Off The Shelf - 'Love is A Pink Cake' by Claire Ptak

Kath July 13, 2023

Bought at: Pre-ordered via Amazon

Recipes Made: Blondie Peanut Butter Cookies p.29, Sticky Toffee Date Pudding p.77 and Pear Eve’s Pudding p.81

Blondie Peanut Butter Cookies (made with crema di pistachio)

Since I cannot eat any peanut products, I made the Blondie Peanut Butter Cookies with crema di pistachio instead. This substitution didn’t really work unfortunately. As you can see in the photo, the cookies turned out flat as pancakes and some of them struggled to cook through properly. Maybe I could try this again with pistachio butter instead, but possibly it’s better to move on to a recipe that doesn’t contain peanuts and need a substitution at all! I’m sure they are good made as they are intended to be!

The first time I made the Sticky Toffee Date Pudding I also made the sauce for the pudding as well as I had all the ingredients needed for it. The sauce is quite different to any I have made before as an accompaniment to a sticky date pudding, and it was probably a little rich for my tastes (2 cups of double cream in a recipe will do that!). The sauce was nice, but I found the pudding almost didn’t need it. The pudding was light, and did not dry out even when I kept it in the fridge. Once reheated it was soft and pillowy and was very delicious on it’s own (which is how I ate it the second time I made this), or with some ice cream. I will definitely be making this again as it was very easy to make and can be made in advance.

Edit 24/07/2023 - I have since found that the Sticky Toffee Date Pudding was nice without the sauce and didn’t dry out in the fridge because I somehow did not read the recipe properly either time I made it! The recipe says to drain the dates once they have been soaked in water, I did not do this so the texture of my pudding was very different - though very nice and much more to my tastes than the original recipe made as intended as it turns out. I would personally continue to make it with the water in. The recipe with the water from the dates drained, definitely needs some kind of sauce (whether or not it is the one from this recipe or another you have made before and liked). Made as per the recipe in this book, the pudding is too dry and dense to eat on its own - though nice with a sauce! So really you can choose your own adventure on this one!

My Mum made the Pear Eve’s Pudding not long after I got this book, and I was a little skeptical as apart from sticky date pudding I’m not a massive fan of pudding. This pudding was great though, and the leftovers reheated really well. It was quite a cake-like pudding, and the top crisped up nicely similar to how some cakes can be when they first come out of the oven. There aren’t too many ingredients in this recipe, but it was still delicious and had a nice flavour. Another recipe to be made again!

Favourite Things About the Book: I really love the look and feel of this book. The photography, style of recipes and flavour used really feel like what I’ve come to love from Claire’s books. I love her book ‘The Violet Bakery’, and this book feels like a extension of that but with it’s own distinct differences too. The book is divided into two main sections, California and England, the two places Claire is connected to and influenced by the most. Within those sections recipes are then divided by Mornings, Afternoons, After a Meal, Party Party and Savouries and Holiday Treats (with a pastry section at the end of the book too).

Claire has a really unique way of baking, that to me doesn’t feel distinctly American or English (though I would definitely associate her recipes with more English style baking if I had to choose). It has a focus on ingredients that I don’t associate with American style baking, yet a individual way of putting flavour together that I wouldn’t associate with traditional English baking either. It’s interesting and diverse, and doesn’t feel like so many other baking cookbooks that can start to feel all a bit the same. Even if you own previous cookbooks from Claire, I think there is still something new to be discovered here.

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Big Sur Cookies p.27, Pistachio Green Plum Cake with Candied Violets p.47, Lemon Meringue Pie Bars p.55, Poached Pear Pavlova p.76, Nectarine and Cherry Cobbler p.147 and English Angel Cake p.168.

Off The Shelf - 'Sweet Enough' by Alison Roman

Kath June 29, 2023

Bought at: My copy was gifted to me by HardieGrant*.

Recipes Made: Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake p.91, Plummy Pudding p.146, Salted Pistachio Shortbread p.173 and Cheesy Salty Savoury Scones p.258.

I made the Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake and substituted the buttermilk for plain yoghurt mixed with some milk (I did not have any buttermilk, but needed to use the yoghurt up). I don’t know if it was my substitution, but the cake was dense. I usually find swapping yoghurt and buttermilk easy in baking, and won’t notice any difference. I know lots of people have made this cake, but it definitely wasn’t a favourite for me. I later made this cake with strawberries, and enjoyed it infinitely more.

