
English food writer and television cook (born 1960)
Chef Alistair Little presents over 100 recipes specially tested for the kitchen. Every single one of the recipes presented is intended for any one from the absolute beginner to the accomplished culinary artisan. Where possible, alternatives are given for ingredients difficult or costly to obtain and every recipe includes advice on how to prepare ahead for efficient and panic-free cooking.
In this updated and greatly enlarged edition of her Book of Middle Eastern Food, Claudia Roden re-creates a classic. The book was originally published here in 1972 and was hailed by James Beard as "a landmark in the field of cookery"; this new version represents the accumulation of the author's thirty years of further extensive travel throughout the ever-changing landscape of the Middle East, gathering recipes and stories.Now Ms. Roden gives us more than 800 recipes, including the aromatic variations that accent a dish and define the country of origin: fried garlic and cumin and coriander from Egypt, cinnamon and allspice from Turkey, sumac and tamarind from Syria and Lebanon, pomegranate syrup from Iran, preserved lemon and harissa from North Africa. She has worked out simpler approaches to traditional dishes, using healthier ingredients and time-saving methods without ever sacrificing any of the extraordinary flavor, freshness, and texture that distinguish the cooking of this part of the world.Throughout these pages she draws on all four of the region's major cooking styles: - The refined haute cuisine of Iran, based on rice exquisitely prepared and embellished with a range of meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts - Arab cooking from Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan--at its finest today, and a good source for vegetable and bulgur wheat dishes - The legendary Turkish cuisine, with its kebabs, wheat and rice dishes, yogurt salads, savory pies, and syrupy pastries - North African cooking, particularly the splendid fare of Morocco, with its heady mix of hot and sweet, orchestrated to perfection in its couscous dishes and taginesFrom the tantalizing mezze--those succulent bites of filled fillo crescents and cigars, chopped salads, and stuffed morsels, as well as tahina, chickpeas, and eggplant in their many guises--to the skewered meats and savory stews and hearty grain and vegetable dishes, here is a rich array of the cooking that Americans embrace today. No longer considered exotic--all the essential ingredients are now available in supermarkets, and the more rare can be obtained through mail order sources (readily available on the Internet)--the foods of the Middle East are a boon to the home cook looking for healthy, inexpensive, flavorful, and wonderfully satisfying dishes, both for everyday eating and for special occasions.
For more than thirty years, Edie and Richard Middlestein shared a solid family life together in the suburbs of Chicago: two children, a nice house in the Chicago suburbs, ample employment, generous friends. But now things are splintering apart--for one reason, it seems: Edie's enormous girth. She's obsessed with food--thinking about it, eating it--and if she doesn't stop, she won't have much longer to live. When Richard abandons his wife, it is up to the next generation to take control. Robin, their schoolteacher daughter, is determined that her father pay for leaving Edie. Benny, an easygoing, pot-smoking family man, just wants to smooth things over. And Rachelle--a whippet thin perfectionist--is intent on saving her mother-in-law's life, but this task proves even bigger than planning her twin children's spectacular b'nai mitzvah party. Through it all, they wonder: do Edie's devastating choices rest on her shoulders alone, or are others at fault, too? With pitch-perfect prose, huge compassion, and sly humor, Jami Attenberg has given us an epic story of marriage, family, and obsession. The Middlesteins explores the hopes and heartbreaks of new and old love, the yearnings of Midwestern America, and our devastating, fascinating preoccupation with food.
A design-forward cookbook for sweet and savory baked goods from London's popular Violet Bakery that focuses on quality ingredients, seasonality, and taste (as opposed to science) as the keys to creating satisfying, delightful homemade pastries, tarts, sweets, and more.Violet is a jewel box of a cake shop and café in Hackney, east London. The baking is done with simple ingredients including whole grain flours, less refined sugars, and the natural sweetness and nuanced hues of seasonal fruits. Everything is made in an open kitchen for people to see. Famed for its exquisite baked goods, Violet has become a destination.Owner Claire Ptak uses her Californian sensibility to create recipes that are both nourishing and indulgent. With a careful eye to taste and using the purest ingredients, she has created the most flavorful iterations of classic cakes, as well as new treats for modern palates. Over 100 recipes include nourishing breakfasts, midday snacks, desserts to share, fruit preserves, and stylish celebration cakes.This book is about making baking worth simple to cook and satisfying to eat.
by Jacob Kenedy
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
• 2 recommendations ❤️
WITH KISSES FROM ITALYA frosty masterclass in the simple art of gelato...Gelupo Gelato presents a rainbow spectrum of simple, sophisticated gelato recipes from tangy Lime Sherbet to fruity Peach & Blood Orange , creamy Marron Glacé , and decadent Chocolate & Whisky .And that's not all! There are definitive recipes for a classic granita (like grown-up slushie), barely-melting semifreddo, ice cream cake, profiteroles, ice cream cones and brioche buns – as well as the only chocolate sauce you'll ever need and a tip sheet for pairing flavours."Once you've had one, you'll want them all" Evening StandardThis is the moment when gelato becomes your cold, sweet new Italian obsession.
