Everyone Loves Tacos ~ Felipe Fuentes Cruz & Ben Fordham

Now I'm not one to argue with a couple of chefs who seem to know what they're doing, so when the title of their book calls out the fact that everyone loves tacos, I think it's more a matter of discerning which tacos are liked by which people, rather than arguing that there might be (crazy, I know) people out there who don't.

Now personally I am quite the fan of a good fish taco, and the boys have got me covered with a really fresh and frisky Tacos dorados de atún (deep-fried fresh tuna tacos) or some Tacos de salmon con frijoles negros picantes (salmon and spicy black bean tacos), but I know they might not be everyone's cup of tea, so if you're not that way inclined but still in the mood for some fresh seafood you might want to check out the Tacos de pulpo asado (octopus and parsley tacos) instead.

Okay, so I may have gotten ahead of myself a little and jumped straight to the seafood, but like many a great cookbook this isn't where the author's have started. There's a little about their background and a little about the taco's background ahead of a handy how-to on making your own corn tortillas. Next up they dish out some little cravings including Aguacate capeado a la cerveza (beer battered avocado dippers) and Tomatitos cherry rostizados (roasted cherry tomatoes) before moving on to breakfast and brunch dishes like Tacos de frijoles pintos y chorizo (pinto bean & chorizo tacos). They move into meat dishes, the Tacos al pastor (pork and pineapple tacos) look a treat, and vegetarian; don't go past the Tacos de calabaza rostizada (roasted pumpkin tacos) without stopping.

There's a great chapter of salsas and relishes before they switch it up again to desserts. These are dreamy - from the Tacos de tortilla a la canela y helado (cinnamon torilla & ice cream tacos), to the Taquitos de pay de manzana (apple pie taquitos), to the Tortilla de chocolate con helado (chocolate ice cream tacos with agave). All that's left is for you to pour yourself a Margarita de ruibarbo (rhubarb margarita) or a Agua de limon y menta (whole lime & mint agua fresca), put your feet up, and enjoy the sunshine.

Recommended for taco lovers of any persuasion.

Filipino Homestyle Dishes, Delicious Meals in Minutes ~ Norma Olizon-Chikiamco

I'm not sure how many of you have married a Filipina, but when you do, you marry not only the person you met, but also the whole Filipino culture - big families, festivals, four Ber months of Jose Mari Chan, Karaoke at birthday parties and central to it all, Filipino food. When my wife and I first started dating I mentioned to her that I like to cook, so on our third date I was set the challenge of creating Adobo without having looked at a recipe - she provided all the ingredients and I had to make them work together. Thankfully I could cook well enough to get me through that hurdle, and over the subsequent months she opened my eyes to a fantastic new cuisine, very different than the many other Asian cuisines that have been well represented in Australia for years.

While I was fortunate enough to explore Filipino cooking with the help of my partner, there were gaps in her knowledge and we could only call her mother so many times while cooking a dish. That is where books like this one come in - when we travelled to Cebu to meet her family, I took advantage and found myself some cookbooks in English to bring home, and this unassuming little book is quite a gem. It really is what it purports to be - it's the style of food we often cook at home - that her mother cooks, and that can be eaten every day.

Norma starts the book off with a brief introduction and then an outline of some basic Filipino ingredients, then dives straight in to the recipes. There are easy condiments like the Garlic Vinegar Dip, or Grilled Eggplant Relish, leading in to the appetisers like Papaya Achara, Calamares or Lumpiang Sariwa. The book has some delicious soups - you really can't go wrong in winter with her Bulalo recipe, and she has a nice Payapa and Ginger Chicken Tinola for the warmer months too. If you're feeling a bit under the weather, the Arroz Caldo is a simple but very well received comfort food. 

As you progress through the book you'll discover some of my favourites - all the noodles, the Pancit Canton, Pancit Bihon and Pancit Palabok. There's a simple Pork Humba, which is kind of the Cebuano variant of Pork Adobo, and which I've even taught my mother to master, and the delicious Bistek Tagalog that my wife makes best. There are recipes I love to eat but haven't yet mastered, like the Lechon Kawali, Kare Kare and Rellenong Alimasag, but what I really like about Norma's book is that it is really very accessible - the recipes are easy to follow, and is full of the type of things we do make - the slightly sweet Longganisa sausages, the Caldereta and Inihaw na Baboy. Finally, the book finishes up with a collection of dessert dishes such as the classic Halo-Halo, the very rich Leche Flan and my own favourite Buko Salad. I may have eaten several kilo's of Buko Salad last Christmas....

This book is recommended for anyone who has partnered up with a Pinoy spouse or for anyone wanting an easy way to explore Filipino cooking.