I don’t make puddings often, but since plum season was coming to an end, I decided to try the Plummy Pudding. In the recipe notes Alison says it’s “near impossible to mess up this pudding”, but maybe I did? I found it rubbery and very eggy, maybe I cooked it too long? A lot of the oven temperatures in this book tend towards the high side, and since our oven runs hot I usually feel the stipulated temperatures will be too much. In this case, maybe turning the oven temperature down meant cooking it longer which possibly wasn’t right. Either way, this one wasn’t for me. Whether the recipe just wasn’t my thing, or just puddings generally aren’t my thing, maybe we’ll never know.

The first recipe I made out of ‘Sweet Enough’ was the Salted Pistachio Shortbread. Mostly because I am a pistachio obsessive, and I also had all the ingredients needed when the book arrived. Out of all the recipes I’ve tried in this book, I did like this one. I could have done without the sprinkling of salt over the top of the shortbread as it just took it too a slightly too salty place for me, but otherwise it was nice. The shortbread dough itself was quite different to others I am used to, it was very wet and definitely could only be pressed into a tin as this recipe does. It could not be rolled out and cut into shapes like the shortbread I normally make. This made it a crumbly shortbread to eat, but very satisfying all the same.

Cheesy Salty Savoury Scones (before baking)

After trying some of the above sweet recipes and not being blown away, I decided the magic of this book for me may lie in the handful of savoury recipes dotted throughout ‘Sweet Enough’. After watching Alison’s Home Movies episode on scones, I decided to make the Cheesy Salty Savoury Scones. I must caveat this with I think American scones and British scones are almost two different things. In the episode everything Alison said she disliked about scones, were basically all the things that make a traditional British scone, a scone. These scones are very heavy on fat (double cream, sour cream, butter and a lot of cheese). I’m not at all saying this is a bad thing in and of itself as fat is essential to baking and cooking generally. In this case however, it did make the scones very rich. To the point they really didn’t need any butter or other spread on them. It just would have been too much.

The fat heavy mix also meant these scones don’t rise as much as you would expect a traditional scone to, and they were definitely less flakey as well. I liked the very cheesy flavour of these, but that’s all I could taste. I used spring onions in the mix and they were lost, along with the dill, to the cheese. Considering the richness of the whole thing, I also thought the scones could have been a but smaller in size (maybe also as I’m accustomed to British style scones). These were nice, but I felt I could use some of the aspects of this recipe to make my own more traditional version that suited my tastes more (which I have done in a way here).

Favourite Things About the Book: Ok, by this point it may not have escaped your notice that I don’t love this book. I know, I’m a bit sad about it too, but also not 100% surprised. I’ve always loved Alison’s recipes, but more specifically her savoury recipes. There are many from ‘Nothing Fancy’ in particular that we make regularly in our family, and I frequent those shared in her newsletter (a newsletter) and her YouTube channel Home Movies often. So this isn’t a ‘Alison Roman’s recipes just isn’t for me’ thing - most certainly not! This is more of a ‘I don’t love Alison’s baking recipes as much as her other recipes’ thing. It’s not that they aren’t good. They just aren’t for me. I am a self confessed sweet tooth, so something that is ‘sweet enough’ may not actually be sweet enough for me. I also don’t love adding salt to my baked goods (shock horror!) so some of these recipes were too salty for me.

However, as always, I love Alison’s writing. I really enjoy her trademark humorous tone, and very realistic approach to things. I really enjoyed reading what Alison had to say about baking in this book, even if the recipes themselves don’t take my fancy as much. The introduction was great and definitely worth a read (anyone else often skip those first few pages?!).The pages on what Alison loves and hates about baking (pp.52-3) was my favourite part of the whole book, as it’s so relatable. Alison isn’t trying to make out like baking is always easy and that it’s for everyone (though I think Sweet Enough will appeal to those less inclined to check out more traditional baking/dessert books), and is honest about the process. I think many will relate to that.

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Raspberry Ricotta Cake p.118, Tomato Tart pp.76-7 and Caramelised Onion and Anchovy Tart p.71.

* This gift came with no obligation to talk about the book, and my opinions are my own. And honestly, I love Alison Roman so I would have bought this book myself anyway!

Off The Shelf - 'A Table for Friends' by Skye McAlpine

Kath November 3, 2021

Bought at: I pre-ordered it from Booktopia.

Recipes Made: Aphrodite’s Roast Chicken p.90, Roast Apples p.172 and Pistachio Butter Cake with Marzipan Icing p.232.

