TRAVELLING PIRI-PIRI CHICKEN

ANGELA DAY reviews the new cookbook by Mimi Jardim, doyenne of Portuguese cooking in South Africa

MY PORTUGUESE FEAST AUTHOR: Mimi Jardim PUBLISHER: Quivertree Publications PRICE: R289 on loot.co.za

IHAVE known Mimi Jardim for all the years I have been involved in cooking, which is a very long time. Mimi has always been a teacher at heart and shares her knowledge generously with anyone wanting to learn. Everything I know about Portuguese cooking I learnt from her.

Mimi’s patience and enthusiasm for her subject was contagious. I have always admired Mimi’s positive attitude and have never heard her complain about a situation or how hard she had to work. And nothing was ever too much trouble for her.

Though Mimi has written other books, I find this one very special, because here she shares her family stories, which give the reader a glimpse into her and her family’s life. The photos are exceptional and perfectly capture the essence of Mimi’s cooking.

Although the book has many traditional Portuguese recipes like espetada, Portuguese doughnuts, trinchado and the best custard tart recipe ever, there are many non-traditional recipes with a Mimi touch. Only Mimi would think of making a piri-piri ice cream, and the recipe for a biltong salad is uniquely South African.

I love that every recipe has a story and has meant something special to her. Anyone who has ever met Mimi or been lucky enough to attend one of her classes will treasure this book, as will I.