Marie Claire: 10 Years of Great Food by Michele Cranston ★★★★★

ONE FOR “COOKBOOK” COOKS

Reviewed by Carmel (my sister-in-law)

          My sister-in-law, Carmel, is an amazing cook. She has four gorgeous children, and they would have to be the luckiest kids on the planet to eat her meals every day.  At most family gatherings, Carmel is the designated dessert-bringer. Her cakes are legendary and worth driving long distances to scoff.

          She, also, has strong opinions. If she doesn't like something, like books I recommend, she tells me. So, I thought who would be more perfect than my sister-in-law to review a few of the gorgeous cookbooks on offer.  If Carmel says it’s a good cookbook then I can guarantee it is a good cookbook and worth the dollars.

This book she absolutely loves and it has become a mainstay in her kitchen.

Over to Carmel…

          I am what you would call a “cookbook cook” and I like to think I can cook anything as long as I have the recipe in front of me and a picture. Of course, this doesn’t include spaghetti and meatballs or crumbed chicken/meat, as these I can do in my sleep and my family would happily eat only these dishes on alternate nights. However for the sake of variety and nutritional value, I need four to five other meals to fill my dinner week.

          Hence, a good cookbook is essential. And, no, I don’t want to Google recipes on my iPad. I like to turn a page and have a beautiful book sitting on my bench.

So, over the years, my cookbook collection has grown. Despite the fact I have a shelf (actually several shelves) full of cookbooks, I always find myself using the same ones. My favourites include several of the Marie Clare series.

           The people at Marie Clare have released “Marie Claire: 10 Years of Great Food” and it has quickly become the “king” of my cookbook collection. After using this book for a few months I can say it definitely ticks all the boxes for those of us that are dedicated “cookbook cooks”:

þ Simple recipes with precise instructions—Tick

If you follow what is written, you cannot get it wrong. The instructions are short and to the point with no unnecessary family stories or historical references to the origin or region from which it evolved.

þ Recipes use every day, easily sourced products—Tick

You don’t have to drive thirty minutes to the alternative farmer’s market to buy some herb of which you will only use two leaves leaving the rest to wilt in the fridge. And you won’t have to go to the specialty gourmet food shop for a spice costing twice as much as anything in Woolworths or Coles, which then sits in your pantry until it’s use by date expires.

þ Beautiful pictures showing exactly what the dish should look like—Tick

There are no scenes of the countryside or elaborate table settings with flowers and fancy tableware that dwarf the actual dish, just mouth-watering photos of the food.

þ Tips and facts scattered throughout the recipes—Tick

These are short, useful, easy to read, and almost always answer any queries that inevitably come to mind as you read through the recipe.

          The recipes that I have tried all worked very well, not that I necessarily liked each one but that is a personal preference on flavours and taste. And, if in the future I did decide that I liked figs with chicken then I would no doubt make the “Chicken and Baby Fig Tagine” again because, according to my family, it was delicious.

          “Marie Claire: 10 Years of Great Food” is a beautifully presented book with an exceptional variety of recipes that look like ‘dinner party’ food but are actually simple enough to cook any day. So often when you are looking at buying cookbooks you will think “Do I really need another cookbook?” Well, this one you do!

“Marie Claire: 10 Years of Great Food” is available now and RRP is $59.99 (well worth it Carmel says.)

Thank you to Allen and Unwin Australia for Carmel’s review copy

VISIT Murdoch Books for purchasing details and more information on books authored by Michele Cranston.

            

ABOUT THE BOOK

           Join Michele Cranston, award-winning food writer and stylist, on a journey that will transport you from an alfresco table in summer through to a wintery afternoon of comfort food. Along the way you will experience the fresh seasonal flavours that have always been associated with marie claire recipes.

          Simple, innovative and inspiring, this book brings together over 250 of Michele’s favourites — from Lemon and thyme lamb cutlets and Chicken and baby fig tagine to Summertime pavlova and Chocolate mousse cake.

Layered with anecdotal tales and memories 10 Years of Great Food with Michele Cranston captures her passion and talent that form the core of these enticing recipes.

The Australian Women's Weekly FOOD WE LOVE ★★★★★

I CAN BAKE!  I CAN BAKE!

When I think of The Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks I think of my first attempts, over thirty years ago, at cooking and my first ever cookbook, The Women’s Weekly Cooking Class Cookbook.  I loved it so much because until I owned that book everything I cooked was a disaster.  They had fabulous pictures of every step of the process and a picture of how the dish was meant to look at the end.  I truly learnt to cook with that book. Until a recent house move that book sat on my shelf for three decades. 

Of course, over the years you add more and more books to your collection and most of mine were Women’s Weekly.  Any time favourite cookbooks are mentioned amongst friends there is usually the comment, “You can’t go wrong with a Women’s Weekly.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook series has been around since 1976 beginning with Best Ever Recipes.  After that one book a year was released and they have now sold over 75 million copies worldwide across 100 countries. 

