I Miss My Grandma's Cooking

 
 

The London Cookbook: Recipes from the Restaurants, Cafes, and Hole-in-the-Wall Gems of a Modern City

By Aleksandra Crapanzano

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Ten Speed Press (October 11, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1607748134

ISBN-13: 978-1607748137

Publisher’s Blurb:

From an award-winning food writer comes this intimate portrait of London--the global epicenter of cuisine--with 100 recipes from the city's best restaurants, dessert boutiques, tea and coffee houses, cocktail lounges, and hole-in-the-wall gems--all lovingly adapted for the home kitchen.

Once known for its watery potatoes, stringy mutton, and grayed vegetables, London is now considered to be the most vibrant city on the global food map. The London Cookbook  reflects the contemporary energy and culinary rebirth of this lively, hip, sophisticated, and very international city. It is a love letter to the city and an insider's guide to its most delicious haunts, as well as a highly curated and tested collection of the city's best recipes. This timeless book explores London's incredibly diverse cuisine through an eclectic mix of dishes, from The Cinnamon Club's Seared Aubergine Steaks with Sesame and Tamarind to the River Cafe's Tagliatelle with Lemon, and from Tramshed's Indian Rock Chicken Curry to Nopi's Sage and Cardamom Gin. Striking the perfect balance between armchair travel and approachable home cooking, The London Cookbook is both a resource and keepsake, a book as much for the well-travelled cook as for the dreaming novice.

My Thoughts:

British cooking has long had a bland rap as being over boiled and bland. My British grandmother, however, was a wonderful cook, and I loved going for visits because everything was so good.

This cookbook heralds the wonderful cuisine available in Britain. But it’s not just recipes; it also gives a history of British cuisine and discusses restaurants, places, and chefs. It makes me NEED to get back to England again.

Some of the recipes are updated classics, like Eton Mess, but many are new. Instructions are clear, and, although the author says the recipes are not “fussy,” they do take some technique and some time. These are not recipes for coming home from work and wondering what the heck to cook for dinner tonight. Most ingredients are commonly available, although some are a little more exotic and if, like me, you live in a rather out-of-the-way place, may be difficult to find.

While not every recipe appeals to me, there are many—particularly desserts!—that I can’t wait to try!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!