Foodie heaven with summer cookery books
OOOZING summer puddings with fresh forest berries, flame grilled juicy sausages, vibrant crunchy leaf salads and jugs of fragrant fruity Pimms, sipped slowly over balmy evenings. So much of summer is about the food. And, as the holidays approach, culinary enthusiasts are already scanning the cookbooks on offer to see what new treats they can concoct.
Luckily, there’s a host of new inspiration from chefs and experts alike, with a clutch of cookbooks set to launch just in time for barbecue season and catering to every food-lover’s fancy. City PM rounded up the best of the bunch.
A TASTE OF HOME
BY ANGELA HARTNETT
Ebury, £20
“A Taste of Home” comes out next month and is a collection of easy-to-recreate recipes inspired by Hartnett’s childhood experiences with her Italian grandmother. The book combines European and Mediterranean influences and features, among others, Lamb Broth with mint, Goats Curd and lentil salad, and Chocolate Pecan tart, all explained in Hartnett’s trademark unfussy style.
FISHY FISHY
FROM DERMOT O’LEARY
New Holland, £16.99
Dermot O’Leary (off the telly) has already established a firm following for his fish restaurants, Fishy Fishy, in Brighton and Poole, serving fresh seafood and fish dishes. Now the presenter, along with friends James Ginzler and Paul Shovlin, is launching a partnering cookbook, with recipes for cod, and more unusual sustainable varieties including Pollack and Gunard. Out July.
HUNGRY?
BY INNOCENT
Fourth Estate, £20
From the makers of organic fruit smoothies, beloved of yummy mummies in Fulham and beyond, “Hungry?” has been created to offer “quick ideas for when you’re in a hurry, posher stuff for when you’re not.” Aka, a no-fuss cookbook focussing on healthy, wholesome recipes that all the family can enjoy. Innocent just launched a children’s recipe book which was impressively easy with lots of good ideas. This is a great follow-up.
BOCCA
BY JACOB KENNEDY
Bloomsbury, £20
Tables at Soho’s famed Italian trattoria Bocca di Lupo are booked weeks in advance, but don’t worry if you can’t make the wait. The hotspot’s chef Jacob Kennedy has launched a new cookbook offering step-by-step guides to all its most famous recipes including Tuscan porcini soup and Lazian asparagus frittata.
RICK STEIN’S SPAIN
BY RICK STEIN
BBC Books, £12.50
Modern Spanish “soul food” courtesy of Rick Stein. Stein spent an extensive period traveling around Spain for the book, from the mountainous north, to the Mediterranean beaches, and has explored specialities in each locale to create dishes that reflect modern Spanish cooking. The book will accompany a BBC series. Launches August 8th.
PAELLA
BY ALBERTO HERRÁIZ
Phaidon, £24.95
Continuing the Spanish theme, Alberto Herráiz’ paella bible comes packed with sumptuous photography and easy-to-follow guides for making authentic paellas, stocks and sauces, alongside more adventurous numbers such as cod paella with spring garlic and paella with goats milk and rhubarb. Herráiz is the Michelin-starred chef behind Fogón, the world-famous paella restaurant in Paris.