Enough of history though, you want the review part don’t you?

So, when my The Australian Women’s Weekly ‘Food We Love’ (favourite recipes from the AWW Test Kitchen) arrived, I took one look and fell in love.  This book was first published in 2006 and this is the latest 2013 edition.

In Food We Love 90 past and present staff of the AWW Test Kitchen have gathered together their favourite recipes. Even though some of the recipes are years old, these are recipes they helped develop and are still cooking today for their family and friends.

Let me be honest, despite my cooking experience—some say I am not bad—I am not a baker.

Muffins, yes!

Biscuits, rarely!

Ice-cream with a banana for dessert, mostly!

I blame the oven every time a cake failed.  Of course, said my friends nodding, while probably thinking she can't bake.  It’s always the oven, right?  Eventually, I gave up and brought salads or Tim Tams to gatherings .

So the first section I turned to in Food We Love was ‘Baking’. Here is the real test of the success of a cook book for me. Can I bake something from it and not watch my family chew for far too long on the initial bite?

Results:  Moist orange cake. Yes! “Please make another,” said the 10 year old. 

Moist coconut cake with coconut ice frosting.  Yes! “Wonderful and different,” congratulates the husband.

Carrot and banana cake.  Yes! “Please pack extra for my lunch,” said the two boys who normally will only take those horrible, deadly, sugary muesli bars you buy from the shop.

Cinnamon teacake. Yes! Yes! Yes! Everyone loved this big, yummy, donut-tasting cake which my fussiest son devoured after first licking—yes licking—the side nervously having experienced my baking for years.

And this is only some of the baking section. There are finger foods, soups and starters, and mains; broken into the usual meats, pasta & rice, seafood, salads, and accompaniments.  Then desserts, baking (wonderful baking) and even Christmas fare.

It’s bright and breezy and basic—with a beautiful picture of the result—which is what we average cooks want.  In the side column of the recipes there is also a little blurb from the test kitchen employee who chose the recipe.  They tell you who they are and why they love this recipe.

The Australian Women’s Weekly Food We Love is now the cook book I love.  I could write so much more about this book but I have a lemon sour cream cake in the oven and …

Review copy thanks to my delicious friends at Bauer Media

Please click here for purchasing info and further details.

More Women’s Weekly Cookbooks to check out HERE

Published: June/2013

Page extent: 240pp

ISBN: 978-1-74245-385-9

RRP: $29.95

WHAT’S FOR DINNER by Curtis Stone ★★★★

GORGEOUS CHEF, GORGEOUS FOOD

Okay let’s address the elephant in the room.  Curtis Stone is gorgeous isn’t he?  He is the image of the Australian male I would like us Aussies to be known for around the world.  This is opposed to the long-haired, flip-flop wearing, beer guzzler larrikin that is held up on a regular basis. 

He’s a charming, enthusiastic guy who cooks, and any girl would be pleased to take him home to their Mum.  A Swiss guest in my house picked up the book the day it arrived and with a big smile on her face, asked, “Who is this Curtis Stone?”  Hear the emphasis on “this” and you will understand why she asked.  “And he’s Australian?” she said after I answered her.  “Hmmm.”

Calm down now ladies because, sadly, he married in June 2013.  If the pictures in his latest cookbook, “WHAT’S FOR DINNER?” are anything to go by, actress Lindsay Price, his wife, is just as gorgeous and lovable as him. 

They have a beautiful son Hudson, born on November 6, 2011 and photos of the family feature throughout the book.  The photos are delightful and several friends oohed an ahhed over the family shots at a recent dinner.

Curtis knows we are busy.  Personally, my feet rarely touch the ground between running the taxi-driver service after school, writing commitments and catching up with friends and family.  Is anyone else’s diary, whether you have kids or not, any different these days?   So we want good easy-to-make food to fuel us.

“Dinners at my house were all about being together,” says Curtis in the book’s introduction and I agree.   We’re not a fast-food family either.  So, we cook most nights and really try to vary our menu.

There are more than one hundred and thirty delicious recipes in “WHAT’S FOR DINNER?” and having trialed quite a few we (my husband loves to cook too) found them very easy to follow.  Publishers send cookbooks to non-chefs like me because if I can use them anyone can.

Each sections is separated into days of the week: Motivating Mondays, Time-Saving Tuesdays, One Pot Wednesdays, Thrifty Thursdays, Five-Ingredient Fridays, Dinner-Party Saturdays, Family Supper Sundays and finally Something Sweet.

On each recipe page Curtis has added his own little story on the meal; where he first came upon it, why he chose it and ‘Curtis’s Kitchen Notes’ with hints and tips. It’s almost like having him in the kitchen with you. The meal pictures are beautiful and mouth-watering and he’s created some new takes on classic recipes.

