Food books
KIWI BAKER AT HOME
by Dean Brettschneider
(Potton & Burton, $50)
There’s a swagger in Dean Brettschneider’s intro that won’t appeal to everyone (“I have many more countries to occupy”) but there’s no denying the baker does, in his words, “get shit done”. He lives in Denmark-SingaporeNew Zealand, has founded a global baking chain, written multiple books and pops up on the telly regularly. But you’re not here for all of that. You’re here for the stepby-step secret to his sourdough. Hint: You’ll need at least 10 days. Give this book to the kitchen scientist in your life and wait for the wild, yeasty goodness. The less patient should skip to the sweet sections, where you’ll discover the joy of a five-spiced carrot cake and possibly the poshest ginger crunch you’ll find in a Kiwi baking book.
OTTOLENGHI SIMPLE
by Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, $60) Yes, there’s a recipe for avocado on toast. No, I don’t think Yotam Ottolenghi is going to cop the flak that Nigella did. The IsraeliBritish superstar of Middle Eastern-flavoured food might have called his new book
Simple, but his millennial dish du jour still requires 13 ingredients (the secret is more butter). It’s a vegetable-heavy (but not exclusive) book. I’m curious about a pistachio and cardamom salsa for fish but my courgettes have just started flowering and I’m crossing my fingers for a glut. Ottolenghi gives instructions for crushing, steaming, stuffing and — simply — combining them raw with thyme and walnut. Yum. He acknowledges “simple” means different things to different people. Speed or, perhaps, slow-cook-ahead dishes. I came away convinced I could achieve anything in this book. Can’t source barberries? Soak currants in lemon juice. Too lazy to make pudding? Purists avert your eyes while the rest of us buy a jar of Nutella.
ALWAYS DELICIOUS
by Lauraine Jacobs (Potton & Burton, $50) Lauraine Jacobs is a proponent of New Zealand as a food tourism destination and her newest collection is an excellent advertisement for all that is fresh and great about Aotearoa — with a few twists. That salad on the cover looks like lamb — it’s venison. She cooks whitebait in a way that West Coasters would applaud (no flour, lots of fish) but has few hard and fast food rules beyond an utter abhorrence of the pre-processed. There is some lovely writing (fritters are a “beautiful blotting paper” for drinks) but save the reading for winter and make salad while the sun shines. The first section of this book is your new best bring-a-plate-to-a-barbecue friend. Think grilled vege and black rice; avocado and caramelised pineapple, etc. Liz Clarkson’s photography sings and the food is modern family perfect — miso caramel on the chicken nibbles but (wisely) no messing with a lemon delicious pudding.
COOKING SOUTH OF THE CLOUDS
by Georgia Freedman (Kyle Books, $55) Contemporary gastronomes like to establish their cred via deep understanding of regional cuisines. Georgia Freedman promises “recipes and stories from China’s Yunnan Province” before taking readers to all four corners of “the other China”. Yunnan is geographically and culturally diverse — 24 official minority groups live there, eating grilled foods and fresh herbs in the tropical south; and supping wintery heartiness in the north. Freedman has swapped yak for beef in a recipe for Tibetan “momos” (steamed dumplings) but you’ll still need to head to the Avondale markets or similar for the likes of sawtooth herb — a tough coriander-like plant. A book to feed your mind and inspire wanderlust.
FRESH START, FEEL GOOD
by Nadia Lim (Fresh Start & Nadia Lim, $49) A collab with My Food Bag’s Fresh Start programme, with its focus on less carbs, sugar and calories, this is a hefty book, full of real food (and cauliflower rice). There are handy recipes for homemade flavour-enhancers like sweet chilli sauce and harissa paste. If you’re a Fresh Start dinner devotee who has been wondering what to eat for the rest of the day, Nadia Lim’s “nude food” philosophy now extends to healthy breakfasts, lunch boxes and sweets.