Poland, and food has always been central to the country, its culture and its heritage. Who could describe Poland and not mention a few of its celebrated dishes? Beata has achieved a balance that will enthral the home cook and have those with itchy feet reaching for the AA Big Road Atlas (now extended eastwards).

These are not just random Polish recipes. This book is an archive of Beata’s grandmother’s dishes. She was herself a chef and passed on her passion for food to her granddaughter. So many of the dishes included have a story – like the stuffed eggs that Beata’s grandmother served the anxious youngster on the day of her exams. Those exams allowed Beata eventually to become a doctor.

The Polish kitchen makes the very best of seasonal produce. There is nothing exotic here, but this book does present a raft of unique (to us in the UK, at least) ideas for using fruit, vegetables and meat. There are no extravagant ingredients. You will likely have everything you need already in your larder or at your local grocers. It won’t be necessary to buy ethnic kitchen gadgets imported from Warszawa.

Kisiel – Strawberry Fruit Pudding – is a good example of the style of practical, simple and economic recipes here. Few ingredients, and not a costly dish if one uses fruit at its summery best rather than making this for Boxing Day with southern-hemisphere strawberries.

The British climate allows us to take full advantage of wintery dishes for a full nine months of the year, so I have already pencilled in Potato Dumplings to garnish a rich and flavourful Polish Beef Goulash. This is a little different from the Hungarian version, which is traditionally more of a soup than a stew. A tablespoon of dill is the surprise ingredient here.

Pierogi are the Polish equivalent of ravioli and my favourites are those filled with potatoes and cheese. They are described as Russian Pierogi but they are ubiquitous at the Polish dinner table ...unless my Polish friends are really Russians. Serve with melted butter and a garnish of tangy sour cream or even crème fraîche.

We are becoming more familiar with Polish food in the UK. There are numerous supermarkets offering Polish delicacies in jar and tin, but we are finding more cafés and delis with shelves and counters laden with cakes and pastries and ready-made meals. I have not yet come across Rose Petal Jam but now I can make my own ...along with a few bottles of pepper vodka ...and perhaps a dish of sweet Angel Wings alongside. Buy two copies of this book: keep one on the book shelves as a travel guide for the food lover, and leave the other, soon to be butter-smeared, in the kitchen as a well-used cookbook and a reminder of the reasons you will want to visit Poland.

This is a sumptuous and heart-warming book with stunning photography by Beata’s husband, Simon Target. So this is a family food memoir that we are invited to borrow. The memories might not be ours but a trip to Poland will rectify that.

Cookbook review: Rose Petal Jam – Recipes and Stories from a Summer in Poland
Author: Beata Zatorska, Photography by Simon Target
Published by: Tabula Books
Price: £25.00
ISBN: 978-0-9566992-0-6

A Month in Marrakesh – A food journey to the heart of Morocco

It’s obvious that those visiting my site love food. Mostly Food Journal gives a clue with its name that the bias will be in the direction of meals, recipes and ingredients; but the ‘Mostly’ opens the door to other possibilities, and it’s travel that is standing on that literary threshold.

People who love to travel also tend to enjoy food. Folks who have a passion for food will want to see exotic dishes made in situ, and will seek out spice markets just to drink in the perfume and vibrancy. A Month in Marrakesh – A food journey to the heart of Morocco offers everything visitors to my site would crave – recipes and roaming.

I knew I would be impressed by this volume before I even opened the cover: terracotta and earthy colours and subtle design. Some tempting shots of food and a very ethnic water-seller decorated the back, and the inside pages offered me hours of enthralling page-turning.

It’s a dreamy book. That is to say that it leads one to dream of a trip to Marrakesh but also to dream of making those recipes. OK, so that’s not quite so much a dream as an exercise in meal planning and grocery-list penning. But you get the picture.

I am a lover of the traditional British fried breakfast. I enjoy it for the very fact that it’s traditional, but when I travel I want to indulge in a breakfast that is truly of that region. It’s my favourite meal of the day. It sets me off on the right gastronomic foot when I am away from home. Food is mostly the reason I am visiting any particular country, and there is nothing more disappointing than being presented with the “continental buffet” when one just wants a spread of something indigenous. I am so pleased that the author Andy Harris has a chapter on breakfast.

Beghrir with Honey is the perfect light summer breakfast – nothing spicy to offend the timid early-morning palate. Pancakes with the distinctive holes are a popular start to the day. Those delicate craters are just waiting to be drizzled with honey and melted butter. Very sweet and a perfect foil for some fresh seasonal fruit and some hot tea.

Briks are the North African equivalent of Indian samosas or a Cornish Cornish Pasty. They are made with strikingly thin Warkha pastry that is ubiquitous in French supermarkets. Seek out your nearest Middle Eastern deli for a packet, or use filo pastry.

These savouries can have almost anything as a filling. Andy offers recipes for a selection of the more common flavours including the celebrated Tuna and Egg Brik which is also a staple in Tunisia. A more substantial alternative is Chicken and Tomato Brik with the typical Moroccan spices – cumin, ginger and cinnamon. These pastries are what you will likely seek out for a light lunch after haunting the food markets all morning.

A traveller cannot live by briks alone and neither can the home chef. You’ll want to cook the more substantial dishes here and equally important, you will want to share the fruits of your labours with friends and family. Dinner in Morocco is a convivial affair and Chicken Mefenned with Parsley Omelettes will turn any gathering into a gastronomic event. The chicken is cooked with some of the aforementioned spices and then served with a pile of omelettes on top, like a droopy bonnet. Diners tear off pieces of meat and wrap them in a little omelette and then dip the bundle into the reduced sauce in which the chicken was originally cooked. A dish ideal for those who want a taste of exotica but are fearful of heating spices. Moroccan food is aromatic for the most part rather than fiery.

A Month in Marrakesh – A food journey to the heart of Morocco is a must-have for any food traveller or even the armchair fantasist. The photography by the great David Loftus never disappoints, and he has worked his magic again here. I congratulate Andy Harris for presenting a delectable cookbook and guide to the food capital of Morocco.

Cookbook review: A Month in Marrakesh – A food journey to the heart of Morocco
Author: Andy Harris
Published by: Hardie Grant
Price: £20.00
ISBN: 978-1-74066-961-0

Fish Cookbook

Fish. It’s topical. There has been a raft of TV programmes highlighting the horrific waste of fish as it’s thrown back dead into the sea – wrong kind of fish or too much for that crew’s quota. So it’s been brought to our attention that fish is a precious resource, but one which we are told we should eat more of. If we are going to do that we need to make informed choices and then we need to make the best of what we buy.

