Paper Palate

The February 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine arrived the other day, and I’ve not only read the whole thing already, I even made a recipe from it.  That just might be a record for me, because I’m forever working on a backlog of magazines.  The cover pictures as of late, to me, have been somewhat […]

First things first. I have never watched Desperate Housewives. This review of The Desperate Housewives Cookbook (hereafter referred to as TDHC) will be based purely on the usability of the book and the success of the recipes, based on my own experimentation.
What I know about the show is that perhaps some of the leading ladies […]

Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook, Jamie’s Italy, is very different from his previous books. Italy has always been a passion of his. From the time of his first tv shows, he has always placed an emphasis on pasta and Italian peasant cooking, and this cookbook brings his passion to life.
Jamie travels through Italy and writes of […]

A great little book has come my way - many thanks Dave - you won’t find it in any Amazon list as it was printed in 1948.
Cookery for Men Only by Wilson Midgley certainly comes from a bygone age; remember it was published just after the war when rationing was still ubiquitous in the UK. […]

From the Times ten recommendations to ‘banish the winter blues’ - a top 10 guide to the best comfort food in London and the South East.
Maggie Jone’s 6 Old Court Place, W8 [details]
“This charmingly cluttered Kensington stalwart, set across three rambling floors, is the antitheses of minimalism, with cooking paraphernalia suspended from the ceiling and […]

Spotted a new magazine on the shelf at WHSmiths today - Taste Italia ‘for lovers of Italian food and drink’.
It is published by the producers of Taste Italia, which I believe is a travel and Italian culture magazine. The emphasis in Taste Italia is totally about Italian food and wine.
Every issue is packed with regional […]

A chicken fricassee is the sort of humble but hearty fare that Cook’s Country magazine often considers. Traditionally, the fricassee is made of a whole cut-up chicken stewed in gravy. However, this iteration of chicken fricassee is intended to be a 30-minute meal, so boneless, skinless chicken breasts get the nod in this case. It […]

The Passionate Cook is in Delicious!
It’s true, there on page 19 is the doyen of the UK food blogging scene Johanna in the first of a regular Blog Standard interview. Her ‘best thing about blogging’?
“The sense of community. Getting feedback from people about my recipes is fantastic, and I’ve met bloggers from all over Europe, the […]

A rather interesting article in todays Times concerning celebrity chefs and who actually writes their books.
They don’t name names of course but certainly state that one recently published book from a celebrity was lacking a chapter on spices; they put a call out - basically paying others to supply recipes - and the book was […]

I am admittedly quite terrible at remembering which fruits and vegetables are in season when. I remember the obvious ones, like watermelon, for instance, but ask me the best season for some of the green vegetables, and I couldn’t tell you.
Today’s issue of The Star Ledger (subscription) is all about coconuts. Now I’m […]