Afternoon Tea at Home by Will Torrent – review
I was expecting a great book from this well-respected chef, Will Torrent. I wasn’t expecting the volume to have that overwhelming feel-good factor. That comes...
Authentic Recipes from the Philippines by Reynaldo Alejandro – review
This is a unique book considering a cuisine little known in Europe. How frequently do we say “let’s go out for a Filipino”? Not often,...
Classic Recipes of the Philippines by Ghillie Basan – review
This rather smart little book looks at the unique traditional food and cooking of the Philippines. But many of us know little of these islands...
The Food and Cooking of Japan and Korea by Emi Kazuko – review
A few years ago our culinary ethnic horizons extended to a Friday night curry and perhaps the occasional Chinese dinner of sweet and sour pork....
The Chalet Cookbook – review
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, etc. Our thoughts turn to cold-weather vacations and possibly (although not in...
The Hunt for Filipino Food: Kusina to Cuisine by St. Theresa’s College Manila Foundation – review
I am a cookbook reviewer, and it’s always exciting to leaf through pages that offer an insight into a new and vibrant cuisine. And I...
The Best of Jane Grigson – The Enjoyment of Food – review
Grub Street publishes cookbooks and all manner of food-related tomes but they have also taken on the mantle of preservers of our own culinary heritage...
Authentic Recipes from Vietnam by Trieu Thi Choi – review
There are a few more Vietnamese restaurants around these days. The UK had an influx of Vietnamese refugees a couple of decades ago but those...
Chocolate at Home by Will Torrent – review
I am biased, it’s true. This book was destined to have a good review on two counts. Firstly I adore the author, Will Torrent; and...
The Taste of Belgium by Ruth Van Waerebeek – review
It’s so near, but almost totally overlooked from the culinary perspective. Belgium is one of our closest neighbours but is overshadowed by the gastronomic giant...
Fresh Spice by Arul Kapil – review
We in northern Europe have had a long and delicious relationship with spice. We tend to think it’s just been this modern era of the...
Spices and Seasons by Rinku Bhattacharya – review
Indian is perhaps my favourite cuisine. To be honest though, saying that one is going out for an ‘Indian’ tonight is as ridiculous as saying...
It’s ‘Dim Sum’ but more – by Janice Wong – review
Janice Wong has the accolade of Asia’s no.1 Pastry Chef. Well, we all know what famous chefs are like. Ego-driven, imposing hulks with loud voices,...
Winter Cocktails by Maria del Mar Sacasa – review
Cocktails! We tend to have a vision of summer evenings, flowery dresses, sipping colourful libations in some place exotic. But for those of us who...
Pumpkins & Squashes by Janet MacDonald – review
I am an enthusiastic home cook and a periodic professional cook, but I hold my hands up and admit that I have avoided using pumpkins...
Sprinkles by Jackie Alpers – review
Baking is, thank goodness, enjoying something of a revival. We are reconnecting with some old-fashioned culinary values – the kitchen filled with tempting aromas, a...
The Food and Cooking of Venice and the North-East of Italy – review
Valentina Harris, author of The Food and Cooking of Venice and the North-East of Italy, has long been the UK’s Italian culinary authority of choice. She...
Great Homemade Soups by Paul Gayler – review
Chef Paul Gayler is one of the food industry’s gems. He is a well respected man with years of worthy career behind him. He is...
Smashing Plates by Maria Elia – review
The title alone would encourage a bookshelf browser to reach for this volume. A humorous play on words conjuring visions of exuberant Greek revellers ruining...
The Dal Cookbook by Krishna Dutta – review
We have always had those little red lentils on supermarket shelves. They seemed to be the only ones available when I was growing up. Mum...