The Angela Day team reviews some new cookbooks on the market.
CONFESSIONS OF A HUNGRY WOMAN
Author: Sam Woulidge
Publisher: Random House Struik
Price: R270
Review by: Jenny Kay
This book started out as a monthly column written by the author for a well-known magazine.
The author Sam Woulidge is married to a ship doctor and spent many years travelling the globe with him. While doing this, she documented her travels and experiences for her column. After spending four years travelling, they came back to settle in their hometown of Cape Town.
Woulidge has a love affair with food and her travels exposed her to different cultures and taste experiences which she documented in her column.
The culmination of all these letters is this book, where she asked 14 friends to share their fail-proof recipes with her. As Woulidge is not a professional cook, she insisted the recipes had to be “Sam-proof”.
When I first looked at the book I thought it a bit self-indulgent, but once I started reading it I found myself drawn into her stories and even identifying with some of the anecdotes about her youth.
I enjoyed reading about her friends, some of whom are well known in the food industry. I found the recipes user-friendly as both the cups and millilitre measurements are given, and nearly every recipe I looked at I wanted to try.
Because I had some fennel and pomegranates in my fridge, I tried this fresh and light salad and was not disappointed in the taste.
LEMONY FENNEL, POMEGRANATE AND FETA SALAD
5 bulbs of fennel, washed and sliced
1 juicy lemon
2.5ml sea salt
30-45ml olive oil
¼–½ preserved lemon
arils (rubies or seeds) of 1 pomegranate
2 wheels of feta cheese, crumbled
Place the sliced fennel into a bowl. Cut the lemon lengthwise and squeeze one half over the fennel.
Thinly slice the other half into circles, then cut these slices into quarters. Add the tiny lemon quarters to the fennel, then add the salt and olive oil. Mix well.
Scrape off and discard all the flesh and pith of the preserved lemon with a teaspoon and wash under running water before slicing it thinly. Add the rind to the fennel mixture and toss well.
Decorate with the pomegranate arils and the crumbled feta.
YOU LET’S COOK TOP 500+ RECIPES 2
Author: Carmen Niehaus
Publisher: Human & Rousseau
Price: R330
Review by: Janice Lupini
The second edition in the You Let’s Cook Top 500 series, this generous compilation consists of 15 jam-packed chapters from savoury and sweet pastries, baked puddings, breads, cakes and cupcakes to fish and seafood, meat, mince and curries to breakfasts, starters and light meals. The huge variety of recipes can be a bit overwhelming.
It is a compact, hardcover cookbook consisting of a variety of recipes with step-by-step instructions and hints and tips included here and there. I found this book most enjoyable to read.
However, the only problem I do have is there are so many recipes, that each recipe does not have an image or picture. An image of the completed recipe is very enticing because I like to see what the finished dish looks like, which I missed. It’s a pity because the high-quality images that are included are exquisite. The phrases “a picture is worth a thousand words” and “we eat with our eyes” go a long way in cookbooks.
I tested the blue cheese cheesecakes, which were delicious. However the instructions did not match the picture. The picture clearly shows the cheesecakes with a cracker base, but the instructions tell you to sprinkle the cracker base on top.
I found the base to be quite tough when cooked. I would mix melted butter instead of egg whites with the cream crackers.
BLUE CHEESE CHEESECAKE
Serves 6
Crust
1 packet cream crackers, crushed
4 extra-large egg whites, lightly beaten
Filling
4 extra-large egg yolks
125ml milk
2 tubs creamed cottage cheese
100g blue cheese, crumbled
1ml cayenne pepper
few basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease 6 loose-bottom 8cm tartlet pans.
CRUST: Mix the cracker crumbs and egg whites together and set aside.
FILLING: Beat the egg yolks and milk together. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well. Spoon the filling into the prepared pans. Sprinkle a thick layer of the crust mixture on top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until firm. Cool in the oven. Serve with preserves, marmalade, grape jam or fresh fruit.