The recipe for Aphrodite’s Roast Chicken is deceptively simple, in the sense that I doubted before I ate it that a mixture of so few ingredients (chicken, potato, lemon, rosemary and garlic) could produce a roast chicken any different from things I’d tried before. However, slicing the potatoes and placing them under the chicken, means they soak up so much flavour and are a joy to eat along with the chicken. To the point that I don’t know why anyone would bother cooking potatoes separately to their roast chicken after trying this recipe.

Similar to the Aphrodite’s Roast Chicken, the Roast Apples are amazingly simple, yet yield delicious results. Skye introduces the recipe as a substitute for apple sauce with some meats, however we used it as a very simple dessert. Served with ice cream it was delicious and very easy.

Having found Skye’s original recipe for her Pistachio Butter Cake with Marzipan Icing online a few years ago, I have made it many times and made variations and adaptations to it over time as well (a couple of them pictured below). It is a favourite cake of mine, as I love all things pistachio. I was so glad to see a version of it in this cookbook, as I think it is such a great recipe and such a reliable cake to make, that hopefully this means more people will be able to enjoy it. I have never made the cake with the marzipan icing, I usually make a simple glaze icing with lemon juice or rosewater.

Favourite Things About the Book: My favourite thing about all of Skye’s work is her absolutely gorgeous photography and styling. This book is a real feast for the eyes, and it is so gentle and calming to look at. Combined with the design of the book and the use of colour, this cookbook just exudes joy and abundance, in a simple and achievable way.

I also really like how most of these recipes are interesting flavour wise, yet not overly complex. While I haven’t made a large variety of recipes from this book, the recipes I have tried have been made many times (particularly the Roast Chicken and Pistachio Butter Cake), and have become staples in our home.

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Wintery Saffron Couscous p.48, Rigatoni with Mascarpone and Pancetta p.64, Spinach Mint and Melted Cheese Syrian Frittata p.80, Tagliatelle Gratin pp.86-7, Beetroot and Mint Salad p.118, Baby Artichoke Fennel and Pecorino Salad p.122, Fennel and Parmesan Purée p.136, Asparagus with Lemon and Toasted Almond Gratin p.138, Carrot Cumin and Mint Salad p.144, An Embarrassment of Spring Vegetables p.146, Roast Stuffed Tomatoes p.156, Creamy Baked Leeks with Mustard and Parmesan p.164 and Roasted Fennel Focaccia p.256

Now for Something Sweet Monday Morning Cooking Club

Off The Shelf - 'Now for Something Sweet' by Monday Morning Cooking Club

Kath August 4, 2021

Bought at: Booktopia - I was so looking forward to the release of this book I preordered it.

Recipes Made: Spiced Honey Cake p.48, Passover Pear Cake p.57, Custard Chiffon p.112, Crunchies p.135, Coconut and Passionfruit Slab Cake p.142, 23 Minute Meringues p.274 and Anchovy Twists p.290.

I made the Spiced Honey Cake last during during a lockdown inspired zoom cook-along with the Monday Morning Cooking Club. The recipe is adapted slightly from the honey cake in the Monday Morning Cooking Club’s first book, and is well known as an excellent honey cake. I really enjoyed making this cake, though I did find mine needed a fair bit more time to cook than the recipe says. Next time I make it I may increase the oven temperature a little to compensate. This is definitely one of those cakes that tastes even better a couple of days or so after baking and I certainly enjoyed eating slices of it days after the fun of the live zoom cooking class.

Passover Cake with Plum

Passover Cake with Quince

I first made the Passover Pear Cake with plums rather than pears as it was early April and some plums were still around. It was delicious, even if I did get the order of the cake ‘layers’ a little off! I used superfine matzo meal that time as I had some, and it was definitely the nicest thing I’ve ever eaten that contains matzo meal! The cake was incredibly light and fluffy despite the matzo meal. The next time I made this cake I used poached quince and as one of the MMCC ladies had suggested to me, plain flour instead of superfine matzo meal. It was still such a good cake despite all the adaptations I made (both times I also used different nuts than the recipe suggested as well!), though I really should make it again with pears as the recipe says!

I have made the Custard Chiffon many times over the years, as the recipe was first published in the MMCC’s first book. I the first time I tried this cake was at a Bake Club and MMCC event in 2014, where a few recipes were demonstrated and we got to try them too. It was the lightest fluffiest most delicious cake I had ever tasted, and I have been making it ever since.