Dorling Kindersley presents us with a one-stop Fish cookbook. It’s a proper cookbook that doesn’t assume the reader knows anything about the subject. Lots of step-by-step pictures to guide the novice through filleting fish, cutting sushi, preparing lobsters and crabs, cleaning and dismembering (I am sure there is a more appropriate fishmongery word than that) octopus, and so on. Every kind of cooking technique is illustrated, and then there are 300 recipes on which to practise.

Fish Cookbook is practical but it’s also attractive. One can leaf through those large pages and be wooed by the pictures of Battered and Fried Prawns; we are tempted by Butterflied Sardines with Tomatoes and Capers; and I can categorically state that Grilled Herring with Mustard Butter will be on the menu chez nous next week.

Yes, marvellous photography and accurate recipes as well. Cookbooks should be used: we have all been enticed by coffee table cookbooks that waft us to distant and sunnier isles; we are intrigued by exotic spices ...but the reality is that it’s a Wednesday night, you bought a nice bit of haddock and need a simple and fast recipe. Fish Cookbook will provide that recipe, as well as other posher recipes that will be appropriate for a Saturday night entertaining friends.

Laksa Lemak is a Malaysian dish that is indeed smart enough to serve to those weekend visitors. OK, so the fish and shellfish used here isn’t the cheapest on the fishmonger’s slab, but what a striking dish when one wants to impress.

A classic recipe for that aforementioned haddock is for Omelette Arnold Bennett. This is named after the Victorian novelist who is probably better remembered for this dish than for his literary works. It was first made for him at the Savoy Grill in London. A simple preparation with few ingredients, and the end result is economic but rich and decadent for that Wednesday supper.

My pick of the book is Prawn Gumbo. The recipe uses tiger prawns and indeed a whole kilo of them. That might cause a sharp intake of breath, but this dish will feed up to eight people with the addition of just some rice and perhaps some rustic bread. It’s a good recipe for a party as it can be made one day ahead. I personally think it’s better made in advance as that allows the flavours to develop. This isn’t an overly spicy dish, but one could have a bottle of Tabasco in the condiment rack for those who want a bit more heat.

Fish Cookbook is great value for money. It would make an ideal gift for any fish lover ...although I would be reluctant to give away my only copy. Buy two.

Cookbook review: Fish Cookbook
Author: CJ Jackson
Published by: Dorling Kindersley
Price: £20.00
ISBN: 978-1-4053-5912-2

The Good Produce Guide 2011

Celebrated food journalist and author Rose Prince has penned this second edition of her Good Produce Guide. It isn’t a literary extravagance to have this as an annual affair: the quality food world in the UK is constantly changing – not always for the better as these days of financial nervousness continue. Some companies have gone to the garden wall but others emerge to take their place. Or at least we hope they do.

Yes, money is tight, so we want to consider where those pounds go. We might not change the car this year, the long-haul holiday might be taken in Southend, and eating out might be more of a rare treat rather than the Friday night norm. But we do want to eat well, so cooking at home is more popular than ever.

OK, so you have made the monumental decision to get back to cooking, but your expectations have changed since your student days. Cold baked beans straight from the tin does not a dinner make. Look for inspiration in The Good Produce Guide. The chapters are arranged by location – you’ll obviously want to find your nearest purveyor of good food. The book has a section for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and then England is divided still further, with a chapter devoted to London as well.

It seems there is more to consider than just miles when searching for your nearest produce. The paragraph on Twickenham Farmers Market gives a golden nugget of advice. It’s said that if you eat honey made in the area where you live you will be less susceptible to allergies and hay fever triggered by local pollen. I am not sure this suggestion has any foundation in science, but it’s a nice notion.

Rose Prince has listed over 1000 places in Britain to buy the best food. Lots of farmers’ markets but plenty of small shops selling artisanal deli products, boutiques stocked with the finest of cheeses, and exotic emporia like the celebrated Persepolis in Peckham, which has become a food-lovers’ destination in its own right.

The Good Produce Guide 2011 is the indispensible handbook for those seeking the best food shopping locations, a book that no serious home cook should be without. You want to make informed choices and The Good Produce Guide will help you do just that. It’s also a guide for those who don’t want to cook but appreciate carefully crafted foods to make up the best-ever picnic hamper. This truly offers Britain on a plate, in a basket or on a blanket. Buy this book and use it.

The Good Produce Guide 2011
Author: Rose Prince
Published by Hardie Grant
Price: £12.99
ISBN: 978-1-74270-046-5

The Barbecue Bible

We don’t have months and months of good weather in Britain so we make the best of it when the sun does shine: DIY centres are targeted by those looking for charcoal, butchers are full of hunters of the great British banger or the ubiquitous burger, and fire stations are on alert. But there must surely be more to a summer barbecue than the usual fare.

Steven Raichlen had penned The Barbecue Bible, which offers over 500 recipes that will elevate your home BBQ efforts into something memorable, more delicious, and probably healthier than your previous efforts. This book gives advice on basic grilling techniques, smoking and even the types of fuel available.

You will likely read those practical paragraphs only one or twice, but the majority of the book concerns itself with the delicious eats. You can pacify the vegetarian members of your family with the news that henceforth they too will enjoy those summer grill parties that have previously been a source of conflict garnished with nothing more for them than a cheese-filled toastie.

There is a good selection of fish and shellfish recipes in this book, as well as chicken, which is so often badly cooked on the barbecue. You’ll need some side dishes and condiments to go with the grilled goods, and they are included, and there are even a few desserts to make use of those still-glowing embers.

The book has a US bias but offers a truly international collection of barbecue recipes and all those other elements that make up a summer al-fresco meal. Meat isn’t cheap so I was particularly looking for recipes that take advantage of ingredients that won’t break the bank. A thoughtful menu could present you with an inexpensive yet impressive entertaining option. You will enjoy this fashion of cooking more often if it’s not a financial burden.

Farmed salmon is still reasonable value and there are some recipes here that hail from both Eastern and Western Europe. Pino’s Grilled Salmon with Basil Cream is an Italian creation taking advantage of that very summery herb. The fish is simply grilled for added flavour and visual impact.

