The August edition of Readings Monthly is available online and in our shops, but if you haven't picked up a copy yet, below you can read Chris Gordon's column from the latest issue. And check the blog for more updates and recommended new releases throughout the month!

Chae: Korean Slow Food for a Better Life by Jung Eun Chae

You may have tried to get a reservation at the six-seater restaurant Chae, situated on the outskirts of Melbourne, and had to contend with going into the draw for a place. Well, you can now re-create all the bubbling deliciousness of this place in your own home. The book’s publication is perfectly timed for winter, just as we are losing the battle against various germs. Slow-cooked Korean food is deliciously ideal for every season of the year, of course, but particularly good when you need comfort food: steaming bowls of broth and vegetables, or fried chicken that the entire family will relish.

This tome is being discussed as the essential guide to Korean slow food and fermentation. Each chapter corresponds to an Australian season, with recipes and foundations presenting traditional Korean technique with native Australian produce. Collect your jars. Turn the lighting down. Expect the unexpected in your kitchen.

See here for details about how you can enter the draw to win Sunday dinner for two at Chae.

Tarts Anon: Sweet and Savoury Tart Brilliance by Gareth Whitton & Catherine Way

A tart for every day of the year! Honestly, there is a sentence that would make my father laugh, but there is nothing tongue-in-cheek about it because this gorgeous cookbook Tarts Anon features over 50 different recipes for pies! What surprised me about this collection of recipes is how tremendously simple the cooks have made this. It is as if they know you are frightened of cooking tarts. Well, there is clearly no need for fear, as the recipes are very simple and delicious. And yes, my favourite dessert of all time, lemon tart, is included, but there are also other ingenious ideas to ensure making a tart is often on your mind.

I am particularly grateful for the crash course on making pastry, including how to fix mishaps. This book is perfect for the middling home cook – meaning those of us who can do it if we concentrate.

Tipo 00: The Pasta Cookbook by Andreas Papadakis

Greek chef Andreas Papadakis opened his Melbourne pasta bar a decade ago, and every time I have attended, it has been packed with people enjoying the very best pasta in town. This beautifully presented cookbook, with hand-drawn pictures, rejoices in simple food served with devotion to ingredients and family. You will find all the favourites are here from the restaurant, from asparagus ravioli with parmesan cream to gnocchi with duck and porcini ragu, alongside focaccia, lasagne, and desserts. 

It is an Italian feast, but it’s more than that: it is a way of life and it’s yours for the taking. Perfect for every home cook who loves to have a tactile experience in the kitchen and to cook for those they love.

See here for details about how you can enter the draw to win a $300 voucher to Tipo 00 Pasta Bar.

The Fishmonger's Son by Anthony Yotis & Laura di Florio Yotis

Married couple Anthony Yotis and Laura di Florio Yotis are not fancy-pants chefs, but they know good seafood, and they know how to make it more accessible for all home cooks. Their fish shop sits in North Carlton and is famous for its produce and its friendly owners, who will happily answer any question you have about sea bounty. This cookbook feels as if they are in your kitchen, looking over your shoulder, gifting you words of wisdom on how to fillet that fish, or shuck that oyster, or even how to create a family-friendly meal that doesn’t involve frying the bejesus out of freshly caught fish. There are excellent tips for storing seafood safely and turning the simplest fillet of fish into something wonderful and exciting to eat. This is a delightful book set to change the way you eat.

Dinner by Meera Sodha

Meera Sodha understands family life, spices and senses, and how to create accessible recipes for every day that don’t involve meat. In this latest cookbook, Sodha combines all her considerable learnings from the East into the most vibrant and deliciously scented dishes possible. I gave it the old Tuesday-night test: can I produce a meal worthy of my love for my family when I have only just arrived home and need something quickly that everyone will eat before there is snacking involved, and all I have is a lousy eggplant and some jars of (previously made) sauces? Sodha saw me and came to the rescue with roasted eggplant (aubergine) in satay sauce and rice. You may have another of her excellent books in your collection, but this one is the ultimate no-fuss version made for busy people who want to eat right.