The Complete Book of Home Preserving ~ Mary Norwak

There is little in this world better than a cookbook that hits the mark perfectly, and in this case Mary Norwak has done it. From bottling to smoking, chutneys to crystallizing to liqueurs, this book has home preserving covered in every respect. Published in 1978, the photos are few and far between, and the food styling isn't quite up to today's standards, but if you are seriously considering preserving anything this book is the one to beat.

Not only is Mary comprehensive in her coverage of preserving subjects, but within each she explains the preserving process before providing a wide variety of recipes. Interested in potting meat, fish or poultry? Her chapter on potting details the best pots to use, how the meat should be prepared as well as how to clarify your butter for the essential layer of fat to preserve the meat. The recipes range from Potted Herrings and Potted Lobster through to Potted Mushrooms and Potted Pigeon - just in case you weren't sure what to do with that pigeon you caught crapping on your car.

Prefer to preserve something a little less unusual? Mary can get you cooking up a batch of Blackberry Jam, making your own Pickled Beetroot, creating your own Tomato Sauce or making Candied Chestnuts like a pro. Whether you're interested in Curing bacon at home, brewing your own Mead, or steeping some Sloe Gin, there are comprehensive instructional recipes, with excellent notes outlining how to get the best results from each preservation method, and troubleshooting should something fail.

This book is my favourite when it comes to preserving anything at all, so much so that when my mother wanted her copy back I tracked down one for myself and had the 35 year old copy shipped from the other side of the planet.

A fantastic resource from a noted author, this book is recommended for any cook wanting to stretch their preserving skills.

- Kath

Sex in the Kitchen ~ Opel Khan

Today I'm going to tell you all about Sex in the Kitchen, which I'm quite sure you've been dying to know about but have been too afraid to ask. Fear not, this is a topic I've explored at length and I'm more than willing to share this knowledge with you. There is something very sensual about the culinary experience, passionate and seductive, and Khan is quite unabashed in bringing this to the fore in his book, so let's step inside the pages for a moment and we can experience it together.

Pleasantly surprising, given that I'm sure the book was published with the aim of making sales based on clever marketing, is the fact that the recipes are accessible to the home cook, neatly presented with simple and easy to follow instructions, and each of them with a beautiful glossy photograph of the seductive treat. Further they stand up well to the test of time - published in 2004 the recipes don't feel dated and I'd happily partake in the proffered sex in the kitchen today, had I someone to participate in the experience with me (all the recipes serve two people).

The chapters venture from the sensual and romantic 'candlelit dinner', where you'll find tempting mains like the saffron gnocchi with broad beans & sage burnt butter, lobster with herb butter & spiced fig chutney, or duck breast with rose petal sauce to win over your potential lover, right through to the more base 'lust supper' where you can keep up your energy with a smoked trout salad or perhaps some fried haloumi with capsicum relish.

Elsewhere you'll find ways to remind your lover how sweet they are with the turkish delight soufflé accompanied by some home made vanilla ice cream, or perhaps you want to get straight to the point and pour them a slippery nipple. Personally I'm thinking about sharing a roast pumpkin, rocket & parmesan salad followed by the oven-roasted barramundi with clams, mussels & tomato, rounding it out with the saffron ice-cream & french meringue sandwich and then a pink lady. Anyone for dinner?

This book is recommended for adults - you know you all want it.

- Kath

Dark chocolate and orange truffles

Once upon a time I fell madly in love with a very wonderful person who happened to be rather fond of dark chocolate. We'd go to the movies where we'd hold hands and share a block of Lindt Intense Orange between us. When her birthday came along I was very keen to impress her, so I created this recipe especially, and as she liked the truffles so much I found myself recreating them every time I had an excuse to try and impress her.

The recipe is as follows:

1/4 cup cream
2 tbspn Cointreau
200g dark chocolate, chopped
(I like to use either Lindt 70% or a combination of Lindt 70% and Lindt 85%.)
Zest of 1-2 oranges, very finely grated
Cocoa (rich dark, good quality, to coat)

In a saucepan bring the cream, Cointreau, and orange zest to the boil, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove the cream mixture from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until the mixture is completely smooth. Transfer it to a bowl and chill.
Shape the chilled mixture into balls and roll in Cocoa to coat. Refrigerate.

This last step might need to be done in two stages, making rough balls and then firming them up again before smoothing them and dusting with cocoa.

I hope you enjoy the recipe - I have retired it from my repertoire as although the truffles have proven very popular, in the end I lost the girl and now it's finally time to start dreaming up new recipes to make for new girls.

- Kath

Mango magic ~ Bay Books

I once dated a girl who was allergic to mangoes. It lasted less than six weeks, and I haven't dated anyone since, which begs the question was I so traumatised by the possibility of not eating mangoes again that I have vowed off relationships? Perhaps that's not the only reason, so let's suffice to say I am a little bit in love with this fruit, and when I came across this book many years ago it found a place in my bookcase very swiftly.

