At Home with Chris Gordon, the best lifestyle books of the month
The November 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!
Vegan Italian Food by Shannon Martinez
Shannon Martinez is a rock star of the vegan culinary landscape, and this party book introduces you to all the brilliant and delicious reasons why. This is the book to turn to when you have a crowd coming over and want to impress with a total vegetable love-in. There are innovative ideas for grazing tables, salad and pasta feasts, and even the recipe for a to-die-for vegan meatball sandwich. Each page offers an explosion of colour and creative considerations. The perfect gift for any home cook – and an ideal reminder of why Melbourne is Australia’s best food destination.
Turkuaz Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Dough Recipes for Sweet and Savoury Bakes by Betül Tunç
Betül Tunç has a whopping nine million followers on social media and this baking book is a clear indication of the reasons for her popularity. Using dough as her springboard, Tunç shows how rolling and kneading dough can create a global menu for your table and bring utter joy to your friends and family. Think basic dough for bagels, enriched dough (don’t forget butter is our friend) for buttermilk dinner rolls, short doughs for scones and unleavened dough for noodles. Tunç draws on the influence of her Turkish background with recipes for crackers and baklava, among many others. This book is a complete comfort read and is delightful in every way.
The Lost Recipes: Australia’s Culinary Gems – Revived and Reimagined by Ross Dobson
I often think of cookbooks as the ultimate history marker. What we are eating says so much about the changing world. Ross Dobson has searched old newspapers and books for Australia’s ‘forgotten’ recipes – the ones that got away from our tables. In The Lost Recipes he sets about righting this culinary injustice by presenting a selection of recipes dating from the Victorian era through to the 1950s. This collection has close to 100 rediscovered dishes, alongside excellent ideas of thrifty alternatives for your table. Read this because yesterday matters today and because this is a gentle reminder that food waste is not sustainable. History and foodie enthusiasts are going to love this well-researched cookbook. Mushroom ketchup, anyone?
Some of My Best Friends are Cookies: Over 80 Recipes for the Best Cookies of Your Life by Emelia Jackson
We all fell in love with Emelia Jackson’s first cookbook (First, Cream the Butter and Sugar) which celebrated everything cake. She’s back with a celebration of cookies and it’s perfect timing for those contending with end-of-year school parties, afternoon teas and share-plate commitments. This is the go-to book for any type of biscuit you can imagine – and then more. Use this book for cooking with the kids, for entertaining in the evenings and for simply filling your home with sweet smells. There are even gluten-free cookies, as well as some complicated numbers that will keep you going in the kitchen for a happy afternoon of baking. You are in very safe hands.
Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims
Cookies are having their moment, and what a joyful, sensible moment it is. Ben Mims has travelled the world and brought together the perfect cookie recipes from over 100 countries. It is a staggering collection of recipes and a timely reminder that sharing food is important. There are tricks and tips for each creation and truly stunning photography, as we would expect from this beautiful publishing house. This global celebration of simple food is a joy and could be just the ticket for your next midnight snack. Malaysian Milky Cashew Cookies, anyone? They are my new favourite.
The Broadsheet Melbourne Cookbook: The New Classics by Broadsheet Media
This cookbook is the ultimate celebration of Melbourne restaurants, an absolute joy on every page. Can’t get a booking for Enter via Laundry? Make this curry instead. Cannot afford Gimlet? No problem, here is a recipe from Andrew McConnell’s repertoire. Love France-Soir but cannot find parking? Bring a dish of hanger steak and fries to your table. The list goes on and on. There are recipes from over 80 different accomplished and loved restaurants and their most-ordered dishes. This must-have book from the legends at Broadsheet is a showcase of the best of Melbourne’s eateries and is a perfect gift to yourself or for those you love to eat with.
See the recipe for Florian’s Herb and Gruyère omelette on our blog.
Konbini: Cult Recipes, Stories and Adventures from Japan’s Iconic Convenience Stores by Brendan Liew & Caryn Ng
One of the first things I do when visiting another country is visit a local supermarket or corner shop. Let me tell you: in Japan my mind was blown by the range of food delights on offer in their convenience stores. It is not like shopping at a service station in Australia, it is like embarking on an exploration of quick delicious meals for every conceivable desire. This book brings together the recipes that make those bento lunchboxes, soups and cheesecakes such a wondrous joy. There are instructions on creating the perfect shape, seasoning and serving. It celebrates the sometimes peculiar and always delicious offerings through recipes and stories, as well as delving into the history of this Japanese cultural icon. We wish our milk bars and corner shops would take note.
Mangia: How to Eat Your Way Through Italy by Maria Pasquale
Surely, we have all dreamt about eating our way through Italy? This book is the answer to the absolute best of armchair travel. Join Maria Pasquale as she guides us through Italy’s 20 regions, with recipes and photos to make you sigh with longing and happiness. Each section discusses the local festivals, the most favoured dishes and drinks, alongside historical references. The recipes are simple and created to share with friends and family. This third cookbook by the Melbourne journalist is a continuation of her famous blog, HeartRome, and is perfect for those who want to know their Parmigiano from their Parmesan.
Also out this month:
Hokkaido: Recipes from the Seas, Fields and Farmlands of Northern Japan by Tim Anderson; The Golden Wok: Master the Art of Wok Cooking by Diana Chan; My Mediterranean Life: Recipes and Stories by Sarah Di Lorenzo; A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joy … A Memoir of Sorts by Nigel Slater; and Chloe’s Vegan Kitchen by Chloe Wheatland.