The recipe for Crunchies was intriguing to me, and I think the first recipe I made from this book. These bars are like a South African version of ANZAC biscuits, but even crunchier as the name suggests. They were delicious and very nice dunked into a cup of tea.

The Coconut and Passionfruit Slab Cake has been the most popular recipe so far from this book for me. I think I made it two times within a month or so of the book being released, and have continued to make it ever since. It is an incredibly easy cake to make, and I have found I don’t need to use a stand mixer to make it. The cake is gluten free, and I think you could easily make it dairy free too by using a dairy free margarine/spread instead of butter. When passionfruit are in season I buy them and freeze the pulp - and this cake is inevitably what I bring out the frozen pulp for.

I chose to make the 23 Minute Meringues last Christmas, when COVID related restrictions made our Christmas Day smaller than expected and making a large Pavlova for three people seemed a little much - it was also going to be hard to find fridge space for cream topped leftover Pav when there would inevitably be quite a lot of leftovers! I thought meringues would be a better option as leftovers could be kept in a container, and it just felt nice to try a new recipe too.

I made the Anchovy Twists as part of another MMCC zoom cook-along last year, and they were a big hit with the family. We love anchovies so these were always going to be a winner, but the pastry was not only easy to make but also delicious to eat and not too heavy. The sour cream pastry used to make these is a great one for many sweet and savoury bakes, and one I will be coming back to again and again.

Favourite Things About the Book: Recipes and stories are what the MMCC does best, and this book is no exception. I love the stories of each recipe contributor at the beginning of each chapter, and the delightful illustrations of the baked goods that go with it. The photography in this book is beautiful and I love that every recipe has a photo. The ‘How To’ sections at the beginning of some of the chapters would also be great for those new to baking or needing a confidence boost, making this book great for every baking level, not just those who are already quite confident and experienced.

The recipes that the MMCC choose to add to their books are always well tested, and I really love being able to bake knowing it will work. The MMCC also have videos on their YouTube channel and IGTV on Instagram, so many of the recipes from all their books can be found there and you can see how they are made via those videos if you want more clarification.

The variety of sweet (and a few savoury) recipes is really diverse from cookies and biscuits, to intricate layer cakes or tortes, simple cake and sweet breads. I was so excited when the MMCC said they were working on a cookbook with mostly sweet recipes, and I think this cookbook is not only a great addition to their other books, but also a great addition to anyone’s cookbook collection who love baking or want to bake more.

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Persian Shortbread p.20, White Chocolate and Honey Madeleines p.62, Upside Down Peach Cake p.87, Russian Honey Cake p.92, Russian Sour Cream Smetna Torte p.94, Glazed Honey Chiffon p.115, Pumpkin Chiffon p.118, Passionfruit Tart p.154, Apple Honey and Cinnamon Challah p.180, Apple and Cinnamon Babke p.186-7, Cinnamon Streusel Babke p.190, Charoset Ice Cream p.242, Nut and Date Coins p.268, Spiced Cheese Biscuits p.293 and Frojalda (Turkish Cheese Bread) p.298 - so yeah, basically just the rest of the book!

Off The Shelf - 'Nothing Fancy' by Alison Roman

Kath July 8, 2021

Bought at: it was gifted to me for Christmas in 2019.

Recipes Made: Perfect Herby Salad p.86, Roasted Pumpkin with Yoghurt and Spiced Buttered Pistachio p.148, Spicy Pork Meatballs in Brothy Tomatoes and Toasted Fennel p.187-8, Slow-Roasted Oregano Chicken with Buttered Tomatoes p.189, One Pot Chicken with Dates and Caramelised Lemon p.194-5 and Buttered Salmon with Red Onion and Dill p.247

The Perfect Herby Salad, sounds simple - it’s a leafy salad with herbs and an olive oil and lemon juice dressing. But somehow this combination of simple ingredients becomes one of the best salads I’ve ever tasted. It goes well with so many things, but I particularly like it with something hearty like lasagna as the freshness of the salad compliments it so well.

The Roasted Pumpkin with Yoghurt and Spiced Buttered Pistachios is the only recipe in this book we haven’t made more than once. It was nice, and I wouldn’t not make it ever again, but it wasn’t something that was a serious stand out like the rest of the recipes from ‘Nothing Fancy’ that I have tried.