Mackerel is a healthy and economic fish and we should eat more of it. I had considered it to be a quintessentially British fish but there is a Malaysian recipe in this book for grilled mackerel using a spice paste with chilli peppers and lemongrass; ginger adds an unmistakable hint of the exotic East.

Potatoes are cheap and universally popular and there could be nothing easier than cooking them, along with some onions, in the coals. The potatoes could take an hour and the onions a little less time. No need to wrap in foil but remember that the skins will not be edible in that case.

The Barbecue Bible is truly a one-stop grilling manual. Its recipes reflect traditional and simple barbecue fare as well as the more exotic dishes from the Far East, Middle East and Asia – something for every taste and to suit every pocket. A bumper volume.

Cookbook review: The Barbecue Bible
Author: Steven Raichlen
Published by: Workman
Price: US $22.95
ISBN 978-0-7611-4943-9

100 Cakes and Bakes – Mary Berry

This is another in the series from My Kitchen Table, offering good-value volumes of 100 recipes, and in this case those recipes have been penned by none other than the queen of cakes, Mary Berry, who has inspired a generation of would-be home bakers.

We have a royal wedding approaching and it seems the whole country is being tempted back to traditional foods, and afternoon tea is more popular than ever. There can be nothing wrong with several tiers of cupcakes, lemon slices and Madeira cake ...unless it’s being served at a table other than your own. We have perfected afternoon tea, and it is the envy of other nations. Tourists feel that their trip is not complete until they have had several hefty helpings of delicious baked goods and a pot or two of Earl Grey (I would personally choose English Breakfast or another un-perfumed black tea). But we can make those dainties at home and our mothers and grandmothers always did.

Mary presents classic cakes, from the ubiquitous cupcakes (remember when they were called fairy cakes?) to Victorian Christmas Cake, along with some savouries such as Cheese and Olive Scones. Small cakes, tray cakes and cakes to slice are all included and there are many old favourites as well as some trendy treats.

To be a successful baker one must have a good recipe. There is a degree of chemistry involved in baking a well-risen sponge. One needs to weigh the ingredients carefully and follow the instructions, but the results will give you more satisfaction than making a spag bol or a roast chicken. There are a few skills to master but they are simple and will serve you well. Your family and friends will be impressed by the end-results.

I have many ‘pick of the book’ choices from 100 Cakes and Bakes. Seed Cake is traditional and old-fashioned, and was indeed one of my Dad’s favourites. It’s very rare to find this in a cake shop or on a restaurant cake stand. It has a distinct flavour of caraway, and is of the Marmite school of cakes – that is to say, one either loves it or hates it.

It was 1966 when I tried my first slice of cheesecake. I was on holiday in Germany and enjoying all the new foods available. This wasn’t the common American style cheesecake with its biscuit base. This was the traditional version made with ricotta and sultanas, and was tangy with lemon. There is a recipe here for an Austrian Curd Cheesecake that seems a good approximation of the one I remember from all those decades ago. Not a fussy dessert but very smart.

100 Cakes and Bakes will introduce a new audience to some delightful confections. Baking is part of our culinary heritage and Britain is celebrated for it. These cakes are traditional for the most part but they are not over-taxing to make, even for the novice home cook. The recipes are bound to be reliable – they are Mary Berry’s, after all.

Cookbook review: 100 Cakes and Bakes
Author: Mary Berry
Published by: Ebury Publishing
Price: £7.99
ISBN 978-1-84-990149-9

500 Fish and Seafood Dishes

We know we should eat more fish. It’s good for us. On the other hand, perhaps eating fish and chips three times each week might not be a good diet choice. Not many people can afford to eat in fish restaurants so frequently, so that leaves the home-cooked option.

The problem of fish sustainability and waste was shown to us in stark and horrific relief with recent TV coverage by Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall. Whilst we need to eat more fish generally, we need to eat a wider variety of fish to conserve stocks of the old favourites like cod. It’s a nice notion, but what do we actually do with these new fishes, or even the plentiful but less popular ones?

500 Fish and Seafood Dishes is a compact and chunky volume in full colour and awash with oceanic temptations. Some folks say they hate fish as it’s bland. There are recipes here for vibrant and exotic dishes. Those with larger families or smaller budgets will worry that fish is too expensive for them. Lots of ideas here for stretching that fish with rice and pasta. And fish is ideal for those with little time to spare, as it’s quick to cook.

Baked Halibut en Papillote isn’t a non-cooking recipe, but it’s the nearest one will ever come to a hot dish that is no effort to prepare and has zero washing up. That lack of clean-up could entice many a soul with a kitchen phobia to have a go at cooking fish. Just a bit of slicing and the rest is origami. Can be made a day in advance for a quick meal when under pressure. Good for dinner parties if you want to serve elaborate, time-consuming starters or desserts – the main course is already done and just needs to pass through the oven en route to the plate.

A truly luxurious starter or posh lunch is Lobster Quiche. Lobster isn’t cheap but it has that ‘wow’ factor like no other seafood. The pastry and vegetables help to stretch the lobster so that 6oz of seafood can feed 6 to 8 people as a starter, although I would expect this to work for a lunch for just four. A crisp white wine and a green salad would make this a memorable summer meal.

Paella is always a crowd pleaser. The Easy Paella here is very economic although the addition of extra seafood and chicken or spicy sausage would create a very much more appealing dish. It’s worth investing in a good large paella pan if you want to cook this often. Very impressive and one can change the basic ingredients according to the taste of one’s guests.

The 500 series from Apple Press is one of my favourites. This practical book offers something for every fishy preference and budget. The recipes are well chosen to give a balance of simple and slightly less so, and of exotic and traditional European. Great value for money.

Cookbook review:500 Fish and Seafood Dishes
Author: Judith Fertig
Publisher: Apple Press
Price: £9.99
ISBN: 978-1-84543-380-2

Food from Northern Laos – The Boat Landing Cookbook

I am driven to describe some cookbooks as recipes with a bit of travel. Other volumes I have reviewed as travel adventures with some cooking on the side. Food from Northern Laos – The Boat Landing Cookbook is as much a travelogue as an encyclopaedia of every culinary tradition of Northern Laos.

Note that I suggest that there is more than one cuisine in Northern Laos. In fact there are several distinct cultures that call this region home. Some of these groups have lived there for many hundreds of years whilst others have moved in more recently from the neighbouring countries, and naturally they have brought with them their style of cooking and their love of diverse foods.

