The best food and gardening books of the month, with Chris Gordon
Easy Wins: 12 Flavour Hits, 125 Delicious Recipes, 365 Days of Good Eating by Anna Jones
Did you know Anna Jones left her day job to write recipes and cook? She did it after reading an article about following personal passion. After reading this delicious new cookbook, I am thinking about handing in my notice and eating any dish with lemons in it for the rest of my life. Putting aside life ambitions for a minute, this cookbook is a treat for the senses. Jones has taken 12 top cooking ingredients – including lemon, mustard, olive oil and more – and turned each one into many ideas for mealtimes and snacks. Genius idea, and her mouthwatering and truly accessible recipes will match anyone’s desire to cook and eat beautiful food all the time.
On Sundays: Long Lunches Through the Seasons by Dave Verheul
Have you been to the Melbourne restaurant Embla? Want to go but can’t get a booking? Me too, but acclaimed chef Dave Verheul has gifted us mere mortals this beautiful cookbook to inspire us to keep cooking, eating, drinking, and ringing the reservation line. On Sundays is a cookbook of memorable recipes and curated menus to be shared. Divided into Australian seasons, each section celebrates available food choices. There are 16 menus in all, but you can choose to mix it all up. Use this book as inspiration to begin a slow and delightful weekend feasting.
A Plant-Based Farmhouse: Wholefood Recipes from My House on the Hill by Cherie Hausler
This is probably all you need to know about this gorgeous, informative book: Cherie Hausler consulted with Maggie Beer for over 13 years and her television show on SBS, All the Things, is a celebration of local vegan food. This woman has a joyful approach to food and tea through firm engagement with her community and fellow plant-based food lovers. She is hands on, and it shows in every decision made in this collection of recipes and snippets from farm life. The stories about Bangkok (and her brother) are priceless, as well as the recipe for an entire Sunday roast – served, of course, with kombucha!
Italian Coastal: Recipes and Stories from Where the Land Meets the Sea by Amber Guinness
Amber Guinness was born in England but grew up in Tuscany, where she now resides. That poor woman, living there surrounded by farms, art, and delicious fresh food! By travelling down the Tuscan coast, Guinness has collected recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Imagine serving baked fish, pasta with capers, and lemon cakes. Each recipe has a story and an image that will make you feel like it is time to gather those you know, spread a chequered tablecloth across the table and celebrate simple, effortless dishes with friends.
At Nonna’s Table: One Italian Family’s Recipes, Shared with Love by Paola Bacchia
Baby, its cold outside. The children and partners are hungry, and the southerly is blowing up a mess. Open this book and immediately start planning a pan of soup or stew for the stove, bake some bread, and serve olives to go with that raspy red wine. Paola Bacchia understands that family life is frantic and as we head into autumn, this delicious collection of Italian feasts suitable for every single night of the year will become your friend. It’s all about sustaining the masses with balanced dishes and, of course, love. Bacchia was taught to cook by her nonna; we are fortunate enough to feel as if we now also have that opportunity to demonstrate devotion with a dash of pragmatism.
The Levantine Vegetarian: Recipes from the Middle East by Salma Hage
These vibrant vegetarian home-cooking recipes capture the essence of the Middle East. You will not even notice that the recipes are vegetarian because as you munch along, eating your halloumi fries, all you will be considering is how many dishes is too many for tonight’s spread. I take comfort in the way Salma Hage describes herself as a Lebanese housewife from Mazarat Tiffah (Apple Hamlet) with over 50 years’ experience of family cooking, and also many years of working professionally as a cook. I feel like I am in very safe hands.