If you can’t have Curtis Stone in your home (I know I am only just coming to terms with that) this book is a lovely stand-in. Who knows, with such easy recipes, maybe the man of your house may become inspired. Then you, too, will have your own version of Curtis in no time.

P.S. Would make a lovely gift for Mum or a friend. Next time you are invited to dinner, don’t bring wine or chocolates, bring ‘Curtis’.

My review copy of Curtis Stone’s What’s For Dinner? thanks to the gorgeous people at RANDOM HOUSE Australia.

Release Dates: Australia and New Zealand: May 2013

Useful Links

For purchasing details and more information:   click here

Useful Links

Visit Curtis Stones' official website
Follow Curtis Stone on Facebook
Follow Curtis Stone on Twitter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Curtis Stone is a chef, author and TV personality. His philosophy is to cook as Mother Nature intended—buy local, seasonal and organic ingredients, keep recipes simple and allow the food to speak for itself.

It’s a world Curtis already knows well. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Curtis’s passion for food was inspired as a boy by his mother’s baking and his grandmother’s famous fudge. Mid-way through business school he left to don his first apron at the Savoy Hotel in Melbourne and later honed his skills in London under legendary three-star Michelin genius Marco Pierre White at Café Royal, Mirabelle and the revered Quo Vadis.

Curtis appeared in a number of cooking programs in the UK before hosting three seasons of Surfing the Menu in Australia—an instant international hit which caught the eye of US producers. This led to his own US series Take Home Chef on TLC in 2006, which has since been enjoyed in more than 70 countries.

Inspiring home cooks is Curtis’ vision as he works selectively with grocery stores to improve fresh produce offerings, devise recipe cards and help families think seasonally, shaping the nation and their shopping habits. As he loves to point out: "when you walk down the street and someone comes up and says, ‘You know what? We never used to cook fish in our house. Since we’ve tried that salmon recipe we have it once a week.’ The feeling that gives you is worth a million other things."

Curtis lives in Los Angeles with partner Lindsay Price and their son Hudson, born in November 2011.

THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY GREAT ITALIAN COOKBOOK

MORE THAN MEATBALLS

 I am an Aussie but I married an Italian. He’s the youngest of four brothers.

The day I walked down the aisle was the equivalent of immigrating.  There is an Italian lifestyle and most of it is wonderful. It is the Dolmio ad most of the time. They’re a rowdy lot.  Put all the relatives in a room together celebrating a birthday or a special day and I can barely hear myself think.

My children have a Nonna and a Nonno and I have spent the past thirteen years only half understanding what is said around me.  Besides inheriting masses of relatives, I did inherit one of the greatest benefits of all…the Italian food. 

All the relatives gather at Nonna’s once a year to make the sauce and I assure you very little tastes as good as Nonna’s sauce. There is the sausage making day and there’s even olive picking day and if work needs to be done, the sons and family arrive en masse. The kids love all the get togethers and pitch in with the cousins and Uncles with any of the hard labour.

Before my Father-in-Law passed away a few years ago, our visits to the in-laws would always end with us towing home bagfuls of fresh produce picked straight from the garden.  Jealous yet?
          So, although not a food blogger, I’m the perfect choice to judge The Australian Women’s Weekly Great Italian Cookbook. But this is a trial with a twist here, my husband did the cooking.He fancies himself a chef these days.  (Yes, I am the luckiest girl on Earth; he even makes the school lunches.)  So, when we were designated Easter hosts out came the shiny, brand new Women’s Weekly Great Italian Cookbook.

We began with Antipasto inspired by the picture on the very first page and next came the wonderful ‘tomato and rocket Bruschetta’.  Then we were onto the Chicken Ravioli with Tarragon Sauce.  That’s three courses and by then everyone was complaining, ‘It’s too wonderful and we’re too full.’

 Mains were the most beautiful peppered steak (barbecued) with Grilled Polenta Cakes and a side dish of Garlic Marinated Prawns.  Finally, when there was no room left for anything more, the hubby presents the Sicilian Cheesecake. Everyone dug deep and still managed to devour it.You don’t need a party though or to be Italian to appreciate this book.  The recipes are simple and beautifully presented. There are special sections on how to cook perfect pasta, bread, Italian essentials and Italian classics and a wonderful section containing gourmet pizza ideas plus much more in over 240 pages.

        

Since Easter we’ve trialled even more recipes and can report every single one turned out beautifully. Thanks to this book, our Italian cooking is more than meatballs and pasta sauce.  Now the downfall of this book, I’m renewing my membership at the local gym but it is worth every gram. Bon Appetito 

P.S. The picture on the right is Nonna's score for her son's Easter meal.  Three judges all awarded a Master Chef 10.

Review copy thanks to my friends at Random House 

Please click here for purchasing info and further details.

More Women’s Weekly Cookbooks to check out HERE

Published: 01/02/2013

Imprint: ACP Miscellaneous

Extent: 248 pages