The Spicy Pork Meatballs in Brothy Tomatoes have become a bit of a family favourite. We love pork and anything that uses lots of tomatoes, so this dish is a winner. Its a really warming dish, perfect for a cooler Winter evening. The Brothy tomatoes end up being like full flavoured brothy tomato soup, perfect for dipping bread into. The whole dish also tastes even better the next day as the flavours develop so leftovers are always delicious.

Speaking of family favourites and lots of tomatoes, the Slow-Roasted Oregano Chicken with Buttered Tomatoes, probably is the family favourite dish since I got this book. Slow roasting a chicken, again seems like such a simple thing, but it is a complete revelation. While you of course have to get the dinner prep started a little earlier than you might otherwise, you end up with the most perfectly cooked, tender, falling off the bone chicken you’ve probably ever made or eaten. And with gorgeous super tasty slow roasted tomatoes to go with it. You can add anchovies to the tomatoes - which is like a running joke in the book as Alison uses them so often and suggests you could use them as an addition so often - but for once (and yes I’m a little shocked too - as I love anchovies and Alison Roman’s cooking advice is always spot on), I don’t think you actually need them. Red wine vinegar is added to the cooked tomatoes before serving, and honestly flavour wise I find that more than enough as it’s so tasty in its own right. Despite the numerous times we’ve made this dish, I couldn’t find a half decent photo of it (except the one on the cover of the book!), only this one of it having just gone in the oven. Apologies for the general lack of images of the food in this Off the Shelf post, but you’ll just have to take my word for it this time.

I love dates and lemon, so the One Pot Chicken with Dates and Caramelised Onion was always going to be a winner. The ingredient list is simple, and not very long, and I did have my reservations about how tasty the final dish could really be with so few ingredients. I was wrong to have reservations, as Alison is queen of flavour and despite the numerous times she’d already proved that to me in this book, I doubted her. Well, never again will that happen. However, I will make this One Pot Chicken again as for me, it was one of those dishes that really hit the spot so to speak, and made me look forward to the next day when I could eat some leftovers. Alison has featured this recipe on her YouTube series ‘Home Movies’, so you can check it out even if you don’t have ‘Nothing Fancy’ (yet).

The Buttered Salmon with Red Onion and Dill, was a recipe I saw Alison make on her YouTube series ‘Home Movies’ and it looked so good, I was surprised it hadn’t stood out to me already from the book. Sometimes you’ve got to see someone make a recipe to realise you need it in your life, and this was one of those times. Alison uses capers in this dish, which I love, and really related to her adding even more to the dish than her original recipe states when she made it on ‘Home Movies’. From memory we had the Prefect Herby Salad as a side to this Salmon and it was really was perfect.

Favourite Things About the Book: Alison. Honestly, Alison is my favourite part of this book (and everything she does). She is relatable, funny, honest and her food is always flavourful yet fairly simple. She is someone who has that kind of personality you just can’t help but think you’d get on well if you ever met, because there is a relatability to Alison and the way she cooks. Her recipes aren’t chef-y, they are practical, intuitive and fun. Plus, I love someone who unapologetically uses anchovies, herbs, capers, vinegars and lemon to make a dish sing. I couldn’t live without those things in my life, I get the feeling Alison couldn’t either.

I highly recommend this book, but also definitely recommend Alison’s newsletter called ‘A Newsletter’ and checking out her YouTube series ‘Home Movies’. You can really get a sense of Alison’s way of cooking and use of ingredients from these, plus she shares fantastic recipes, some of which have also become family favourites for me.

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Crispy Halloumi with Honey and Pistachio p.49, Seeded Breadsticks with Parmesan p.66-7, Overnight Focaccia, Tonight p.70-1, A Better Garlic Bread/Caramelised Garlic on Toast with Anchovies, Tomatoes Dressed in Toasted Fennel and Anchovy p.112 and Tiny Creamy Pasta with Black Pepper and Pecorino p.176.

Off The Shelf - 'The Jewish Cookbook' by Leah Koenig

Kath May 20, 2020

Bought at: it was gifted to me for Christmas.

Recipes Made: Jewelled Rice p.174, Chicken and Quince Tagine p.269, Babka p.324, Yeasted Hamantaschen p.342, Candied Quince p.404, Charoset pp.406-409 and Lekvar p.410.

