books

Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Wine by Simon Hoggart, Quadrille Books, £12.99
Anyone who’s keen to demystify wine should buy this book: written in Simon Hoggart’s engaging style it’s a treasure trove of interesting vinous fact. Did you know, for example, that you should never order the second wine down on a wine list? Or understand the importance of a label? Or realise that balance is the most important quality a wine can have. Hoggart generously shares his top 100 wines, interspersed with more detailed coverage of his top 10 and wine-related features. I loved the essay on my favourite white, Viognier, and was delighted to learn of a cheap-as-chips Chilean version of Chateau Lafite. Thinking ahead, this would be a fab Christmas gift for a wine lover.

Risotto with Nettles: A Memoir with Food by Anna del Conte, Chatto & Windus, £12.99
The most influential Italian food writer of the 20^th century has to be Anna del Conte – yet this book reads beautifully as a memoir, even without the recipes. Anna arrived in Britain in 1949 where, reconciling the lacklustre rations of the 1940s with her memories of vibrant Italian home cooking, she managed to hold on to her heritage and eventually succeeded in introducing Brits to properly cooked pasta and olive oil that wasn’t to be used for earache. She perfectly captures the post-war atmosphere: tea with friends in a Lyons Corner House, smothering her salad with salad cream in the absence of any dressing; the joys of grandchildren and her long and happy marriage to Oliver. 

Valvona & Crolla: A Year at an Italian Table, Ebury Press, £25
Staying with Italian food, award-winning Edinburgh deli Valvona & Crolla is renowned in food circles for its wonderful authentic products. Now Mary Contini is letting us into her family’s food secrets with 200 mouthwatering recipes arranged by season. I loved the three-ingredient Italian cheese on toast using polenta and Gorgonzola; roast veal chops with rocket and tomatoes; potato and porcini Dauphinoise; pan-fried wild halibut with roasted fennel; mochaccino with Nutella, white Christmas cake made with glace fruits and pan-fried herbed and marinated chicken thighs. Even though the book’s photos are quite dark, I wish there were more as it always helps to see the finished dish.

From Pasta to Pancakes by Tiffany Goodall, Quadrille Books, £9.99
If you know anyone about to start at university, give them a copy of this brilliant book by erstwhile student Tiffany Goodall. They’ll love its fun photo-strip style and the student-friendly recipes; their mums will love the fact that the book – divided into quick midweek food, weekend roasts and curries, sweet treats and fast food, as well as pasta, pizza, house party feasts and sections on food hygiene, equipment and storecupboard ingredients – is packed with good, nutritious food.

Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey, Ebury Press, £25
As many of you know, I am totally addicted to all things Thai, so seized on this book like a chilli junkie. It doesn’t disappoint: Rick’s beguiling anecdotal style brings each page to life, as he cooks his way round South-East Asia.

Sauces – savoury & sweet by Michel Roux, Quadrille Books, £14.99
You’d expect the man who was the first to win three Michelin stars in Britain (and has kept them for 24 years) to know his bagnarotte from his bois boudran – and sure enough, Michel Roux covers every sauce, coulis, vinaigrette, jus, dressing and sweet custard known to man, plus stocks and marinades. So this book is invaluable when cooking just about anything. I love the section at the end which lists foods then tells you which sauces would complement them – as well as the obvious ones there are plenty of new and exciting ideas.

Chicken and other birds by John Torode, Quadrille, £20
Chicken is the mainstay of so many of our meals, yet coming up with new ideas can be a challenge. This book is packed with great recipes using every bit of the bird (and guinea fowl, quail, turkey etc). Like many Australian cooks, John has lots of Thai influence so you’ll find wonderful recipes like Chicken with Coconut Dressing and xxxxx alongside Chicken Kiev and xxxxxxx. I particularly loved the ‘eight ways with...’ idea for chicken thighs, grilled chicken, duck breasts etc – quick and easy meal solutions with a short ingredients list.

The Carer's Cookbook: A month of balanced meals and recipes

This ring-bound book could be a real life saver: profits will help sponsor free training days (Relatives Lifeline) for those who lack basic caring skills yet are having to look after their relatives. The book was devised by Angela Hamlin, a trained nurse who runs a nursing agency and Scott Marsden, a dietician and will be a boon to men who have never had to cook but are suddenly faced with nursing an ill partner or anyone who wants to ensure that balanced meals packed with good nutrition are on the menu. The monthly planner includes a light meal (lunch) and main meal (dinner with pud) for 2 or 4, focusing on simple recipes that appeal when you don't have much appetite, such as Baked Chicken and Orange, Spinach Pie and Beef Stroganoff.

(£15.99 plus p&p) from www.draycottnusing.co.uk  

Secrets of Aga Puddings by Lucy Young, Ebury Press, £16.99
I think this title is pretty misleading: in fact, all the recipes tell you how to cook them on a conventional oven too (hurrah!). I was delighted to discover this as had already been drooling over such scrummy puds as Rich Chocolate and Rum Terrine, Pear Tarte Tatin, Totally Divine Plum & Custard Pots and Mango and Passionfruit Meringue Roulade. Plenty of classics too...and a foreword from Mary Berry as well. Luscious photographs by Martin Brigdale provide the finishing touch!