Love Local Cookbooks

Julia Child’s invariable advice to people: learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!

I’m quite a fan of Ms Child especially after seeing the film Julie & Julia in 2009, which is when I began a proper love affair with recipes and wrangling cookbooks. I’ve dabbled with recipes over time with mixed success but my love affair continues and I’ve been trying more. I’ve amassed quite a collection over the years and like most some are used more often than others. Here are my top picks for cookbooks of chefs who live or have a restaurant locally:

Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals

I’ve tried a lot of recipes from this book and admit that unless it’s one I’ve mastered I don’t quite make the complete three course meal within 30 minutes. At best I take 35-40 minutes if I am doing all three courses, but to be honest I rarely make all three courses for a weeknight dinner. Being a hearty eater myself, even I find three courses too much food and my friends tend to agree. So if you are preparing only two courses like I do - a side dish and main or main and dessert then you can easily bang it all together in 30 minutes. I like the fact that the recipes are straight forward, easy to follow and there is no faffing about. Jamie cuts corners where it seems sensible, like pre-made pastry base for banoffee pie and that suits most of us I think. Some of the dishes are regurgitated from his other cookbooks like Pregnant Jool’s Pasta but I still love it and it’s nice to mix and match the dishes. Otherwise if you want to treat yourself, head down to Jamie’s Italian in Kingston to have the food served up to you: www.jamieoliver.com

Hashi - A Japanese Cookery Course

Some Japanese cookbooks can appear to be overambitious and in turn overwhelming to non-Japanese, but Hashi is thankfully not one of those books. It’s very Japanese in that it is elegant and simple. Reiko Hashimoto has done wonders to present recipes that are gentle and accessible. Of course you will need to stock your pantry with some basic Japanese ingredients but that is to be expected given that it is exotic cuisine. You get a sense from the book that Reiko has given her heart and soul into the recipes and gives you courage to cook outside your comfort zone as I had never tried to cook Japanese food before buying this book. I always thought it was too hard but alas, I proved myself wrong. For personal instruction and demonstration, why not sign up to Reiko’s cooking classes in her Wimbledon home: www.hashicooking.co.uk

Skye Gyngell - How I Cook

At the time of writing, Skye Gyngell has just quit her shabby chic garden cafe Petersham’s Nurseries in Richmond. I admired Skye Gyngell for a number of reasons and am a devoted fan of her food and cooking style at Petersham’s Nurseries. I think it’s one of London’s unique dining experiences and hope in her absence it continues to be. That aside, Skye’s cookbook How I Cook, reveals the secrets of how Skye cooks at home for friends and family, with a collection of accessible recipes for breakfast, lunch, weekday dinner, Sunday lunches and special occasions. It’s my ‘go to’ recipe book that gives me inspiration when I’m running out of ideas for a mundane breakfast, a fancy dinner party or a Sunday roast. The recipes are true to their word and deliver on taste, all you have to do is to work on the presentation and you’re all sorted.  For a truly unique culinary experience, why not visit Petersham Nurseries for a meal with your wellies on. Guest chef Greg Malouf from Australia will be at the helm: www.petershamnurseries.com.

River Cafe Cookbook Easy

The River Cafe on Thames Wharf has survived rather challenging times but continues to deliver on the quality and taste of its food. Irrespective of your dining experience, the River Cafe Cookbook Easy contains simple classic italian fare recipes, including variations on bruschetta and how to cook those lovely deep fried zucchini flowers. As the title of the book suggests, it is all about cooking italian dishes easily, provided you have a decent pantry to start with.  There isn’t anything in the book that is overly complicated but there is enough to whet your appetite if italian is your thing. The layout is easy on the eye and easy to follow. For a decadent night out which may not come cheaply, you can try the restaurant for yourself: www.rivercafe.com