The Boat Landing in question is a guest house and restaurant which introduces travellers to the food of this corner of Laos. These dishes represent the regular fare of the local population. They have been carefully chosen to appeal to the Western palate but are authentic and un-adapted.

Now, it’s true that there are some recipes here that will be a bit challenging if one does not either live in the tropics or have access to a good Asian supermarket. But there is much here that can be made with the spices that you will likely have lingering at the back of your larder. There are even dishes that are familiar to lovers of south-east Asian food. Pho originated in Vietnam but now this soup has become a Laotian favourite.

The book starts by tempting the reader to visit this charming and culturally rich corner of our shrinking planet. Each of the resident communities is presented in prose and pictures. It’s a small world that’s fast changing – this book is as much about archiving the lives and values of the population of Northern Laos as it is about preserving its culinary heritage. A couple of hours in the company of this book will have even those who are strangers to the inside of a kitchen booking a flight to Laos.

Food from Northern Laos – The Boat Landing Cookbook is a must for any passionate cook who might be considering a trip to south-east Asia. Many of us are enthusiastic home chefs who are comfortable preparing Indian curries, Japanese domburis, Chinese dim sum and Thai soups, but this book introduces so many unfamiliar ingredients and combinations. Yes, it’s true that some dishes have been influenced by other cuisines, but Laos has indeed cultivated its own culinary identity.

Food from Northern Laos – The Boat Landing Cookbook is well written, and illustrated by some of the finest photography of that region that one will ever find. A credit to both the author, Dorothy Culloty, and the photographer, Kees Sprengers.

Asian cookbook review: Food from Northern Laos – The Boat Landing Cookbook
Author: Dorothy Culloty; photographer: Kees Sprengers
Published by: Galangal Press
ISBN 978-0-473-17236-7

100 Essential Curries – Madhur Jaffrey

Whilst it’s some time since the Grande Dame of Indian cooking has graced our screens, it’s true that she remains our classic Indian TV food presenter. She wafted into our homes in a flourish of sari and with a collection of exotic ingredients that many of us had never heard of.

A couple of decades have passed since that first introduction. Now we all know that ginger doesn’t come in a jar with syrup, and it did have another form before it became a powder. We can appreciate that there really is no such thing as curry powder, although that lurid yellow compound from a cardboard tub was our only “Indian” ingredient for a century or so. But Madhur is thankfully still with us to offer us authentic and adapted recipes to inspire us anew.

100 Essential Curries offers, yes, curry but also those dishes that one adds to make a complete meal. One could choose to use plain rice to accompany sauced dishes but Madhur offers some traditional alternatives that are simple to prepare. Rice with Black-eyed Peas is hearty and perfumed with cloves and a hint of garam masala. Lemon rice is subtle and light and I often serve this with fish. It was originally made with lime juice but this recipe has both lemon juice and rind. It’s worth getting curry leaves rather than substituting basil if one is having this with other Indian dishes.

More and more of us are eating less and less meat these days. Some folks want to treat their bodies like temples and prefer to tread the meat-free path. Others have issues revolving around the non-consumption of anything with pretty eyes. Lentils are an ideal meat substitute. Not that I am suggesting that meat is such an invaluable part of the diet of any thinking person that it needs a conscious replacement. India has a wealth of lentil dishes that are economic and nutritious but also delicious and that is, after all, your reason for eating them.

Red Lentils with the celebrated Indian five-spice, panchphoran, has few ingredients and takes only 40 minutes to cook, and even less time than that if one uses a pressure cooker, ubiquitous in Indian kitchens even in the UK. The five spices in question are cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, fenugreek and black onion seeds. It’s sold ready prepared or one could use equal quantities of the above and mix the spices oneself. This is an aromatic dal that can be eaten with just Indian bread or rice, or as a side dish for any Indian meat or fish.

My pick of the book is Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken. All the spices are those you will likely have in your larder and the dish, after marinating, takes about as long as does the rice to cook. This recipe uses black pepper as flavouring rather than as a background seasoning. It gives not only heat but a distinct taste to the dish. A winter warmer.

100 Essential Curries by Madhur Jaffrey has a melange of contemporary and traditional recipes. They have been chosen with the European home cook in mind. There is nothing here that will be over-taxing for the novice, and there is plenty to excite the interest of those who already have a collection of Indian cookbooks. Each recipe has a picture on the opposite page and that always gives a bit of confidence, even to us practised cooks. Here you will find real Indian food from a real Indian. Madhur reminds us of the reasons we took her to our hearts in the first place. She is quite simply a good food writer, and this volume must be just about the best value of all her cookbooks. Buy this and the others will surely follow.

Asian cookbook review: 100 Essential Curries
Author: Madhur Jaffrey
Published by: Random House
Price: £7.99
ISBN: 978-0-09-194052-2

Bryn’s Kitchen – 5 Brilliant Ways to Cook 20 Great Ingredients

It’s only just past the start of the year but I’ll state that this is one of the best cookbooks to pass through my letterbox so far, and I’ll venture to say that it will probably remain the pick of 2011 when the snow returns.

Bryn Williams can cook. There is no denying that. He is the chef/patron of Odette’s in London’s Primrose Hill, but a book is a different platform. Bryn’s Kitchen is a credit to both Bryn and Kay Plunkett-Hogge who together have woven potatoes into prose and melting onions into delicious odes. The concept here is intriguing: twenty ingredients viewed in five different ways. The choice of recipes included is thoughtful, with a rich collection of Bryn’s own Welsh family recipes as well as some cheffy additions. This is a visual stunner with photographs by talented Jonathan Gregson.

Bryn has some tempting crab recipes. Crab on Toast is a very posh snack but simple to prepare. Brown Crab Custard takes just a little more effort but the result is worth it – individual ramekins of creamy and crabby delicate spread. Impressive for a dinner party.

Salt and Vinegar Cured Mackerel is for those who hate cooking. No nasty hob to wrangle with and no wilful oven to negotiate. Just a bit of deft slicing, a drizzle and a slight scatter and the job’s done. A starter for a hot summer evening: OK, so the weather might not oblige but the food at least will be predictably mouth-watering.

