Review: Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I read this because it was recommended by Nigella Lawson, and when she says something is good I trust that. And rightly so - I've never had a bad recipe from her, and this book is a truly wonderful read. Lawson said of this book: "Laurie Colwin writes about food with love, lightness and an elegant intimacy reminding us that cooking is about life, not recipes". And this to me perfectly sums up this book. It may be about food, but food is life.

When reading you feel welcomed into the writer's world. It is not the food itself that is important but the life we lead around it and the memories we create. It is not the incredible dinners Colwin remembers but the people that were their and the things that happened. The food, in this case, is a side dish to a wonderfully full (if short) life. I particularly enjoyed her recollections of her first forays into cooking in her minuscule one-room apartment (intriguingly titled 'Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant') and her appraisal of potato salad - which she beloveds, and I agree, can never be truly awful. These are honest, everyday food experience to which every reader can relate. This is not a pretentious food snob telling you with gusto about the time the perfected their signature dish, it is your friend telling you about that hilarious time they ruined a perfectly good red snapper trying to seduce their future husband.

There are recipes in this book, but I doubt I will cook any of them for this book has touched me in a way that goes far beyond mere recipes and delves into the real reasons we cook, speaking to the heart rather than our stomachs.



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Review: Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast

Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast by Nigella Lawson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is the food I associate with Nigella, and it is the reason I love her and will always turn to her for advice, inspiration and solutions to every kitchen debacle. I may be biased in my admiration of her, but this book is wonderful regardless of any previous acquaintance with her recipes and conversational witter.

There is a speedy solution for every occasion and every appetite. All of it is essential to a well rounded kitchen repertoire I feel. From indulgent desserts such as chocolate pear pudding and a recipe for mincemeat squares that mean you won't miss mince pies at all, to simple meals like a chef's salad of lettuce, avocado and ham with a mustardy dressing and curry in a hurry is the ultimate frozen vegetable/store cupboard saviour. I kid you not when I say every occasion is covered - there is a recipe for pomegranate duck that would impress the most sophisticated of dinner party guests that can be whipped up in no time at all.

There are many cookbooks promising meals in 30 minutes, some as little as 15, but part of me doesn't trust these chefs whose skills are far beyond mine. Nigella though, has none of their training is all the better for it. When she says express, she means it and I trust that I can achieve it. These recipes appear realistic and I am undaunted by the task of cooking them.

And that's what makes this cookbook so perfect. Everything is a delightful combination of flavours, and within my reach. It is exactly what was missing from my cookbook collection.



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Book Review: Oriental Dinner Party Cookbook

Oriental Dinner Party Cookbook by Australian Women's Weekly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks - they are true classics. The sleek modern ones and old second hand ones I've picked up in Vinnies sit side by side on my book shelves. But it is the second hand ones I love the most. Filled with delicious food and amusing - what more could a girl ask for?

This one is a real classic. 'Oriental' should give it away really. Some of the food is delicious looking, some suspect and the Chinese chapter is like a trip down memory lane, back to the country town Chinese restaurant of my childhood where the most exotic thing I ate was beef and black bean and my go to was that yummy, crunchy honey chicken (those crunchy noodles they served it on - so good!).

When I saw this sitting quietly on a shelf in Newtown Vinnies a week ago I knew it was meant to be. Whether or not I ever cook from it, I've already had so much enjoyment from it to consider it the best $2.50 I've spent in awhile!

It's a tricky one to track down being out of print (though I thought I saw a reprint a little while ago?) but try eBay and keep an eye out in any second hand stores. Booko.com.au could also be useful - it's a great price comparison website for new and used books, and is always my first port of call for buying any books.

Pork Meatballs with Noodles

I haven't done a savoury recipe here in awhile, and these are just yum. So I had to share! Its basically taking your stir-fry, and upping the game. But, its really no harder. Think of this as the stir-fry you can serve other people. Basic enough that things won't get out of hand, a little more elegant (as is things often are with Donna Hay recipes) and just enough effort that your dinner guests will be impressed.

There may be a little extra washing up to do, but trust me, its worth the effort to make something pretty simple a little more adventurous.

What's also good is that you can downsize or upsize the recipe for however many you need to feed. The recipe as is serves four (or three if someone's a really big eater).

• 450g asian-style noodles (I used vermicelli, but anything dried or fresh will do)
• 500g pork mince*
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (not olive if you can help it)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 chillies, seeds removed & sliced (OPTIONAL)
• 1/4 cup oyster or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves

*cheat and use the same weight in sausages, just removing the casing and leaving out the breadcrumbs if you like

Cook the noodles according to the packet & set them aside.

Combine the pork (or sausage mince), crumbs, ginger and hoisin in a bowl. Mix well to combine, preferably using your hands. Then shape tablespoonfuls of the mix into balls and roll in sesame seeds. Set the aside on a plate until you're ready to cook.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs 6-8 minutes on each side. The sesame seeds should be nice and crispy and the meat cooked through. Set aside.

Give the pan a quick wipe with some paper towel and then add the sesame oil, garlic and optional chilli. Cook until fragrant (about 2 mins). Add the remaining ingredients, tossing to combine and heat the noodles.

Serve in bowls sprinkled with a few extra sesame seeds and coriander leaves for added pizazz.

You could easily add vegetables to this - I'd start with any Asian greens, or even just some spinach/silverbeet/kale/etc. Experiment - go wild!

Adapted from Donna Hay's 'Simple Dinners'.

