Peter Gordon was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia in 1981 and completed a four-year cookery apprenticeship. He worked in Melbourne restaurants for five years before travelling around Asia. This trip evidently had a huge influence on Peter’s gastronomic future. In 1989, after two-and-a-half years running The Sugar Club kitchen, Peter moved to London to focus on fusion cuisine. In 1995 he set up the kitchens of The Sugar Club in Notting Hill; this was followed by Soho in 1998. The Providores and Tapa Room opened in 2001. Peter has appeared regularly on such popular food-focused TV shows as Market Kitchen and Saturday Kitchen.
Eating Well Everyday is a delight of a book, with recipes that are accessible to the regular home cook. Lots of the recipes give a nod to Peter’s love of Asia but there are European dishes, too. Many of the recipes would actually work well with your regular roast dinners – this is a mix-and-match style of book. The reader will quickly come up with their own preferred combinations.
There are over 170 dishes in Eating Well Everyday. The ingredients can be found in your local supermarket; there are no techniques that would be beyond any home cook, and many of the dishes might be somewhat familiar …but with a twist. There is a bread pudding, but Peter presents a coconut version. Just a little toasted desiccated coconut and coconut milk turn a weekday pud into a dinner party finale. But still the core ingredient is good old bread, and that ingredient won’t break the bank.
Family meals as well as rather smart suppers
Peter Gordon has some great pork recipes. Braised pork belly with orange, spicy pork stew with coconut and peas, and Whisky-braised pork belly are likely to become favourites. Yes, they are delicious but also excellent value for money, and could work for family meals as well as rather smart suppers for friends.
Then there are desserts. This selection has sweet solutions for treats for the whole of the year and any occasion. Like spiced carrot cheesecake: the spice in question is cinnamon and the base takes advantage of your regular gingernuts. If I was presenting this for a dinner party I might finish with a drizzle of ginger syrup. Strawberry and ginger-beer jellies will be loved by everybody, and are perfect for the end of a summer barbecue.
Eating Well Everyday by Peter Gordon is a practical book with simple recipes, but they offer innovation and interesting fusions. There is nothing challenging here, but this volume might just change the way you think about everyday food.
Eating Well Everyday
Author: Peter Gordon
Published by: Jacqui Small
Price: £22.00
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1911127925