The thought of summer leads me to mention my favourite sweet recipe from this book. It’s for Apple Sorbet. Few ingredients for this and it’s easy to make if one has an ice-cream maker. One could make a more crystalline granita if one doesn’t have access to that machine. The flavour will be just as good and the texture will resemble icy snow.

Bryn has a grandma, and she can also cook; her recipe for traditional Welsh Bara Brith can be found in the Bread chapter. It must be a good one as the Williams family have been making this since 1891. Have this just spread with butter while it is still warm from the oven. There is also a Bread and Butter Pudding made from this Bara Brith in the unlikely event that there is any left from afternoon teatime.

I have a couple of “musts” from this volume. The first is a Beetroot Tart Tatin. This is inspired and unique, as far as I know. Bryn lives in the real world so allows one to use ready-made puff pastry, and that’s always a good start for those of us who could lose the will to live after a turn or two of butter-layered dough. The finished result of your non-taxing endeavours will be a gloriously maroon pie which can be served as a light lunch or with goat’s cheese at the end of a meal, the tang of the cheese acting as a marvellous foil for the sweet roast vegetables.

My second mention is for Bryn’s Baked Scallops in the Shell. This is one of those dishes that has that Ooh-Ahh factor. It’s a striking yet simple dish that can be made in advance. You will need whole scallop shells for this recipe but you’ll keep them for future use and they are not expensive. The seafood, on the other hand, isn’t cheap but the addition of julienned vegetables adds colour and substance. The inclusion of stem ginger adds a hint of exotica, making this perfect as part of a European or Asian meal.

I review hundreds of cookbooks each year. Most are good, many are memorable and one or two are outstanding. Bryn’s Kitchen – 5 Brilliant Ways to Cook 20 Great Ingredients swells the ranks of the last category.  It’s a solid masterwork of original and classic recipes laced with a charming personal narrative – a delightful melange of Bryn’s cheffing, Kay’s wordsmithing, and Jonathan’s snapping. This could be a prize-winner.

Cookbook review: Bryn’s Kitchen – 5 Brilliant Ways to Cook 20 Great Ingredients
Authors: Bryn Williams and Kay Plunkett-Hogge
Published by: Kyle-Cathie
Price: £25.00
ISBN: 978-1-85626-980-3

500 Breakfasts and Brunches

It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, that’s probably true with regard to nutrition and a balanced diet but it’s also the most eagerly-awaited meal of the day – at least by me.

Even those who insist they have no interest in that first meal will be coaxed into at least semi-conciousness by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee or toasting toast, and not many can remain under the duvet when a bacon sandwich beckons from below.

I have a broad taste in breakfast foods. Idli hot from the steamer and a bowl of spicy sambar is one of my favourites. I have enjoyed American biscuits (like scones) and gravy (creamy sauce made with sausage), and Eggs Benedict is always high on my list. I have been known to eat last night’s takeaway, kippers and Mexican refried beans and chilli before dawn, but I have never gone out of my way for a cornflake.

500 Breakfasts and Brunches offers just what it says: 500 temptations from Europe and America. Each recipe has its associated picture and several versions. There are healthy crunchy bars and sustaining smoothies for all those who want a noble start to the day. Those bars could easily be packed for a breakfast on the run ...or jog.

Britain and the US have a love of cooked breakfast foods. Any trip to a real New York diner will have you scanning the morning menu and finding stacks of pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, eggs over-easy, and coffee that might not always be the best you would have tasted. This book gives recipes for some favourites from both sides of the Pond. The British fry-up is included and one of the variants has fried bread, but cooked in vegetable oil. This is a modern attempt at presenting a light option but if one wants the authentic fried bread then one needs lard. Make this meal an annual event but enjoy it when you have it.

Apple and Pecan French Toast is another calorific start to the day. Well, at least it contains some fruit so it’s not an entirely guilty pleasure. Classic Blueberry Pancakes also has its fruit, and the syrup is optional: one could serve thick Greek yoghurt instead with perhaps more fresh berries on the side.

Brunch offers a casual entertaining experience for friends and family, and the chance to present a variety of dishes that would be just too much trouble to prepare when there’s only a couple. Banana Cranberry Loaf is something you can bake the day before. Present slices hot from the toaster. An exotic alternative would be Tropical Pineapple and Coconut Loaf; that would be ideal served with a fresh fruit salad.

My pick of the book is Crabmeat Strata – another brunch special but a savoury one. It has a light and fluffy texture rather like a cross between a bread-and-butter pudding and a souffle; but it’s that seafood that elevates this dish to posh brunch fare. It’s true that it’s not cheap but it’s the one to choose for a celebration weekend. Smoked salmon could be used instead and that would be quite economic, as one could use salmon scraps rather than the more costly slices.

500 Breakfasts and Brunches is another in that celebrated series from Apple Press. These books are good value for money and practical – lots of information in a compact format, and these books will spend more time in the kitchen than on your bookshelves. Well worth setting the alarm a little early.

Cookbook review: 500 Breakfasts and Brunches
Author: Carol Beckerman
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £9.00
ISBN: 978-1-84543-381-9

Tangerine Dream Café – A Year in Chelsea Physic Garden

This truly is a ‘Secret Garden' and much less celebrated than Kew in West London, although Chelsea is London’s oldest botanic garden and a unique living museum. Situated in the heart of London, Chelsea Physic Garden has long been a centre of horticultural education. It was founded by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London in 1673. These were the forerunners of our modern high-street chemists, and they relied on herbal remedies rather than chemical compounds. Here, apprentices could study the medicinal properties of those invaluable plants. Dr. Hans Sloane, after whom Sloane Square and Sloane Street were named, purchased the Manor of Chelsea from Charles Cheyne. About 4 acres was leased to the Society of Apothecaries for £5 a year in perpetuity.

The location was carefully chosen to take advantage of its proximity to the river which creates a microclimate crucial to the survival of many exotic plants. A pond rock garden was constructed from a variety of rock types, including stones from the Tower of London. This structure, completed in 1773, is listed Grade II and is the oldest rock garden in England on view to the public. And in 1983 The Garden became a registered charity and open to the general public for the first time.

So that’s the Garden and all very nice but this isn’t a gardening book, although it does offer tips and ideas. It’s about a café offering delightful refreshments to visitors. Well, one would hardly expect just a cuppa in the potting shed when the Patron is HRH the Prince of Wales. One would hope for some classic dishes using seasonal ingredients.