I'm going to be honest with you here - the book was first published in the late 80's and it looks it, however if you are willing to look past the slightly dated food styling, you'll be pleasantly rewarded by the experience. Bay Books are an experienced cookbook publisher, and the book is easy to read and easy to use. Simply laid out recipes with straightforward methods and loads of big glossy photos provide an easy to use book for cooks of any experience level.

Admittedly I haven't cooked a lot of the recipes within the book, largely because I have to fend off my children to get near mangoes, so they tend to be eaten unadulterated, however there are plenty of reasons within the book to take your mango experience further.

You might start with the Indian mango salad which features chilli, yoghurt and coconut, or the Mango tabouli, but personally I'd skip the Seafood mango mould. For main dishes I feel spoilt for choice - I'd probably cook the Chicken with green mango curry, the Mango pork medallions or perhaps the Devilled mango crab which looks rather heavenly despite the name. And then you move onto the sweet stuff.

This is where the mango is truly in its element. The Mango soufflé, the Ginger mango cheesecake, the Mango ice cream, each and every one will leave you weak at the knees. I'm already thinking about when I'll make myself the After dinner mangoes, slices steeped in lemon juice, water and Cointreau, dried and rolled in cinnamon sugar and frozen for a cooling after dinner treat.

Now really, all this should be enough to satisfy the mango aficionado, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to find additional chapters on baked treats, pantry goodies and refreshing drinks. Personally I'm going to skip past the Mango gingerbread and its like, and drool over the Mango jam, the seven different chutney recipes (the Mango nectarine chutney sounds positively sinful), and the Spicy mango sauce. And while all this drooling is going on, a nice glass of Mango rum ice should keep me pretty well satisfied.

Recommended for mango fans, and those who love them.

- Kath

Rum Drinks, 50 Carribean Cocktails, from Cuba Libre to Rum Daisy ~ Jessica B. Harris

It's a warm day. I've been working hard in the garden and now it's time to chill. Whether you've earned it with a bit of hard physical labour or you just feel like relaxing, it's hard to go past a cool glass of something to set you on the right track to relaxing. If that's where you're at right now, you need look no further than this handy little cookbook. Rum drinks has got your cool classics and tropical tipples covered, along with a few other very handy bits and pieces.

The book commences with a background to rum and it's influence on history, then follows on with a chapter on all you'll need to know to mix your drinks, including no less than eight various sugar syrup recipes, including how to make your own grenadine. There are garnishes galore, and if you were ever curious about your liquid measurement conversions you'll find what you need here. I would expect most readers will skip past these chapters and head straight to the recipe sections, though with the glossy historical photographs you may find yourself caught up reading before you get anywhere near making yourself that drink.

It's the rum drinks though that you're looking for, and the book has two chapters of these to delight and tempt you. Where to start though? The first of the two chapters contains your classics, so you might like to start with the Canchanchara - nice and zingy with lime juice and honey, or perhaps the timeless Pina Colada. The Punch à la Noix de Coco with its freshly grated coconut, vanilla bean, lemon zest and nutmeg is also a promising option, or of course you can channel your inner Hemingway with a cool Mojito.

Moving onto the chapter on tropical tipples a little more variety sneaks in, and you might go with a Yellowbird featuring orange and lime juice and Tia Maria, a Rum Bloody Mary, or even indulge in a Boa Noite with the tartness of passionfruit juice. Throwing caution to the wind the chapter even has a recipe for the good old Shandy, and in my books that makes it a winner - definitely my cooling drink of choice after working in the yard.

And once you've started to relax you're probably going to be thinking about something to nibble on - well no need to fear, the book has you covered there too, with a nice little chapter on Caribbean snacks. The Plantain Chips or the Coconut Crisps will go nicely with your Rum and Ginger, or if you were interested in something a little more substantial you might go with the Sugarcane Shrimp or the Dominican Fried Chicken to accompany your High-Octane Limeade. And if you're not sure what nibbles to have with which drink, the final party planner chapter has that all done for you.

This is a nicely put together book, recommended for anyone experiencing warm weather who might be thirsty. Not one for recovering alcoholics or children though.

- Kath

How to cook children, a grisly recipe book ~ Martin Howard and Colin Stimpson

I have to admit, I've never managed to cook any of the recipes within the book and I suspect that is probably a good thing from everyones perspective. That said, any home cook wanting a truly representative collection on their shelves really should take a look at Howard and Stimpson's offering. Although lightweight at only seventeen recipes, each of them provide the cook tempting offerings rarely found in other books.