'It's impossible to pinpoint a certain specific cuisine to one region, so when people ask me what type of food is Singaporean, I simply reply with "the delicious type". Southeast Asian cuisine is a proud mix of migrants and influences from all across Asia, which fuses together to create something even greater than the original.'Meaning 'to eat' or 'dinner time' in Malay, in Makan, rising star Elizabeth Haigh draws together recipes that have been handed down through many generations of her family, from Nonya to Nonya, creating a time-capsule of a cuisine. Growing up, it was through food that Elizabeth's mum demonstrated her affection, and the passion and love poured into each recipe is all collated here; a love letter to family cooking and traditions.Recipes Nonya-spiced braised duck stewpickled watermelon and radish saladbeef rendangSingapore chilli crabfried tofu with spicy peanut sauce spicy noodle soupnasi goreng (spicy fried rice)Miso apple pie... and many more!Adapting these traditional recipes to ensure ingredients are easily sourced in the West, Elizabeth brings a taste of Singapore to your own kitchen.
by Richard Beard
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
• 2 recommendations ❤️
In 1975, as a child, Richard Beard was sent away from his home to sleep in a dormitory. So were David Cameron and Boris Johnson.In those days a private boys' boarding school education was largely the same experience as it had been for generations: a training for the challenges of Empire. He didn't enjoy it. But the first and most important lesson was to not let that show.Being separated from the people who love you is traumatic. How did that feel at the time, and what sort of adult does it mould?This is a story about England, and a portrait of a type of boy, trained to lead, who becomes a certain type of man. As clearly as an X-ray, it reveals the make-up of those who seek power - what makes them tick, and why.Sad Little Men addresses debates about privilege head-on; clearly and unforgettably, it shows the problem with putting a succession of men from boarding schools into positions of influence, including 10 Downing Street. Is this who we want in charge, especially at a time of crisis?It is a passionate, tender reckoning—with one individual's past, but also with a national bad habit.
A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling-author of Miss Austen.On January 21, 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At thirty-one years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge—twelve-year-old Fanny Austen—Anne's arrival is all novelty and excitement. The governess role is a uniquely awkward one. Anne is neither one of the servants, nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the "upstairs" and "downstairs" members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in instant dismissal. Anne knows that she must never let down her guard. When Mr. Edward Austen's family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together, and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming, and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent, mistress can hardly fail to notice. Meanwhile Jane's brother, Henry, begins to take an unusually strong interest in the lovely young governess. And from now on, Anne's days at Godmersham Park are numbered.
Born in Swaziland in 1957, Richard E. Grant moved to the UK to pursue his acting career, and has been a fixture on our screens since his breakout role in Withnail and I in 1987. When his beloved wife Joan died in 2021 after almost forty years together, she set him a challenge: to find a pocketful of happiness in every day.The result is this book.Set between the present day and flashbacks to delightfully indiscreet diary entries recalling landmarks from his remarkable life and glittering career, this is an immensely personal and profound memoir that celebrates and cherishes life’s unexpected joys.Funny, moving and perceptive, A Pocketful of Happiness is an insight into the life of a much loved British actor.
by Regula Ysewijn
Rating: 4.2 ⭐
• 2 recommendations ❤️
In Dark Rye and Honey Cake, acclaimed food writer and historian Regula Ysewijn turns her focus to the bakes and culinary history of her Belgian homeland.Known as an expert in British baking and culture, acclaimed food writer and historian Regula Ysewijn turns her attention to her native Belgium for an intimate look at the culinary traditions and classic baked goods—including classic Carnival and Renaissance treats, pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes, breads and, of course, waffles.Dark Rye and Honey Cake includes a lavish photo gallery of Belgian landmarks and landscapes, historical artifacts, and images of every recipe. Regula’s unique ability to capture the detail and beauty of Belgium in her recipes and photos provides readers with a breathtaking engaging, and personal account of food culture in Belgium.80+ RECIPES: Discover dozens of Belgian bakes including, pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes, breads and, of course, wafflesBAKE FOR EVERY OCCASION: Create cozy breakfasts, decadent desserts, hearty breads and snacks as well as festive Carnival treats and authentic Renaissance recipesINSPIRING IMAGES: Beautiful photos of every recipe help ensure successA VIRTUAL VISIT: With historic facts detailing Belgium’s culinary history, lavish photos of landscapes and landmarks, and a compelling narrative from a native Belgian, Dark Rye and Honey Cake gives readers an inside peek into the country’s culinary history and current sceneEXPERT AUTHOR: Regula Ysewijn is a judge on the Flemish version of The Great British Bake Off and the author of The British Baking Book and has recently published The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook. with Weldon Owen