This book is stunning and a joy to anyone interested in gardening or cooking. The pictures take one through a year at one of the most respected gardens in the world. There are images of misty mornings, drifts of snowdrops, gnarled ancient trees, manicured topiary, and plates of tempting food.

Chefs Limpet Barron and David Hughes have not limited themselves just to British fare. After all, many of these plants hail from far beyond our shores. Many of our common fruits and vegetables do not originate in Britain so it’s reasonable that the recipes reflect a little culinary diversity. Kedgeree, Seville Marmalade, Tunisian Citrus and Almond Cake, and Amalfi Lemonade are all here, but there are plenty of home-grown dishes as well.

Beef and Ale Stew is a real old-fashioned winter warmer – a slow-cooked potful that can be made in advance and reheated. Rustic, hearty and good enough to present to dinner guests. A pile of mash, perhaps some crusty bread and a bottle of red and that’s Sunday lunch sorted.

Tangerine Dream Café – A Year in Chelsea Physic Garden is a beautiful book about a unique and historic garden but it’s also a striking cookbook with well-chosen recipes that reflect how we eat, or would like to, these days. It’s a visual and gastronomic treat, and it incorporates a perpetual calendar in which to record those special dates such as seed-sowing, and reservations for the Tangerine Café.

Cookbook review: Tangerine Dream Café – A Year in Chelsea Physic Garden
Authors: Limpet Barron, David Hughes and Sarah Charles
Published by: Chelsea Physic Garden
Price: £12.99
ISBN: 9780956669704

Macaron

They are becoming ubiquitous. Those colourful chubby discs are showing up in smart patisseries across the land. They have long been popular in France and we are all very ready to state that French food is best.

Well, I would not go that far (although I am driven to admit that the French make the best French food), but I note that the trendy macaron was originally created in 1533 ...in Italy! Perhaps we could agree that the French know a good thing when they see it, or eat it.

Macarons have now taken the crown which was until recently held by the popular cupcake. But these little macarons are pricey, so a good recipe and a little practice could save the savvy entertainer a crate of cash. No self-respecting afternoon tea provider could hold his head aloft if that top tier was not garnished with some macarons, in colours to coordinate with the flowery crockery or the Laura Ashley drapes.

A batch of macarons, it must be said, is not something one can thoughtlessly rustle up. There is a technique to practise and the use of quality ingredients is key. But it isn’t rocket science and it’s worth the effort. One glance at this eponymous book will have you drooling and reaching for the ground almonds.

One doesn’t need any special equipment. A plain piping nozzle and a sugar thermometer are the only kitchen items that you might have to purchase, although if you are a regular jam maker or cake decorator you will already have these.

The perfect macaron should have a paper-thin crust with a slightly chewy interior. The individual macaron should have “feet” – that is the bubbly band at the base which indicates that the correct technique and temperature were used. It might all sound complicated but if one carefully follows the recipe then success is assured.

The basic recipe here uses 225g of icing sugar, 140g of ground almonds and 100g of egg whites, and yields 60 macarons or 30 pairs of sandwiched macarons. One would only be able to buy a half-dozen or so commercial macarons for the price of raw ingredients sufficient to make more than two dozen at home. I’d say it’s a skill worth practising.

The flavour combinations of shell and filling are endless. There are classics like chocolate filled with ganache, and raspberry filled with jam, but this excellent book offers marvellous confections such as Black Forest – chocolate filled with cherry-flavoured buttercream, or Basic macaron filled with mint-flavoured chocolate.

I mentioned the old-fashioned afternoon tea. It’s very much in vogue just now. My pick of this book has surely been invented with teatime in mind. Jasmine Tea and Lime Macarons are delicate but with a definite twang of lime zest. These are dainties to be nibbled and savoured while sipping from your grandmother’s best bone-china cups.

Macaron is a charming book and would make an ideal hostess gift when one is indeed invited to tea. It’s a stylish volume that will coax you into trying your hand at macaron making. Perhaps it’s for either a confident cook or a Virgo who will be meticulous at weights, measures and temperatures, but follow the rules set down here and we could all be macaroning like pros.

Cookbook review: Macaron
Author: Alison Thompson
Published by Apple Press
Price: £9.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-410-6

The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches

This book is fun. Sandwiches are not by nature a serious food group. We make them for picnics and parties. The bread keeps our fingers free from exotic fillings or last night’s left-overs, and quite honestly everyone loves sandwiches. What would a traditional posh afternoon tea be without its spread of crustless cucumber sandwiches?

Sichuan Cookery

I had never been a great Chinese food aficionado. I didn’t know enough about the subject to make informed choices when confronted by a Chinese restaurant menu. So much of it seemed to be rather mild, although pleasant and with diversity of texture, and so often attractively presented.

There were, however, those dishes that did rather tempt and intrigue me. Those plates of red-lacquered meats or vegetables with a strand of sliced red chilli and perhaps a deep-fried peanut or two. Why were these dishes so different? It’s still Chinese food isn’t it? Well, yes, but China is a big country and Sichuan is the size of France. There is bound to be culinary diversity and I had struck on a regional cuisine that did appeal.

Fuchsia Dunlop is our very own Grande Dame (I think she might be a bit young to shoulder that burden) of Sichuan cooking. She isn’t given that accolade because she has enjoyed many a spicy meal in restaurants. She hasn’t been acclaimed as an authority because she has attended a few Chinese cookery classes at her local adult education college. Fuchsia honestly is an expert and is considered so even by Chinese citizens – she has lived and studied in this very province of Sichuan.

Sichuan Cookery is truly a worthy tome that will enthral anyone who has enjoyed those hot-chilli flavours and the unique numbing sensation and savour of Sichuan pepper. It’s a book for lovers of robust tastes and gloriously richly coloured foods. It’s a volume that truly does get one’s mouth watering.

This book is a veritable culinary encyclopaedia and travelogue. It offers the academic a feast of facts and historic anecdote. For those of us who want to grab the wok and cook, Fuchsia presents us with the best dishes that the region has to offer. Plenty of spice but also a raft of subtle recipes that are equally authentic. For example, fried eggs with tomatoes only has salt and pepper and the green parts of spring onions for seasoning.

The spicy dishes will be the ones that will likely get your attention, though. They will be the reason you were drawn to the book. They are here in profusion, packed with flavour but simple to prepare. There is a glossary of ingredients so you’ll be able to complete your Sichuan pantry with just a quick trip to Chinatown or a simple surf of the net.