The Weekly Digest #20

1. Kaelen's spring/summer collection. Adore the graphic prints on quirky, sporty shapes. Coveting everything - from the easy basics too the special printed pieces. 
2. Lace table runners. I saw a picture on Pinterest and my heart was stolen. Etsy, Ebay and Vinnies will be the place to find one I feel. And hopefully just in time for my Christmas party this weekend.
3. And that brings me to my next major thought this week: Christmas! I admit, my tree has been up for weeks (I got excited) and I have been wholeheartedly planning a Christmas party. I have endless lists and ideas...
4. Passionfruit. Maggie Beer's banana & passionfruit pavlova in her new book started it. Since then I've become a little obsessed with the stuff. I've unearthed endless recipes! These would be some favourites that I can't wait to try: coconut meringue sandwiches with passionfruit ice cream, coconut rice pudding with passionfruit & banana, passionfruit puddings, passionfruit eton mess, passionfruit tart, orange & passionfruit yoyos, and passionfruit & ricotta cheesecake.  I know, long list.
5. The December issue of (Australian) Vogue. Arizona Muse is to die for.

Book Review: Squares & Slices

Squares & Slices. by The Australian Women's Weekly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If your not much of a cook but you'd rather not be eating strange prepackaged snacks, this book is perfect. Most recipes are fairly simple, with just a few fancy ones for afternoon or morning teas where you need to impress. You can get away with basic kitchen equipment too: a slice tin, mixing bowl and measuring cups and spoons will get you through most recipes.

My picks would be the peanut butter and jam brownies, coffee pecan slice, choc-raspberry lamington slice and the chewy pistachio & almond slice.

At $5 each, they're an easy affordable way to get started in the kitchen.

Book Review: Jamie at Home

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oliver's food philosophy is similar to my own, and this book is an obvious choice for me. In the future I hope to have a vege garden of my own, but until then I will incorporate the windowsill herbs and balcony spinach and rocket crops into my everyday. How wonderful, I think, to eat with the seasons and to be inspired to create and experiment.

Underneath all that, there is delicious food written about in Oliver's friendly conversational style. And thats all I really ask for, so, yet again I'm a satisfied reader/cook.

Book Review: Simply The Best

Delicious: Simply the Best by Valli Little
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favourite cookbooks. Simple enough for the everyday cook, fancy enough to feel a sense of satisfaction when you serve every meal.

It's got a great basics section at the back (think pesto, stocks, dressings and a good custard) and its handily divided into occasions rather than seasons, ingredients or courses. I love 'Beyond Wicked' for the luscious desserts (chocolate swirl meringues, Turkish delight cheesecake and an ice cream terrine for starters) and 'Date Night' offers stunning meals for two (lamb en croute, quail with rose petals and passion cake are sure to seduce). But my favourite is 'Get Cosy' with dishes for the cooler months (think warm barley salad, duck cassoulet and the most elegant self-saucing chocolate pudding I've ever seen).

Don't be put off by the pretty pictures. Things are much less refined then they seem.

Book Review: Jamie's Dinners

Jamie's Dinners. Jamie Oliver by Jamie Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said about this book (and Oliver himself). I'm not sure I need to reiterate how awesome it is.

What I will say is that Oliver has a wonderful way of writing, and with each book of his I read (yes, I read them cover to cover), I feel like I'm getting to know him and that each book is a continuing conversation picked up from where the previous book finished.

I can also confirm that the dishes in here are as delicious as they appear in print and picture!

Book Review: Jamie's Italy

Jamie's Italy. Jamie Oliver by Jamie Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For anyone beginning to explore Italian, this book would be a perfect starting point. I say this as not only does Oliver provide wonderful recipes, the Italian-ness of them is explained. Each dish has a story, and Oliver is an expert in telling it. I'd also highly recommend it as this is from a chef who is not only trained in the Italian way of cooking by Italians, but wrote the book, and discovered many of the recipes, because he went to Italy and bothered to look beyond pizza and pasta (though both are included) and talk to people at markets, in their homes, and in small local places.

Oliver's Italy is the real Italy, and their is no point learning about anything else!

Book Review: Delia's Cakes

Delia's Book of Cakes by Delia Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An homage to cake. This book is one of the prettiest in my collection; very clean and glossy.

That said, nothing is particularly out of the ordinary (although the case could be made for chocolate 'surprise' cupcakes which are made from mashed potato). There are plenty of old-fashioned favourites (Delia's first book was a version of this one published in the late 70s) and a few modern classics. And a few impressive cakes thrown in for special occasions (the lemon griestorte and apricot hazelnut meringue cake for example). Plenty of handy hints are thrown in for good measure.

If you are looking for a comprehensive book of cakes (not that it is limited to these brownies, biscuits and slices make an appearance) this would be my first suggestion (closely followed by any AWW title, second only as they are less pretty).

Book Review: Pasta Artigiana

Pasta Artigiana: Simple to Extraordinary by Nino Zoccali
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the ultimate pasta anthologies. You'll be licking the pages its that good! Its honest, authentic, and extravagantly simple.

Aside from the delicious recipes (pumpkin tortelli with pistachios, amaretti, parmesan & burnt butter anyone? Or how about a more wholesome veal shank soup with pearl barley, shell pasta & leek?) there is an interesting description of the history and origins of pasta. Ever wondered why there's both dried & fresh pasta, and if one is better than the other? You'll find all the answers here.

Its a book for true pasta aficionados!

Book Review: Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel

Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel by Murdoch Books
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's not exactly ground-breaking, but if you're a fan of any of the 3 ingredients - chocolate, coffee and caramel - then it's worth taking a look.

This book has all the delicious basics covered, from chocolate cake to caramel cream tart and all the puddings you could imagine. I've tested many of the recipes and have never had a failer.

Great for a new or basic cook, but also for the the more adventuress cook looking to experiment and expand their range.