COMFORT EATING
How a team of Westcountry creatives is helping the stricken hospitality industry via The Comfort Cookbook
– find out how you can help too and enjoy some mouthwatering recipes
During lockdown, confined to our homes and missing out on the coastal escapades we crave in springtime, many of us turned to our kitchens as a source of comfort, inspiration and recreation. For a team of three Westcountry women – writers, editors and photographers all working closely with their regional food and drink industry – this was an opportunity to bring a taste of Devon and Cornwall into those inner sanctums, raising much-needed funds for the hospitality industry in the process.
Lucy Studley of Cornwall Content, who came up with the concept of The Comfort Cookbook, explains: ‘I wanted to do something to help – to create a positive story during that dark time and financially support staff who faced hardship.’ The recipient of this help would be Hospitality Action, a national charity that supports workers and would be able to allocate any money raised through its Covid-19 Emergency Fund.
Lucy teamed up with Gabriella Dyson, editor of The Maverick Guide, and food stylist and photographer Ali Green.
The collaborators pledged to create a ‘beautiful digital cookbook to inspire comfort in adversity, and to celebrate the Westcountry’s world-class food and drink culture’. Donating their time and skills for free, they committed to make their publication available to all through the JustGiving platform, simply asking people to give what they can to Hospitality Action in this time of financial hardship.
A string of chefs from Cornwall and Devon came on board, keen to donate their home-cooking hacks. ‘We wanted to provide a combination of practical, achievable home cooking ideas and aspirational content designed to fill that gap we all endured when we were unable to visit our favourite neighbourhood restaurants,’ says Gabriella.
Naturally local seafood features heavily, with inspiration from the likes of Nathan
Outlaw, Gelf Anderson, Paul Ainsworth, Ben Tunnicliffe, Michael Caines and Jude Kereama. Those with a sweet tooth are also in for a treat, with irresistible recipes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Emily Scott, Chris Eden, Elly Wentworth and Ben Prior, among others. The book’s stunning photography – courtesy of Ali Green – is sure to inspire you to head to the kitchen. The digital download includes a directory of local suppliers selling their wares online to help readers source ingredients. It also features cocktail and mocktail recipes, winematching tips, guides to foraging, growing your own fruit and vegetables and how to make the most of store cupboard spices.