TEA TIME
Author: Jackie Brooks
Publisher: Random House Struik
Price: R170
Review by: Janice Lupini
Wow, what a pretty guide to teatime treats and bakes, both savoury and sweet. It also offers recipes of various teas, including iced tea, to serve with these delicious treats.
Recipes include sandwiches, cupcakes, cakes, shortbread and tarts, to name a few. Each recipe is accompanied by a colour photo and easy-to-follow instructions. Suitable for beginner and the more advanced cooks wanting to show off a bit, Tea Time is fun and uncomplicated to read. Tastefully done!
So whether your guests prefer traditional bergamot Earl Grey spicy tea with smoked trout and lime sandwiches, followed by cherry cheesecake, or a more contemporary rooibos health tea, pesto and cheese triangles and chocolate pear delights, Tea Time has a delicious solution to suit all tastes.
Try this delicious recipe which I tested. I used phyllo pastry instead of puff. It worked just as well.
PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS
Makes 12
3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
375ml milk
75ml cornflour
350ml castor sugar
½ vanilla bean
9 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
In a saucepan, combine milk, cornflour, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk half the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks.
Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with custard and bake for 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top.
EASY TABLE SETTINGS
Authors: Claire Huisamen, Ingrid Loud and Noeleen Foster
Publisher: Random House Struik
Price: R200
Reviewed by: Jenny Kay
I’m not sure how many people go to the trouble of setting fancy tables for occasions these days, but there is something special about sitting down to a meal where attention has been paid to small details, and the table setting complements both the food and the occasion.
If you’re enjoy going the extra mile for your guests and need some inspiration, then this book is for you. It’s filled with stylish and practical ideas for table settings for occasions, ranging from an ordinary family meal to a book club supper and even themes for children’s parties.
The introduction covers tips on how to be a good hostess, getting organised and a guide to tableware, such as which forks to use for each course and so on.
One can glean some great ideas from the beautifully shot pictures of the different settings. For example, you can arrange your roses in a lovely silver teapot, or serve your fish in brown paper and the chips in a recycled pilchard can.
I really liked the idea of making serviette rings out of small tomato paste cans. To make them, remove both top and bottom from the tin. Print a collage or pretty pictures in a strip wide enough to fit the width of the tin. Cut it to fit and glue it on to the tin, then spray with clear varnish. With a colour printer and tons of designs on offer on the internet, the possibilities are endless.
Another great idea is to transform a plain white candle into something special by glueing sprigs of fresh lavender around the sides. Cover the stems with a pretty piece of paper and secure it with double-sided tape.
There is also a handy suppliers’ list at the back of the book.
CHEESES OF SOUTH AFRICA
Author: Kobus Mulder
Publisher: Sunbird Publishers
Price: R225
Reviewed by: Jenny Kay
As a cheese lover, I am always interested in supporting the small producers. I love speciality cheese and would rather buy cheese from a producer who is making cheese with integrity and care over mass-produced cheese (although these cheeses have their place). So for me this book provides a valuable insight into different producers and the styles of cheese they make.
The book also gives information about different types of cheese – soft, hard and fresh – as well as the kinds of milk used for cheese making.
If you are confused about unpasteurised milk versus pasteurised milk being used for cheese production, Mulder gives a good explanation for the pros and cons. There are also tips for storing and cutting cheese, what to put on a cheeseboard and what wine to drink with them.
Mulder visits 22 cheese producers and gives a description of their farms, the animals these types of cheese are produced from, and the farmers themselves. The book showcases beautiful pictures by Russel Wasserfall of the animals, the cheeses and the picturesque settings of some of the farms.
This may not be a book for everyone, but if you’re interested in the source of the cheese you eat and want to learn more about how boutique producers are making them, then you will love this book.
If you want to get hold of these cheese producers and their products, there is a useful contact list at the back of the book. Thankfully, my favourite shop, Cheese Gourmet in Linden, stocks many of the products mentioned and I don’t have to travel far to get a regular cheese fix. - The Star