Our food and gardening columnist recommends four delicious new cookbooks to enjoy this month.

7 Ways by Jamie Oliver

I love Jamie Oliver. I reckon he has done more for the way we eat than any other cook in modern history. In his latest book, he considers the top ingredients we buy week in, week out. We’re talking about those meal staples we pick up without even thinking. He understands how families work; grab this book if the thought of serving spag bol again is doing your head in. I promise, it will help. Tray bakes, for example, are our new way forward.

The Ethical Omnivore by Laura Dalrymple & Grant Hilliard

Want to help make the planet a better place? This book shows all of us how to live with less impact on the animals and environment that support us. The Ethical Omnivore is a user-friendly nose-to-tail handbook that will open your eyes to a better way to buy, cook and eat. Also, it’s just going to make you feel like you are doing something positive, and that always helps digestion.

Halliday Wine Companion 2021 by James Halliday

For well over thirty years James Halliday has been Australia’s most respected wine critic, and his Halliday Wine Companion is recognised as the industry benchmark for Australian wine. It is the go-to guide for wine ratings, regions, best varietals, winery reviews and a curated selection of the best wines in Australia. With our borders closed, this seems the perfect time to plot a post-lockdown road trip to our extensive and delicious wine regions.

Intoxicating by Max Allen

Max Allen’s book is a personal journey through Australia’s complex drinking history. He begins with the fermented sap of the Tasmanian cider gum, enjoyed by Indigenous people long before European invasion, and finishes with the cellars of the country’s oldest wineries. He picks up cocktail recipes and samples 150-year-old champagne rescued from a shipwreck; there are tales of local characters and glimpses of how our drinking culture might evolve in the future.