The recipes are each preceded by a note from the general editor, Esmelia Sniff, detailing interesting points about the recipe's author and the recipe provided. These are quite useful when it comes to selecting a recipe, for instance in introducing Mad Elaine de la Moustache's recipe for Enfant aux Escargots et Grenouilles she notes "Her food's all right if you don't mind disgusting foreign muck". The recipes are all delightfully illustrated with pictures of the the chef or their preparations, though thankfully these are drawn rather than photographed, which might have the tendency to put you off your food. A fairly standard format to each of the recipes, they aren't hard to follow - an introduction by each chef, a list of ingredients followed by the method.

What is trickiest about the recipes isn't the method itself, but sourcing the ingredients. Whether you're thinking about making the Moppet Vindaloo with Paul-oww Rice and Samosas, requiring lots of hot Pippas, a boy called Sam and another called Paul, or the Apple Betty with Eyes-Cream, needing a girl named Betty, some rabbit poo and lots of nits, you are unlikely to have the requisite ingredients to hand. My son had a reprieve recently when I was tempted to make the Leg of Aberdeen Angus with Chloeflower Cheese and Tatties as we didn't have a Tatiana or Chloe to hand, much to his sister's dismay.

To truly get the best out of the recipes in the book, the right ingredients are key. Ugla Snoganov in her recipe for Classic Gingerbread makes clear that the selection of the two young redheads needed is important, noting that "If they're not ginger enough then you'll be left with a load of Auburnbread. Too ginger and you'll get an oven-full of carrot cake". Sage advice from an experienced cook.

In light of the challenges in recreating the recipes in the book, not to mention the lengthy gaol terms if you succeeded, my personal recommendation would be to treat it as inspirational, and then move on to a more mainstream book to find the recipe you are actually going to cook. The Irish Stu with Little Dumplings sounds tempting? I'm certain you'll be able to find an Irish stew and dumpling recipe that will do the trick, and I'm sure a nice paella recipe would do in place of the Pie-Ella.

Recommended for parents and their children wanting a giggle, and perhaps that group from Terminus in season five of The Walking Dead.

- Kath

A Feast of Ice & Fire ~ Chelsea Monroe-Cassel & Sariann Lehrer

I love this cookbook. I'm perfectly happy to admit I'm quite a fan of Game of Thrones, so when I found this, and endorsed by George R. R. Martin himself, it was a must have for my collection. That aside, the book itself is great, from the extensively researched recipes to the big glossy photos, it's a feast in and of itself.
Split into chapters based on the cuisine of the regions around the fantastic Westeros, Monroe-Cassel and Lehrer have covered off nicely on all the medieval inspired dishes you could want, from the hearty and warming dishes of The Wall such as Mutton in Onion-Ale Broth and Pork Pie, through to the Honey-Spiced Locusts and Tyroshi Honeyfingers from all the way across the narrow sea.

What is particularly impressive about the book is the way they present the recipes, and in particular those which have been sourced from original medieval texts. Each recipe is preceded by a quote from one of Martin's novels mentioning it, providing context for the dish presented, and this is followed on many recipes by notes from the authors detailing the origin and inspiration for the recipes they present. The recipes themselves are very accessible, clearly presented and easy to follow, but best of all is that those originally from medieval sources, which might tend to stretch the modern palate, are coupled with a modern version of the same dish. The Medieval Pease Porridge is partnered with a modern version, likewise the Elizabethan Lemon Cakes and also the Medieval Mulled Wine, with a sister recipe of Southron Mulled Wine sourced from a chaplain's wife at a top British university. This provides the reader with both the inspiration and the means for creating their own Game of Thrones inspired feast with scope for whatever varying degree of authenticity they choose.
Whether you're wanting to sample the richness of the North with Aurochs Roasted with Leeks, Turnips in Butter and Baked Apples, head south to the warmth of Dorne for Dornish Snake with Fiery Sauce and Stuffed Grape Leaves or feast like the ruler of the Iron Throne in Kings Landing on Roasted Boar, Quails Drowned in Butter, and Almond Crusted Trout, this book will satisfy. Finish the feast with some Peaches in Honey, Apricot Tarts and a cool glass of Iced Milk with Honey before you sleep it off, and you'll be all set to feast again another day.
This is the first cookbook which had the boys at work all excited, and is highly recommended for fans. Not a bad resource for the rest of you either, but be quick. Winter is coming.

- Kath

The Retro Cookbook ~ ACP Books

'Ahh, retro cooking, that's a bit of a throwback' I can hear you thinking, 'full of ghastly dishes that should have been left in the seventies'. In answer to your question (yes, I know you thought you were making a statement, but we all know that you really wanted to find out if that statement is true), the answer is both yes and no. Yes, there is the odd recipe here and there that you may have hoped would never again see the light of day, a la Devilled eggs, but no, that's not really the essence of the book and I think you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised.
What this book is about is renewing and revitalising the classics, the kinds of dishes our mothers and grandmothers made, with a fresh take or sometimes just a fresh feel to them. There is a reason that dishes like Eggs Benedict and Caesar Salad have stood the test of time, that Pork loin with apple sauce will always see the plate licked clean, and that the good old Classic Trifle still features at every family christmas. Retro isn't about old and dated, it's about taking the best forward with us. This is simple food, cooked well, and cooked with heart.