I made the Jewelled Rice on the same night I made the Chicken and Quince Tagine, and wow did I use a lot of pots of pans that night! This is no simple rice dish, but it is very tasty and beautiful. For a more simple version in the future, I would probably make the baked rice with salsa from ‘Simple’ by Ottolenghi as I definitely found it hard to co-ordinate all the pots and pans on the stove and the cooking times to have everything ready along with the Chicken and Quince Tagine.

Chicken and Quince Tagine + Jewelled Rice

The Chicken and Quince Tagine was a big hit, and after the quince are candied it’s not a difficult dish to make you just need a little time. I’d never had quince with chicken and of course it was a great pairing. I did use the recipe for Candied Quince from the book as the recipe says, but I think if you already had some poached quince you could definitely use that. I am hoping to make this again whilst quince are still about, I liked it so much!

When I was making Babka a few months ago, I consulted a few recipes one of which was the Babka recipe in this book. Comparing recipes was really helpful, and the recipe I ended up with can be found here. The recipe in this book was for a Cinnamon-Golden Raisin Babka which I definitely need to go back and try without making any of my own adaptations!

I had been wanting to try Yeasted Hamantaschen for a while, only ever having made the more shortcrust biscuit like version before. I was delighted when I saw Leah had a recipe for Yeasted Hamantaschen in her book, and I made my own version with Quince Lekvar. I altered the quantities of flour a little from the original recipe, check out my blog post on this recipe for more if you want to try making them (and for more information on what hamantaschen are and when they are traditionally made see this post!).

I was intrigued by the Candied Quince in this book, and I wasn’t sure what the end result would be. I was sort of imagining candied fruit like you would candy orange slices etc, but this actually ended up being more a quicker version of poaching quince. I didn’t find my quince turned a deep ruby red (I’m not sure if this was to do with the variety of quince I used), but once added to the Chicken and Quince Tagine the colour really didn’t matter as the taste was so good!

In the lead up to the Jewish holiday of Passover I decided I wanted to play around and create my own version of Charoset. Charoset is traditionally eaten as part of the Passover Seder, and comprises fruit (dried and often fresh apple too) and sweet wine. Leah has six different Charoset recipes in this book, all from different parts of the Jewish diaspora. They all have some things in common but also differ slightly in other ways too. I took the parts of each I really liked - rolling Charoset into balls like the Kurdish version and using a combination of dates, figs and a variety of spices like the Yemenite version - to create my own.

Lekvar was something I had never heard of before. It is a fruit paste used in Central and Eastern European sweets made using dried friut and fruit juice. Prune and apricot are popular versions, but this got me thinking about other dried fruits I could use. I love dried quince, and decided to give making Lekvar a go with it, and it worked so well. I used my Lekvar to fill the Yeasted Hamantaschen I made and used the remainder to fill some untraditional rugelach made with cream cheese dough from the book ‘Beatrix Bakes’ (which were delicious!).

Beatrix Bakes Rugelach with Quince Lekvar

Favourite Things About the Book: My favourite thing about this book is how comprehensive it is. This really could be the one cookbook you own on Jewish food and you would have enough recipes to keep you going forever. And it covers the foods of the wider Jewish diaspora, not just the more common recipes from Eastern Europe (as good as those are!). There are recipes from Jews native to Italy, India, Georgia, Iraq and South Africa. There are even a few recipes which are relics from Jewish life in pre-Inquisition Spain and Spanish occupied Italy.

This book feels so well researched and collated, Leah has done such a great job of providing really interesting recipes and insights about their history, without the book tipping over into a reference book or making the reader feel overwhelmed with information. It remains firmly in the cookbook category, and even despite the lack of food photography (the book is 431 pages so images for each recipe isn’t possible), I find Leah’s writing and the information she is sharing through these recipes so engaging. Each time I pick this book up a different recipe stands out to me, and another post it note goes in to mark it’s importance. And as you can see in the photos of my copy, I have used a LOT of post it notes in this book - which is purely a testament to how many great recipes there are in this book.

Leah really highlights and champions the diversity within Jewish cuisine, showing those of us who are still learning about the world’s Jewish communities and their food, how much more there is to discover outside of bagels and babka (though naturally recipes for both these carb filled delights that we all know and love are in the book too!).

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Caponata alla Giudia p.116, Vegetarian Cholent p.144, Jewish-Style Braised Fennel p.158, Potato Laktes p.184, Eggplant and Tomato Stew p.249, Mandelbrot p.334, Almond Cardamom Cookies p.348.

Kulinary Adventures of Kath

Food Photography, Recipes & Baking