I have favourites from every section of this book and Steamed Buns with Spicy Beansprout Stuffing is my choice from the Streetfood chapter. There are steamed buns found in various parts of China but this recipe is distinctly Sichuanese with a filling flavoured with chilli bean paste. Fun finger food.

The pick of the book, for me at least, is Spicy Beef Slices with Tangerine Peel. It has all those components that make this particular Chinese cuisine so enticing. Chilli spice balanced with layers of well-chosen flavours, in this case hints of citrus and Sichuan pepper for that typical taste and tongue-tingle.

Fuchsia Dunlop is rightly recognised for her considerable knowledge but you’ll buy this book because she shares her know-how in a most engaging fashion. She writes with style, humour and consideration for the home cook, whom she supports and encourages. This is surely, or will in future become, a Chinese cookery classic.

Sichuan Cookery
Author: Fuchsia Dunlop
Published by: Penguin
Price: £16.99
ISBN 978-0-140-29541-2

100 Fish and Seafood Recipes

Yes, I do like Rick Stein. OK, it’s easy to take him for granted when one sees his programmes so often on TV. I confess to being almost word-perfect chanting along with Rick as he plies the waves (small ones) of the Canal du Midi or chats with a waitress in some far-flung restaurant. It’s not Rick’s fault that we might have ‘Stein overdose’, and his food is what's kept his profile so high, after all.

This compact volume is part of a series from My Kitchen Table (they have a supporting web site at http://www.mykitchentable.co.uk). The format is just right for the novice cook or for those more practised who just want to expand their recipe repertoire: a recipe on one page and a picture on the opposite one.  100 Fish and Seafood Recipes is an eclectic mix of dishes from around the world. India, Sri Lanka, Europe and Australia all offer seafood to tempt you. Mild, natural, fresh flavours and exotic and spicy sauces vie for your attention here.

I grew up in an era when the fishmonger’s slab was always full, but with only a couple of varieties of fish. Those wanting white fish might have cod and if you wanted something bright enough to read a book by then haddock could illuminate your shopping basket. Herring were popular in those days and it’s good to see them being noticed again. Tiny shrimps might be for Sunday tea along with winkles. There’s quite a bit more on offer these days, and this book will help you make the best of your purchases.

We make some of the best savoury pies and tarts here in Britain and it’s good to see them represented in this collection. Haddock and Cornish Yarg Pie uses un-smoked fish and a mild cheddar-like cheese for flavour. This version has a little chopped smoky bacon for extra savour but the pie would be just as good without it if one had non-meat eaters to feed. The delicious and creamy filling is topped by a potato pastry crust. Not difficult to make and worth the effort. One could always use ready-made puff pastry for speed. It’s the good stuff under the crust that will make this a regular family favourite.

Mackerel is a healthy oily fish and Rick presents Devilled Mackerel with Mint and Tomato Salad. It takes advantage of all those condiments and spices that you are bound to have lingering at the back of your larder: English mustard (don’t substitute French or American for this recipe), cayenne pepper (now you have a use for it), paprika for colour without heat, and coriander for a distinctive exotic note. The marinade will work well on sardines and herring as well. Grill or throw on the BBQ – but be warned: they tend to stick.

Seafood Lasagne is perhaps my favourite dish here. This recipe feeds 8 and the pasta helps to stretch the costly seafood. It’s quicker and easier to make than an authentic Italian ragout lasagne and it has that touch of class that will make it a smart dinner party staple. Various elements of this recipe can be made in advance so it’s ideal for those occasions when one has little time but one still wants to impress.

100 Fish and Seafood Recipes has delightful dishes, for those wanting to use the most economic of seafood as well as for others who want to push the metaphoric boat out. We should all eat more fish. We know it’s good for us but we need inspiration. Rick Stein inspires at a very reasonable price.

100 Fish and Seafood Recipes
Author: Rick Stein
Published by: Random House
Price: £7.99
ISBN 978-1-84-990158-1

On a Stick

It’s a book to bring a smile. Food served on skewers: mouthwatering titbits stuck with delicate picks or substantial chunks on batons. Everything here is poked and presented in stylish fashion, from bits one nibbles in polite company to deep-fried and delectable munchies that one would prefer not to share.

Food is so often the garnish to conviviality. We invite friends over and we enjoy spoiling them with attractive things to eat. Yes, a meal will often fit the bill but maybe it’s lighter fare we are after. Perhaps the occasion calls for a grazing menu. This book suggests striking and delicious solutions to all your dilemmas ...or at least those that combine fun and food.

Matt Armendariz has penned 80 recipes for stick-suspended morsels for both adults and kids, for formal and casual get-togethers and for savoury snacking or dessert devouring. There are recipes for the noble and health-obsessed and others for the rest of us. This is food that will either charm you or make you laugh. Some classics and some adaptations of familiar food combinations.

Antipasti Skewers illustrate how sophisticated yet casual this concept can be. Matt presents Pickled Peppers stuffed with Feta Cheese accompanied with a slice of salami, and Pepperoncini paired with Marinated Artichoke Hearts. Add various kinds of stuffed olives and mozzarella to the selection and the combinations are without end. Ideal for a summer evening of prosecco and friends.

One could envisage an oriental theme of toothsome picks. Chicken Satay with a Peanut dipping sauce on bamboo spikes, Chinese Five-Spice Skewers full of aromatic flavour, and Chinese Meatballs served with Sweet and Sour Chilli Sauce would make a splendid display for perhaps a Chinese New Year party. You could consider adding some Crispy Orange Beef Skewers for those with manly appetites. All of these could be served on or off skewers along with rice for a light lunch.

An All-American evening of sport could be enhanced by some All-American food. Chicken and Waffles sounds an unlikely marriage but it’s popular in a chain of restaurants in the US. Chicken is marinated in herbs and spices overnight. It’s coated in a sweet batter and then it’s deep-fried.  The author suggests a dip of maple syrup but I might go the piquant route myself.  Spicy Cajun Skewers are also truly American but they are more delicate than the stuffed waffles and will work well with the bottles of Bud that those lads will have brought with them.

