Two new books made their way into the house last month. I meant to blog about them as they arrived, but harvesting and jam making got me distracted :-)
The first book is by Blogging Buddy Suzy Bowler of Sudden Lunch fame. It's full of amazing recipes and ideas for that old favourite the Scone, and believe me it is a favourite in this house. Sweet scones, savoury scones, no matter how you say it whether it rhymes with stone or gone they taste delicious. I like a good old cheese scone (we say it to rhyme with gone), so does Lovely Hubby sometimes but he likes a cheese scone with jam, I prefer it simply with lots of lovely Lurpak butter.
This book is just what I had been looking for to give me more inspiration to try other flavours.
I really recommend this one :-)
In the same parcel came this book, written by Sophie Thompson who won last years Celebrity Masterchef.
This is not just the usual 'churn a book out quickly and make some money' type of book that normally follows this kind of programme, it is a delightful glimpse into her own unique kitchen and has lots of firm family recipes spanning four generations of her family.
The illustrations are brilliant ....
... but it's the recipes with their family anecdotes that are the main, and best part of the book.
I'm about halfway through this one at the moment, it's my 'upstairs' book, downstairs I have Alys Fowler's 'Abundance' on the go. It's getting confusing and I am trying not to dip into a third book although I am sorely tempted by my new Jamie Oliver book.
This excess of new books will be grinding to a halt in a couple of months with the start of my 'no new purchases' year, can I really do it I'm asking myself at the moment ... a whole year of not buying a single book!!
Last month I also bought this magazine with it's packet of free seeds.
I very nearly didn't buy it as I hadn't completely read through my subscription magazine Kitchen Garden, and with only one free packet of seeds on the cover thought perhaps I should just save my money, but I'm so glad I did. I read this one from cover to cover and it had so much useful to me at the time information in it, it was worth every penny .... and I've got a packet of Swede seeds to add to my collection for next year.
Sue xx
Both books look and sound great especially like the look of Sophie's book I love the hand down family recipes :-) Enjoy your seeds when you are able to use them, dee x
ReplyDeleteNot buying a book for a year . . . . ooh that sent a shiver down my spine. I love books, mainly fact not fiction, often craft occasionally cooking, sometimes bought often borrowed. . . . .there really is nothing nicer than a new book. Good luck!! sarah
ReplyDeleteI am currently trying not to buy the new Rick Stein book and then there is the new Nigel Slater.... I have a subscription to Grow Your Own again this year, I had it for the first 2 years it was published and built up such a library of seeds that I cancelled. This time round I am sharing the seeds with neighbours.
ReplyDeleteThe new Nigel Slater is an absolute must, there will be no resisting here. Thank goodness it will be out this year and not next ... phew ;-)
DeleteI love cookbooks! I have to ration myself or I'd run out of room on the bookshelves. I generally just limit myself to subscriptions to food magazines - much easier to simply toss into the recycling bin when I finish reading. And no dusting required.
ReplyDeleteDo you snip out recipes before they hit the bin? I do, and then pile them up ready to stick in a scrap book. I must get round to sticking them in one day .... perhaps one wet day this Winter will see them finally glued in place :-)
DeleteYou should do what my wife Jane does - WIN the books! She enters loads of competitions and often wins. For example she recently won Jamie Oliver's latest one.
ReplyDeleteYou need to start one of those "leave a book, take a book" stands in your yard, and maybe you will get a chance to see someone else's collection of books.
ReplyDeleteI heard Sophie being interviewed a few weeks ago on Radio 4 and enjoyed hearing about her family's eating and cooking traditions. It sounds like a lovely book to read and use. I'm getting my new recipe fix by borrowing books from the library and free food magazines from Waitrose and Tesco.
ReplyDeleteHello from Tasmania, Australia.
ReplyDeleteI have just found your blog and am enjoying reading of your adventures, rhubarb and ginger jam are on my list.
I too am a cook book fan. I now reserve them from the library, have a good read of them and then if there are more than a few recipes I like I'll consider buying it. Mostly I decide there are one or two that I try and then I'm happy to return the book. This is now saving me a lot on books.
I currently use the library and charity shops, with the very occasional new one. But no new books for a year? Don't think I could ever manage that one
ReplyDelete