The Cookbook Guru for August: Your Bookshelf
The Cookbook Guru for August was originally planned to be Alice Water’s Chez Panisse. Due to a few unexpected circumstances at my end we are going to be putting Chez Panisse on a rain check for a few months and change the theme of August’s focus. After a steady diet for the past 7 month’s of classic and interesting books I thought it was time to change the pace for ourselves for a little bit. We’ll get back into the pre-selected list again in September. My apologies for anyone poised on the post button with your first contributions from this pre-nominated book. Feel free to add it to this month’s selection as part of the new and different theme for August.
The basis of the concept of The Cookbook Guru was always about exploring our bookshelves and delving into the cook books we have there that maybe a little neglected and needing to see the light of day. Whilst I have a mixed bag of a collection I know that the other regular contributors to The Cookbook Guru equally have burgeoning shelves with many treasures that would be worth sharing. So this month is all about picking a book (or books if you’re game), be it your food splattered favourite, your long lost treasure, or perhaps a new acquisition to the family, and sharing it with us all.
As part of your post make sure you give us your best pitch as to why your book should be a future part of our book club and in the beginning of September we’ll do a round-up and get everyone to vote on the favourites to come back and visit in more detail in 2015. A great way to expand all of our repertoires and share out favourite foods with each other. I can’t wait to see what you all bring to the table.
If this is your first encounter with The Cookbook Guru, make sure you check out our how to participate page here, and we’d love you to join in the fun. It’s all about sharing idea’s, exploring new and interesting recipes and getting to expand our foodie experiences.
I also should let you know that I’ll be offline travelling for the second half of the month with only limited access to the internet. I will endeavor to get to your posts and share throughout this time, however there may be a slight delay depending on my access. Apologies for this in advance and I can’t wait to share some of the culinary delights I discover in Thailand and Singapore with you all when I get back.
Happy Cooking Everyone,
Leah
What a fabulous idea. I was struggling to get hold of a Chez Panisse at the library and the internet recipes were a bit so-so. I hope you have a great trip. The food of Thailand is heavenly and I can recommend the cooking courses there too- fun and cheap. Better still, send the bloke. You will be full of Asian inspiration in September, just as the weather improves here.
Thank you, glad you’re looking forward to this, I am too to be honest. I loved researching Chez Panisse but found the same, its not easy to find recipes online or get access to the book. It’s still on my list to look at in the future but it went into the too hard basket for now 🙂 I can’t wait to see what everyone creates this month.
As for Thailand and Singapore, I can’t wait. Been a few years since we were in Phuket and 15 years for me for Singapore. I’m lucky the boy loves the food there too and is a good cook in his own right 🙂
Enjoy your travels – I’ll be back in my kitchen in August so I’ll endeavour to get involved again.
Thank you Nancy, you look like you’ve been having a wonderful time in the English summer. Looking forward to seeing what inspires you this month 🙂
Hello, I won’t have time to do a post on why to choose this book, but I have written a review (below) and am in the process of making something from it, which will be what I write up. But given the terrible violence that is happening to the people of Gaza, and given that this book is an instrument of peace in that it really opens one’s eyes and heart to the historic situation there, I would make an appeal for food bloggers to talk about The Gaza Kitchen. I realize it’s quite a hard book to get a hold of. https://kitchencounterculture121.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/reading-the-gaza-kitchen-contemplating-the-war-on-gaza/
hi, what a touching and wonderful piece you’ve written. We’d love to have one of the recipes shared on this page when you post one, the recipe book sounds wonderful, even if it is hard to get. Just tag The Cookbook Guru in the post and make sure you let us know that you’ve published it and we’ll reblog it as part of our book club. Leah
Like Francesca, I am finding it hard to get a copy of Alice Waters book too. I think it will be fun rummaging through the depths of the bookcase and rediscovering what’s hidden there.
Leah, have a wonderful and safe trip.
Lona
I’m the same as you and Francesca in regards to Chez Panisse. I can’t believe that a woman that is considered to be the mother of the organic and slow food movement in the USA has so little available online. I’ve loved what I’ve read about her though so I’m determined that we look at her at some point, but for now she is in the too hard basket.
Can’t wait to see what you uncover from your bookshelves 🙂
Great idea, where will I start? Xx
Thank you… I can’t wait to see what you pick… so many choices on your very experienced bookshelf. I have to say I’m leaning towards one of the Jane Grigson’s you gave me. I’ve loved the Fruit book that I’ve read whilst recovering and can’t wait to dig into the vegetable book 🙂
I’ve surprised myself with my choice!! I gave the Fruit & Veg books serious consideration too. Now to start cooking. The weather is foul today, might as well spend the time in a warm kitchen…..xxxx
OOOOOO I’m excited to see what you come up with xx
Mmmm Jane Grigson’s Fruit was a serious contender but I have another idea.
oh… I can’t wait to see what you come up with from your wonderful library…. I’m a little bit excited about this month’s Cookbook Guru with everyone’s experience and collections 🙂
Great idea! My copy of Chez Panisse has been reshelved for now. Now, what to choose? So many books! Will probably go Italian or Sicilian…or French…or failing that, Greek (my fallback cuisine!). Summer produce to contend with here, so choice will reflect that.
Pingback: Orange Coconut Haystacks | Sharing The Food We Love
Pingback: The Neil Perry Roundup | The Cookbook Guru
Pingback: The Cookbook Guru – Marbled Tea Eggs | Please Pass the Recipe
Pingback: Chicken with dried apricots and pinenuts | Passion Fruit Garden
HiLeah, Here is my first pitch http://passionfruitgarden.com/2014/08/06/chicken-with-dried-apricots-and-pinenuts/
Pingback: Food Philosophy of Simplicity | My Kitchen Witch
Pingback: Rigatoni with Broccoli, Almonds and Currants | Passion Fruit Garden
Hi Leah, another pitch, this time Maggie Beer
Oops, I forgot the link http://passionfruitgarden.com/2014/08/15/rigatoni-with-broccoli-almonds-and-currants/
Pingback: Cream of Tomato Soup | Sharing The Food We Love
Pingback: Nella Mia Cucina | My Kitchen Witch