If you have a sweet tooth then you will find plenty at the back of this book to inspire you. Deep-fried Candy Bars are a take on the Scottish staple of deep-fried Mars Bars. If you want to feel noble then some fruit would be in order. Matt has Frozen Bananas covered in Chocolate. These are simple and well worth trying; a cooking project for the kids who will love this unique confection. Those bananas are a little like ice-cream.  Frozen Elvis, on the other hand, is a frozen chocolate banana with bacon and peanut sprinkles. An intriguing preparation of sweet and salty.

On a Stick is a book for adults who want to throw classy and chic cocktail parties. It’s a recipe collection to delve into when one is planning a kid’s bash, and one for preparing hearty fare for boys’ nights in. Food is to be enjoyed and it’s never more entertaining than when it’s served on a stick.

On a Stick
Author: Matt Armendariz
Published by: Quirk Books
Price: US $16.95, Can $18.95
ISBN 978-1-59474-489-1

Ken Hom – 100 Quick Stir-fry Recipes

I have long been a fan of compact and concise cookbooks, the ones that present a recipe on one page and a confidence-boosting picture on the opposite page, single-topic books that one will truly take into the kitchen and use. This series from My Kitchen Table (they have a supporting web site at http://www.mykitchentable.co.uk) ticks all the boxes for me. Yes, the format is just right, but the recipes are what count.

Ken Hom is an internationally celebrated authority on Chinese food and cooking. He was the first Chinese to have great success on UK TV with his ground-breaking cookery show in 1984, Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery on the BBC. He began his culinary career in his uncle's Chicago restaurant at the tender age of eleven, before eventually becoming a lecturer at California's Culinary Academy.

He has written over 30 cookery books which have been well received worldwide. He has fronted numerous TV series as well as having his own product range including a wok, an example of which graces the kitchen of this reviewer. Ken was awarded an honorary OBE for 'services to the culinary arts' in 2009 so it’s evident that we in Britain have adopted this man and taken him to our hearts.

His list of culinary achievements and gongs is impressive but we just love this man’s food. He has become so successful because his food is accessible. We have an abundance of oriental ingredients and are drawn to healthy and quick dishes made with either a Ken Hom wok or one purchased from the local Chinese grocer. 100 Quick Stir-fry Recipes reflects the way we eat today ...or should.

The recipes are divided by food type. Plenty of vegetarian and fish dishes but even the meat dishes are fast to prepare and will leave you feeling noble. There are Chinese dishes aplenty here but also spicy temptations from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and even Italy. The focus is on the cooking method rather than the geographic origin of the food.

I have heard so many people complain that they can’t make fried rice. They wonder if there is some kind of secret or perhaps there is a particular variety of rice known only to the owners of Chinese restaurants or take-aways. Well, yes, there is a little secret known only to millions. One must use cooked and cooled rice. Ken offers us a basic but indispensable recipe for egg-fried rice. It’s fool-proof and will be a key element in turning many of these recipes into full meals.

We should all eat more fish. It’s healthy and there is plenty of choice. Stir-Fried Fish with Black Bean Sauce is the dish that will inspire those who insist they hate fish because it’s bland. This recipe makes use of pungent and salty black beans. 1½ teaspoons are all that’s needed to flavour fish enough for 4 people. Robust flavours and a meal that doesn’t cost the earth.

My pick of the book is Spicy Chicken with Peanuts. It’s also known as Kung Pau or Kung Po Chicken, an attractive dish of lacquered meat with flecks of vibrant red dried chillies. A recipe for which to use that dusty bottle of dry sherry – it makes a convincing substitute for shaoxing rice wine.

100 Quick Stir-fry Recipes is a practical collection of well-chosen recipes to suit all tastes. We all want to eat well but without the need to take up long-term residence in the kitchen. This will likely become the book you reach for when strapped for time or cash.  Great value for money.

Author: Ken Hom
Title: 100 Quick Stir-fry Recipes
Published by: Random House
Price: £7.99
ISBN 978-1-84-990147-5

Cookbook review: MasterChef at Home

Yes, it’s true. I hate to admit it. I know I am alone with this one. I am not keen on MasterChef. There, I have said it and, strangely, I feel better for getting it out in the open. Having said that I should confess that this companion book to the show is a winner.

I have reviewed many books of recipes by home cooks. I am always astonished that civilians can cook to such a high standard. Not everyone included between these covers is a Grand Final winner but they are all excellent cooks with flair and imagination. Some contestants from the Professionals’ competition are featured here as well.

MasterChef at Home offers 200 of the best recipes from the series and they cover starters, main courses and desserts, with a few appropriate masterclasses from the experts along the way. It’s a cookbook to suit all degrees of talent but at least the novice cook will be supported in the knowledge that the inspiration for this book was ordinary folk with, for the most part, no formal training.

Lime and Chilli Salmon with Crème Fraîche on Black Pepper Oatcakes is a bit of a mouthful but a delicious one. Alex Rushmer was a 2010 finalist and this is his simply-prepared dish. Only 20 minutes preparation time and 10 minutes for cooking. This is a perfect summer lunch, and salmon is very reasonably priced these days.

Perhaps we are a bit optimistic with thoughts of balmy summer alfresco meals, so my second pick of the book is a heart-warming plate of Beef and Chorizo with Horseradish Mash and Roasted Rosemary Dumplings. This was presented by Dick Strawbridge who was a 2010 Celebrity Finalist. Only 20 minutes of preparation again but 3 to 4 hours of cooking time. You don’t have to hover while the casserole is cooking so this is ideal entertaining fare for cold winter nights. All the work is done before your guests arrive.

Natalie Brenner has penned a recipe for a dessert that is so good that one knows what it will taste like before the first spoonful reaches the expectant palate – Banana Soufflé with Blueberry Coulis. Such a simple and clean concept that I wonder why I have not tasted one before. Whilst the blueberry coulis is a marvellous foil for the banana I would think that there could be other flavour permutations that would work to create a different impact from that same soufflé. Rich chocolate ice cream or a toffee sauce would also work well. The star is the banana soufflé.

MasterChef at Home is a comfortable book. It has simple recipes and more technically taxing ones, but the reader is assured that they will work in a domestic kitchen. I have enjoyed the book immensely and the contributors are to be praised. Thoughtful recipes with a few surprises. A must-have for any fan of the series but equally for those who want to push the envelope of their own home cooking.

Cookbook review: MasterChef at Home
Author: Various
Published: Dorling Kindersley
Price: £20.00
ISBN 978-1-4053-5139-3