The book is delightfully kitsch, its pages peppered with just the right mix of modern takes on the traditional, reproductions of pages from older cookbooks, and some funky 1950's advertisements. It is divided into themed chapters such as 'The milk bar' and 'Dinner with the Joneses', and most delightfully 'Here comes Santa', though the recipes stand alone and are suitable for a myriad of purposes. Breakfast in bed for that someone special, how about the Raspberry hotcakes with honeycomb butter. The girls are coming by for lunch - how about the Chicken burger with avocado and bacon, and for the vegetarians the Chilli and mint eggplant burgers with some Quince and Rhubarb pie for everyone to finish with. The recipes are well constructed, straightforward and accessible, and most of all generally very tasty.
This review resulted from a phone call from the lovely April, so I have been thinking about which recipe most suits her, if I had to pick a single recipe from the book that reflects how I see her, which would it be? Now this is something that I have been mulling over for some time now, how do you find a recipe that reflects a person? I was tempted by the Coffee creme caramels, very tempted in fact, however they are just too smooth, too simple and lack both depth and substance. The Limoncello meringue pies are close, so very close, but ultimately too cloying and sweet. No, for April I have chosen the Lemon Creme Brulee Tarts. Robust, complex, sweet but with a sharp tangy edge, textured and layered and protected by a crust of golden toffee. That is the recipe that best reflects April.
This is a cookbook for everyone, and by everyone I mean everyone who enjoys cooking and having a bit of fun at the same time. Possibly not one for the reluctant retiring BBQ manly type of bloke, but girls go for your life. Recommended for lovely ladies who get off on dressing up in frocks and for the odd psychologist or two.

- Kath

Practical Cookery ~ Victor Ceserani, Ronald Kinton and David Foskett

This book has had a home in my bookcase for many years and is indeed as practical as the title suggests. It was my bible while studying cookery way back in the mid 90's, the standard text which all aspiring chefs lugged around from class to class, and it served me well in the kitchens at East Sydney Tafe. Whilst I never went on to continue the professional journey as a cook, I have held onto this gem and courted its' pages periodically since then, with a fondness that comes from our shared passion for cookery.
Perhaps passion isn't the word that would automatically spring to mind when you start flicking through the 700 plus pages of recipes, indeed there are no seductive menu suggestions, no tantalising double page photographic spreads of delicious treats. What this book gives you instead are recipes for consommé, for Gnocchi romaine, for chicken vol-au-vent. "Passion my arse," I can hear you think. But passion is what this book is all about. It is about helping those with a love of cooking develop their skills, learn the very fundamentals of the craft, and begin at the beginning. It is about making accessible very simply the traditions of the profession. It is about food and about cookery and about the people who choose to make this their life's work, and it doesn't get much more passionate than that.

So with recipes so basic (so very fundamental), what practical purpose does a book like this hold for the more experienced cook? I'm glad you asked ~ it is a treasure trove, it holds little keys to the wider world of cookery, and while you may want to let your creativity flow and impress the world with your deft combination of flavours and textures, you cannot go past this book for the basic starting blocks. You can work with the basic bavarois and give it a little tweak, you can make your own puff pastry for creating something decadent, or you can simply make a fresh egg pasta dough to accompany with something fresh and delicious. More simply though, this book is a resource, it is comprehensive in covering the basics of cookery methods, it is well structured and simple to follow, and best of all has a fantastic index. It is not pretty, nor does it pretend to be, but it is practical and hidden within its' pages is passion.
Recommended for apprentice chefs and for those who studied cookery and look back at it fondly as one of their happiest times.

- Kath

Grandma Davies Boiled Fruit Cake ~ Sarah Jane Davies (nee Dawson)

Christmas is fast approaching, so getting into the spirit of the season I decided to bake one of my very favourite christmas treats - a moist, delicious boiled fruit cake. For such a long time I wasn't a fan of fruitcake - it can be dry and just not really that nice, but this recipe is moist and flavoursome and just good. It also holds special meaning, as it is my great-grandmother's recipe that she would make each year, and which she gave to me about twenty years ago. My great grandmother passed away earlier this year, just a few months shy of turning 100 in August, and making the cake today made me happy, the smell reminded me of her little kitchen, and all the treats we'd get when we'd visit. Wherever you are Grandma, we miss you, and we think of you.

