thefoodiegifthunter.co.uk

Worth having someone else carry to your house!

There seems to be an obesity problem, and I’m not just talking about our waistlines! Browsing the food section of the bookshop it seems that cookbooks are just growing and growing in size! Which means you probably don’t want to lug them home. Well, not unless you buy two and are equally balanced, so getting a workout as you walk back! But if you’re not keen on that idea, then maybe request these from Santa and let the sleigh take the strain!

Here’s my five heavyweights for your consideration:

1. The Big Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal – this seems to be one of the weightiest around, weighing in at over 11 and a half pounds! That’s some serious book going on. Not the kind of book you’re going to whip out to cook up a last minute Wednesday night supper in half an hour, but a book to savour and enjoy in wonder and astonishment. Those of you whose molecular gastronomy is more up to speed than mine may well cook from it, the rest of us will just enjoy it! If you want a lighter weight Duck, then try The Fat Duck Cookbook.

2. A Day at ElBulli by Ferran Adria – must be something about those molecular gastronomy blokes, they add extra weight to the paper by some magical means. But compared to the Fat Duck tome, this is lightweight, as it tips the scales at a little under 7 pounds. Pah, nothing! Not so much a recipe book as an insight into everything that goes into making these eating experiences memorable. Great photographs take you through a day in the life of the restaurant, from sunrise to the end of service.

3. The Silver Spoon - this is definitely on my Christmas list, as I adore Italian food, and have had to eat my way around Milan and Bologna on various work trips. Tough, I know. In fact I don’t know how I don’t own this one already, it’s an absolute classic, the equivalent of Delia’s Complete Cookery Course in Italy. Looking forward to getting food stains and flour throughout its 6lbs worth of pages. I love the fact that recipes come with recommended wines, all Italian I would guess, and there are menu suggestions too. I can see the pasta machine getting a good work out if Santa lugs this down our chimney!

4. Vefa’s Kitchen by Vefa Alexiadou - possibly doing for Greek food what The Silver Spoon has done for Italian, this is just over 5.5 pounds of Greek delights. You just know this is going to take you way beyond dolmades and kleftico, and get into some fantastic regional dishes. I think this is a book to prop open on a cold night when it feels like the sunshine and warmth has gone for ever, and dream of a little taverna by the sea, a cold beer and amazingly well cooked simple food that tastes divine. No sign of molecular anything here, just a deep exploration into an underrated cuisine.

5. Happy in the Kitchen by Michel Richard - I know nothing about Michel Richard, although love that he calls himself Captain Crunch. Five pounds of technique meets whimsy, I like the fact that its recipes are playful and fun to cook. It also says they’re unique, often wildly simple and always genius. If you’re in Washington DC, you can visit his restaurant, Citronelle, and the food looks amazingly beautiful.

So, 34 pounds of cookbook delight that would definitely be worth getting your bookshelves reinforced for!

Time for another Friday Five from a guest blogger for a different point of view. Scott Can Cook is a fantastic blog, and I follow Scott on Twitter. Which can be a terrible thing, as he regularly invokes real food envy, particularly as he’s been working his way through the menu at Jamie’s Italian on a fairly regular basis. In fact, it would seem impossible that Scott has time to cook given the amount of eating out he does, so his choice of cookbooks seems entirely appropriate! Over to Scott!

A good friend recently proclaimed ‘Eating in is the new eating out’. In some aspects I tend to agree. You have complete control over ingredients and special requests. You can have seconds without the shame. Finally you get the satisfaction that you have cooked a phenomenal meal! The only downside is there is not a kitchen brigade to clean up the mess. I’ve picked my five top cookbooks that you can dine like a restaurant in the comfort of your own home.  

Cook Wagamama at home

The Wagamama Cookbook

If you are a fan of this Japanese noodle chain, then this book is an essential companion. The recipes are straightforward and easy to follow with proven results. The recipes are bursting with flavour and fun to cook.  All of the favourites are there: Chicken Kare Lomen, Vegetable Gyozas, Tora Kare Age and Amai Undon. Their book even has dishes that are not on the current menu. One word of warning, there is no recipe for Chicken Katsu Curry.  If you are a fan of the curry, seek out Japanese Golden Curry in the Japanese/Chinese markets, it’s a close match!

The Silver Spoon

I love eating out in Italian restaurants and there are loads of good cookbooks out there like Jamie’s Italy and The River Cafe, but one book trumps them all and that it The Silver Spoon. It is the most influential and successful cookbook in Italy. Originally published in 1950, it became an instant classic, selling over one million copies in eight editions. Considered to be essential in every household, it is still one of the most popular wedding presents in Italy today. It contains  hundreds of traditional Italian recipes and also modern recipes from some of the most famous Italian chefs, resulting in a style of cooking that appeals to the gourmet as well as the occasional cook. With over 2,000 recipes illustrated with specially commissioned artwork and photography, the book is destined to become a new classic in the Italian cookbook list.

The Last Course

I accidentally fell in love with the genius of Claudia Fleming one summer whilst having dinner at the Grammercy Tavern. The meal was amazing, but the desserts were out of this world. Now we are not talking show off desserts that defy architectural standards, just wonderfully composed, intellectual, and mouthwateringly divine! Claudia pioneered the composed dessert revolution. What is a composed dessert? Well separate desserts that are served together to make an altogether more impactful whole. I had the Rose Meringues with Summer Berries, Raspberry Sorbet, and Goat Yogurt Rose Mousse.  This is an essential for anyone that wants to deliver show stopping finales to their meals!

A Day At El Bulli

You know when there are odds of like 8 in a billion to get a reservation at a restaurant ,you need something to satisfy your desire for El Bulli. This book is just that. It’s part cookbook and part journal that gives you an insight into the ideas, methods and creativity of Ferran Adria. Even if you never cook a single recipe from the book it is worth it for the little peek into a day at the restaurant.  Includes over 1,200 photographs documenting the painstaking preparations for just one day of service from dawn at 6.15 am to switching off the lights at 2.00 am.  The book highlights 30 dishes which represent a full elBulli menu including Samphire Tempura with Saffron and Oyster Cream, Steamed Brioche with Rose-Scented Mozzarella, and Souffle of Granadilla with Cardamom Toffee. A must for any aspiring gourmand!

Ad Hoc at Home

There are cookbooks that are pure sex to look at and those that will get abused and used within an inch of their lives. Until now the two have never crossed paths. Ad Hoc at Home is the latest cookbook from America’s most noteworthy chef, Thomas Keller.  In Keller’s previous books he instills precision of technique and refinement of flavours, but most of the recipes were out of reach from home cooks.  With Ad Hoc at Home Keller delivers a Michelin starred execution of home-style dishes that people can actually easily achieve at home.  I’ve had the book for a week now and have managed to cook through about 12 of the recipes with glorious success. The book is beautiful to read and a joy to cook from.  The first recipe to try is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Forget everything you knew about fried chicken because there is a new king in town! Your guests will be awarding you 5 Michelin stars with these recipes!

So, we know now why Scott hasn’t been eating out so much! A fantastic choice of books that any cookbook shelf should be happy to include. Make eating in just as fabulous as good eating out!