Books February 2009
Buonissimo! - Gino D’Acampo
What’s this? An Italian cookbook that has only a few pasta recipes in it? Now that’s a turn up for the books and no mistake. I’m so excited I am prepared to turn a blind eye to Gino D’Acampo’s moody posing in grainy black and white, sexy stubble and furry arms to the fore and with a sheen of olive oil all over his face. Not since the last Tom Aitken book has a chef preened quite so much between the covers.
Great Family Food Kevin Dundon
They say the Dinner Party that great middle-class social institution that flowered in the 80s is coming back. Maybe so, the music certainly is for those too young to have suffered it the first time round and I am digging out my old piano keyboard tie and bright blue Buggles spectacles just in case.
Jill Dupleix Lighten Up
With sections labelled, Easy, Special, Steamy, Fruity, Slow, Morning etc it’s easy to find your way around this book and to find something that appeals almost instantly. If you love your food but aren’t too fond of the love handles, this is the book to browse and be inspired by.
James Every Day: The Essential Collection
We all know James Martin, although these TV chef chaps are getting a bit hard to tell apart aren’t they? There’s the bald bloke who says ‘cooking doesn’t get tuffer than this!’ and the bloke who pretends to listen to him and who looks a bit sweaty and unwell. James isn’t one of them, he’s the bloke who you see on Saturday Kitchen and who your mum thinks is quite sweet.
Pies -Angela Boggiano
Ahhh pie, is there a more heart-warming word in the English language? Whether sweet or savoury, a pie is a thing of beauty and one which when it comes to table always stops conversation. It’s the smell of the pastry, the waft of escaping steam and the fact that it has to be shared by all that makes it such a focus of attention.
Using The Plot -Paul Merrett
That Paul Merrett should be a Michelin-starred chef and also a very good writer is galling for those of us who will never be either, His memoir is clearly written, informative, inspiring and above all funny. This book is fifty percent his record of a year taming his allotment and fifty percent the great recipes that he uses his produce for.
Anjum's New Indian - Anjum Anand
Fancy an Indian? A lot of people who watched Indian Food Made Easy on BBC certainly did. A new world record of men watching cookery programmes, unbeaten since Nigella’s early days of licking her fingers and simpering at the camera.