Here's her recipe;

1/2 cup sherry
1lb (500g) mixed dried fruit*
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 eggs
4oz (125g) butter
1 cup cold, mashed cooked pumpkin
1tbs golden syrup
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup plain flour
1 cup beer
1tsp bi-carb soda
1/4tsp salt

Place the fruit, sugar, butter, golden syrup, salt and beer in a saucepan. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes and then allow it to cool thoroughly. *After the fruit is cooked you can add a few chopped dates to the mixture while it's still hot.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, pumpkin, bi-carb and sifted flours to the cooled fruit mixture and mix well.
Bake for 1 3/4 hours in a moderate oven. Pour the sherry over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

What I haven't told you yet, one of the very best things about this cake, is that you can give the flavour lovely subtle variations through a few different means. Over the years I've used boiled and roasted pumpkin, I try different types of beer (imagine the difference between the Corona and the Guinness versions), and I've used a gorgeous imported sherry which blew the other cakes I'd made right out of the water. I hope you have fun with it, enjoy it, and think about someone important to you as you make it. That's what christmas is all about really - the people important to you.

- Kath

Kafka's Soup, A complete history of world literature in 14 recipes ~ Mark Crick

This book brings together two of my great passions in a simple yet amusing and very, very clever way. Kafka's soup subtly blends together the writing styles of 14 of the world's great literary figures to deliver an extraordinarily readable cookbook, as much at home amongst the classical literature as it is in the kitchen, if not perhaps more so.

The recipes selected are both appropriate to the voice they are delivered in, and are highly edible, if you are able to move beyond enjoying the book for it's literary and humourous values and actually cook from it. Although I've not read literature by each author Crick represents, I have read enough of them to thoroughly revel in the work, and can imagine that the recipes indeed comes directly from his or her kitchen.

The recipes run the gamut including Tarragon eggs a la Jane Austen where we hear Jane's literary voice explain that "The eggs of Oakley Farm had only recently been settled in at the kitchen at Somercote, but already Mrs B___ was planning a meal that would introduce them to the neighbourhood with what she hoped would be universal acceptance". Crick builds a story around the recipe, preceding the actual food preparation with three pages establishing the motive and decision behind the choice of Tarragon to accompany the eggs before moving onto what is essentially a very simple scrambled egg with tarragon.

The Fenkata a la Homer explores both a decidedly appetising rabbit dish, as well as the tension between Achilles and Agamemnon over who gains the better portion, drawing the reader back into the world of the Illiad, and the very sensual Boned Stuffed Poussins a la Marquis de Sade also draw the reader back to the works of the literary great they are imitating. All the recipes are extremely readable, from the Onion Tart a la Geoffrey Chaucer to the Clafoutis Grandmere a la Virginia Woolf, and I even enjoyed the Coq au vin a la Gabriel Garcia Marquez (possibly because it didn't take 100 pages for anything to happen), but my favourite recipe is definately the Rich Chocolate Cake a la Irvine Welsh.

This cookbook is a joy to read, especially if you're into literature. Recommended for literary types, and those who like a giggle.

- Kath

Fondue & Table Top Cookbook ~ Marina Wilson

Who doesn't like a good fondue? It's a great social occasion sharing a glass of wine or two as you hover around the pot with your guests trying desperately not to drop the cube of bread off your fork. As a true child of the 1970's with a mother who, at least when I was young, entertained in the true spirit of the times, I grew to love fondue parties, as they were the highlight of the social calendar. It's a fondness that has stayed with me, though I can't say I've hosted a fondue party, so when I mentioned a few days ago that I am partial I was pleasantly surprised by the response of my friends (who I believe are also true 1970's children). What better to do then than to pull out a true 1970's fondue cookbook with a view to a fabulous 1970's style fondue party sometime in the not too distant future? And they don't come much more authentic than this gem, published in 1974, another originally from my mother's collection.

The book is in two parts, that specifically dealing with fondue's (and a chapter on sauces), and that for tabletop cooking. The latter features appetizers and dips such as the somewhat interesting sounding Gherkin dip, a selection of even more interesting sounding mains like the Elmhouse chicken livers and Kidneys flambes, some less than interesting salads as well as desserts and beverages. Some of the latter two sections sound decidedly tasty, and I'm certain I would have no difficulty getting through the Apples a la Brandy, the Jamaican mango or the Cherries flambes washed down with an Orange and Cognac supreme or a strong Irish coffee.

The true strength of course of the book though is the chapters of fondues in all their kitsch glory. The opening chapter does what all opening chapters should, and draws you in with the hook of the cheese fondues. 36 cheese fondues to be precise, ranging from Affluent fondue which has both kirsch and riesling, and is served with tinned champignons (yes I think affluent may have meant something different in 1974), to Port and cheddar fondue (very strong - I recall making this when I was in my teens), Rheinlander fondue and Queensland fondue, because we all know that Queenslanders are different to the rest of us. Following up this are the meat fondues, where the meat is cooked in the pot of flavoured stock or oil, and then the seafood fondues. Again there is quite a variety to cater for all tastes, ranging from Rabbit fondue and Meatball fondue through to Mussel fondue. I can honestly say I am unlikely to cook too many of these, but it warms my heart to know that the recipes are out there. There are a small selection of sauces on offer, but as we all know, the fondue wins out when it comes time to open the chapter on dessert fondues.

