Cookbook

LEON Family and Friends

Whenever I go back to my parents' house to visit them, one of the things I enjoy most doing is cooking for them. When I was a little girl I always used to spend time with my mum in the kitchen while she cooked - I saw her mixing these colourful ingredients and felt intrigued; I just couldn't understand how some raw ingredients could turn into delicious dishes. Since then, cooking has always been a passion that I've shared with my mum. We both love cooking for the ones we love, so once again, while doing a bit of research on cookbooks to feature on The Amazing Blog I came across with the loveliest and and most perfect cookbook: LEON Family and Friends. LEON Family and Friends is a celebration of the hours we've all spent around the table chatting to our family and friends while having fun. The book is divided in three sections: Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday. Today features dishes that are easy to prepare and are delicious too. Perfect for everyday. Tomorrow includes recipes that have more thought to them; special occasions with a small group of friends or for a family feast. Yesterday features the writers', Kay and John, culinary memories. A celebration of the family and the food that made LEON the people that are today,

LEON Family and Friends is one of the loveliest cookbooks The Amazing Blog has ever come across with. Its writing style, the recipes and the design make this book a must-have for those of you who love cooking for the ones you love the most.

 

The Art of Cooking With Vegetables - Alain Passard

If I wanted I could be a vegetarian without missing the meat. Since my uni days, which unfortunately ended a while ago, and those first experiences of cooking on my own and for myself; I have hardly ever cooked meat. After my student years I finally ended up realising what I suspected since I was a teenager: I enjoy eating vegetables much more than eating meat. That doesn't mean that once in a while I don't treat myself to a fantastic steak, I still like meat, especially if it's cooked with seasalt and accompanied by a bunch of fries. However, the one thing that worries me about eating vegetables and hardly any meat, is that I find vegetables incredibly hard to work with. I find them complex and even though I imagine there are a ton of ways of cooking them and combining them, I always end up cooking them the same 3 ways that I know best. While doing a bit a of research on cookbooks for The Amazing Blog, I came across Alain Passard's "The Art of Cooking With Vegetables". If you're a vegetable lover, I'm sure you'll find the book as inspiring as I did.

It all began when the chef Alain Passard removed from his successful 3-Michelin-stared Parisian restaurant L'Arpège 11 years ago. The result? A restaurant that only serves fruits and vegetables grown on Passard's own farm. The layout of the book is simple and it's nicely designed, in less than a 100 pages and organised in seasons, each recipe Passard includes a commentary on how he brings the ingredients together. Each recipe also comes with a recommended wine (for a wine lover like me, this is a huge plus!) and an illustration of the final dish. The recipes are innovative, full of unexpected combinations and flavours. My favourite recipes (for which I still have to perfect my amateur technique...) are the Avocado Souffle with Dark Chocolate and Baked Apples and the Beetroot with Leek, Green Apple and Green Tea.

"The Art of Cooking Vegetables" by Alain Passard is perfect for those of you who find cooking vegetables a real mission due to the lack of creativity or knowledge of the different cooking techniques. You can buy Alain Passard's book from Amazon for only £12.80.

 

 

 

 

The Cape Cod Cookbook

At The Amazing Blog we're great advocates of both food and good causes, so imagine our joy when we stumbled across The Cape Cod Cookbook by Kelly Moss and Michael Aviles. . Bringing  a slice of New England home-cooking to British shores the proceeds of this cookbook go to Spinal Research thus raising money for a fantastic cause.

Written by sisters Kelly and Michael, who grew up on the beaches of Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Cookbook is a celebration of family, friendship, and food. A beautifully presented hardback book, the Cape Cod Cookbook has wonderfully evocative photographs that perfectly capture the New England way of life. Reminiscent of beach BBQs with friends, the sound of a ferry horn nearing the shore, sailboat races and sand dunes, this is more than just a cookbook.

The book boasts a selection of traditional Cape Cod recipes that include New England Clam Chowder, Boston Baked Beans, and Slow Roasted Pulled Pork. The book also comprises a number of more enticing dishes such as Falafel with Garlicky Tahini Sauce, Kofta Kebabs, and Farfalle a la Vodka, all of which have been collected by the sisters as they have travelled around the world.

The Cape Cod Cookbook caters for all occasions; whether you’re after a tasty afternoon snack, or are putting together a fabulous family feast. A superb gift for both amateurs and foodies alike, the delicious recipes are easy to follow with readily sourced ingredients.

The cookbook can be purchased both on Amazon and through their website for £18.50. Having tried some of the recipes, including the Boston Baked Beans and the Crab Cake, we can certify that the recipes taste just as good as they look!

Great British Grub!

We all hear about the history and events in the England but we never look at an in depth look on the important part of every life present and past, food. Finally there is a well written book that takes history and food and puts them together for a wonderful description of our counties past and present favourite meals and how they came to be.

A History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright is a detailed historic description of how and why our country decided to eat certain meals beginning in the 12th century. Have you ever wondered what caused our ancestor’s to eat Preserved Quince or Pease-Porridge? Or wonder how Indian curry came to our country? Or maybe simply how they fixed such extravagant meals without microwaves and electricity? Well then you need to grab a copy and learn the history behind one of the most overlooked parts of our culture.

Wright has a wonderfully amusing way of telling these stories about English history while also drawing from her unique personal experiences so you never feel like your reading a factual book. She keeps every story in her own voice so it stays upbeat and interesting. Wright never misses a beat as she describes the delicious food that goes hand and hand with English history. Her passion for food is a vital part of this informative yet enthralling tale of English food. It will forever be a classic must read for every English food enthusiast.

My favourite part of the book is that after you learn about the food and the history and why everything is so delectable, you get to try making them yourself. She has listed numerous recipes that are mentioned in the book that you can try for your own. It brings a whole new method to reading! Read a chapter then cook a recipe to try it! What could be better than that?!