This is the debut book by Sophie Wright. She must be tired of being called “the young Sophie Wright”! She is 22 years old but has years of experience. She studied at the celebrated Westminster Kingsway College in London for three years before starting her professional career, so Sophie already has five or six years in the Food Industry.
Sophie was recognised as an exceptional pupil at Westminster College, representing her school in competitions and winning a total of 15 medals. The most prestigious award was the Gold Best in Class Award at the Salon Culinaire at Hotelympia. In her final year Sophie was awarded the Top Graduate Achiever Award at the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards 2006. Sophie graduated with distinction with a Professional Chefs Diploma and was recognised as Highest Achieving Female Student and Highest Achieving Competition Chef. Not too shabby, huh?
Sophie gained hands-on experience when she took control of the kitchen at Beach Blanket Babylon in London. She was 20 years old! Now it’s time for her to focus on other aspects of her career with her own private catering company and freelance food writing.
Easy Peasy – Laid-back Food for Lazy Days is a large format and very pretty book with marvellous photographs by Kate Whitaker. It’s stylish with fresh and subtle colours. The recipes are easy to follow and have broad appeal.
The chapters include Bare Essentials, Posh Lunchbox and Show-off Suppers. There are lovely recipes here that are presented with humour and charm. Of Sweet Gypsy Toast, Sophie writes “My Nan used to make her savoury version of this”. Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Trifles are individual trifles served in shot glasses. What a brilliant idea and why didn’t I think of that first.
You have gotta love a dish called The Unladylike Sandwich. It’s not so much a recipe, but more an idea for the best ever sausage sandwich. Mucky and mouth-watering. Pink Seafood Quiche is, as Sophie says, “One for the girls”. Any combination that includes salmon and crayfish is OK by me and this is a particularly fine and rich preparation. It looks divine and will be a favourite with all your vegetarian friends who are sick of you feeding them nut loaf.
Seriously Sexy Baked Chilli Pineapple should be Sophie’s signature dish, and it might well have been had she not been honest enough to admit that she first discovered this in New Zealand. This is one of those recipes that is embarrassingly simple but which will have your guests well impressed. Don’t you just love that?
We will hear more from Sophie Wright in the future. Easy Peasy might be her first book but it will not be her last.
Easy Peasy – Laid-back Food for Lazy Days
Author: Sophie Wright
Published by Kyle Cathie
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-85626-787-8
Cookbook review by Chrissie Walker © 2018