Oh the desserts! Okay, honestly, I'm never going to cook the Peanut butter and honey fondue, but the Sweet fondue of cream, Tia Maria and brown sugar, the Chocolate Rum fondue or the Brandied coffee fondue - not a problem at all - Yum!

Simple, easy to follow recipes the whole way through the book, and very difficult to fail at achieving a most authentic 1970's feel if you follow the recipes religiously. Use your nous and modify them a smidgen and you might even convert a few non fondue aficionados to the cause.

Recommended for 1970's children, their reminiscing mothers and fondue lovers everywhere.

- Kath

Cook Box ~ Robert Carrier

So here is a true gem, originally from my mother's collection. Carrier had a prolific career as a restauranteur, cookery writer and celebrity chef, and although I have not been able to determine the exact date that this set was published, it is most likely to have been during the early part of the 1970's, though it is possible that it may have been the late 1960's. The set consists of a box of (originally) eighty recipe cards, twenty recipes on salads and appetisers, twenty seafood recipes, twenty meat, game and poultry, and the final twenty of desserts. The set I have is in rather a sad state of disrepair, and I am missing card 20 in the desserts set, and card 2 from the seafood set, however what I do have are just wonderful.

The recipes themselves very much reflect the flavour of the time, and I'm not sure that I would necessarily cook those such as the Sardine-stuffed lemons, the Carrot ring mould with peas and onions or the Orange apricot chantilly. That said, there are some delightful recipes which I would still be more than happy to partake in, such as the French apple flan (whew, I didn't think I'd find one for a moment there!).

Okay, so despite the recipes not being of quite the calibre I'd utilise for my next dinner party, they are definitely accessible, with a great big glossy picture on the front and fairly straightforward instructions on the reverse. I think though that the very best thing about these cards is that they cause me to think of my childhood, when I'd rummage through them and imagine one day making these delicious treats. I do believe that this little box of cards began my love affair with cookbooks. And so, my very favourite card, the one that I love most, card 4 of the desserts, the Poires a la Bourguignonne. It makes me smile.

Recommended for die hard fans of kitsch and food history fans alike. Oh, and collectors, a definite collectors item!

- Kath

Homestyle vegetarian ~ Bay books

Homestyle vegetarian is simply that - no nonsense, good, wholesome and hearty vegetarian recipes that are easy to cook at home.There are a lot of things to like about this book, from the big glossy photo's and either single or double page spreads for each recipe, to the very easy to read and follow recipes. Divided into chapters both for different meals and for different types of dishes it covers off nicely on everything but dessert.

What I really like about it is the variety offered throughout the book, from a really yummy Mixed berry couscous breakfast dish to Roast beetroot and onion wedge salad to Thai tempeh. There are a lot of very yummy (and very easy) dishes to whet the appetite. I can just imagine tucking in at the end of a cold winter's day to a big bowl of Chickpea and herb dumpling soup, some Pumpkin and basil lasagne or the very delicious sounding Mushroom moussaka. There are also a few recipes though that just miss the mark as far as I am concerned, such as the Vegetable shapes with créme fraîche and fried leek and the Stir fried tofu with orange and fresh pineapple. Still, the book is very accessible to the non-vegetarian audience, so I can forgive this.

As far as vegetarian cookbooks go, this one is somewhere in the middle of the range. There is an assumption made that the audience are all ovo-lacto vegetarians and quite happily eat both dairy and eggs, so no effort has been made to include a key as to which recipes would suit which type of vegetarian, or even to simply mark out recipes suited to a vegan audience. This marks it as a book written and published for this audience by those who are not vegetarian themselves, which is not a problem, however there are better suited books to the hardcore V's.

Recommended for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike - I wish my mother had had this book twenty years ago. In fact if you are still at home and vegetarian - get this for your mother ~ you might not end up having pasta napolitana with tinned pineapple thrown into it.

- Kath

Middle Eastern Cookery ~ Christine Osborne

Where else are you going to find Beid Ghanam (Sauteed lambs' testicles) and Kadin Buda ("Lady's thighs") only a few pages from each other? Where else indeed! If you are interested in learning about Middle Eastern cookery you really needn't go much further than this book. And why would you not be interested?

All right, so we may not all be foodies, but I'll bet each and every one of you could find something deliciously satisfying between the covers of this book. Whether you're a lover of simple dips like Babagannouj and Hummus or have a sweet tooth for delights like Baklava or Almond fingers, there's something in here for you. Full of glossy pictures and with recipes which are really quite simple and easy to follow, its hard to go far wrong with this book.

Okay, I hear you say, but what about Dad/Nana/Great Aunt Delilah whose tastes have to be accounted for. Personally I say bugger them, but if we really have to think about them, why not keep the menu simple - say we start off with Courgette soup, followed up with Roast Chicken stuffed with pine nuts and French Bean, Leek and Asparagus salad, followed by Date Rolls with Middle Eastern Lemonade to wash it down. I promise if you don't tell them they won't even realise! Meanwhile you can plan a special dinner for when Nana's out of town and treat yourself (and a date?) to the Duck in Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce. Mmmmmm.

Recommended for foodies, cookbook collectors and anyone who likes to try flavoursome new recipes.

- Kath

Homestyle cookies, muffins + cakes ~ Bay Books

This book is one of those really simple to use cookbooks that has been well thought out and well designed and presented, and not at the expense of the recipes contained within. It's actually the second of two books I bought with the exact same content, which although seemingly a waste at the time has actually come in very handy since my ex has claimed half my beautiful cookbook collection. Unfortunately I can't tell you exactly what the other one was called (currently packed in a box awaiting removal to the exes new place), but it had a purple cover if that helps at all :)

What I really like about this book is the simplicity - big glossy pictures - straightforward recipes and only one or two recipes a spread, so very easy to handle in the kitchen. And straightforward isn't to say that the recipes are dull, not at all, there are some absolute delights contained within, but they are the sort of thing you could easily throw together, or get the kids to help you with without taxing your skills or your sanity much at all.

I can easily imagine a dozens of different reasons to bake some of the goodies within. The Walnut brownies or the Ginger shortbread creams would make ideal fare for a work morning tea, the kids would absolutely have a blast helping make the Gingerbread people or the Butterfly cupcakes, or just wolfing down some Sugar and spice palmiers, and it would be such a pleasant way to fill in an afternoon with my grandma over a cup of tea and some Marbled blueberry cake or some Chocolate apricot pretzels. But the best reason of all, to impress someone special - I think I'd try serving the Coffee kisses first, then perhaps the Hazelnut truffle slice, or I suppose if things weren't going well the Sour cherry cake. Guess that might depend on the special someone. I'm thinking coffee, very dark chocolate and something with a hint of orange might be nice...

I would absolutely recommend this book to your ordinary garden variety home cook, the recipes are straightforward, look good, and most of all are nice and tasty.

- Kath

Scots Tablet

The thing I really like about having a really good cookbook collection is that I can use my cookbook powers for good. I was asked recently by a friend if I had a recipe for Scots Tablet amongst my collection, but I really wasn't sure at the time, but having checked I can safely say yes I do, and here it is;

2 lb granulated sugar
4 oz butter
1/4 pint water
1/4 pint milk
Large tin condensed milk
1 tspn vanilla essence

Put the sugar, butter, water and milk into a large heavy pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil and boil for 10 minutes without stirring. Stir in the condensed milk and boil for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla essence. Beat the mixture for 1 minute, then pour into a buttered shallow tin and mark into squares. Cut when cold.

So there you have it - Scots Tablet in all its' glory. Now all I have to do is work out how much a quarter of a pint is and I'll be able to make it for you all. Enjoy!

- Kath

Fresh Thai ~ Oi Cheepchaiissara

Fresh Thai is as much about feeding your eyes as it is about feeding your stomach, but oh my, what a feed! I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for Thai food, and if you throw some lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves or coriander leaves (omg yum!) at me I'm a very happy woman. The book is gloriously glossy, with double page photographs littered throughout, displaying all the colour and freshness that is a key feature of the cuisine.


The recipes themselves, whilst delicious in every way, are perhaps not the most conducive to cooking from. The ingredients are listed consecutively across the line, rather than listing them down the page, making preparation slower and more methodical, and likewise the method is written in the same way, with a bolded number written between each step. Although reasonably simple recipes in many ways, the style of production of the book itself does not really lend itself to the cook. The book itself is reasonably small in size, however quite thick, so doesn't comfortably sit open on the workbench or a book stand. It is a great size for leafing through to look at the recipes, but not for cooking from.

That said, if you are leafing through the book for some inspiration, you will not be disappointed in the slightest. From Steamed crabs to Barbecued pork spare ribs and Spring flowering chives with squid to Panaeng chicken curry, the food is to die for. There are vegetarian dishes such as Stir-fried mushrooms with ginger or divine desserts like Sago pudding with white lotus seeds or Black sticky rice with egg custard, but the recipe my eyes just can't go past is the deliciously beautiful and delightfully colourful Quail egg salad with prawns ~ Mmmmmm.

I recommend this for the cook who enjoys Thai food, and only occasionally needs a recipe to cook it. Definitely recommended for those who love to eat Thai food, and especially if you can convince someone else to use the book and cook it for you.

- Kath