A selection of recent cookery books
Jennifer Paterson
As I stare at the vast pile of cookery books spread out on the floor beside me it Would appear that the curry-lovers and the vegetarians are the best catered for. This makes sense, I suppose, as so many Indians are non-meat-eaters anyway, and all the Young lassies and lads from our blessed Isles seem to go on the Indian trail nowa- days, where it is much safer to stick to veg- etables, which are deliciously cooked and very cheap. , 50 Great Curries of India by Camellia rarijabi of the Bombay Brasserie fame (Kyle Cathie Ltd, £20) has plenty of meat receipts as well as clear directions for all the spicing etc, with good pictures showing You what's what, as well as short cuts for the uninitiated. There is a new illustrated version of Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery (BBC Books, £15.99), always a joy; then there are 250 Favourite Hot & Spicy Dishes by Pat Chapman of the Curry Club (Piatkus, £17.99). These dishes are not all c,urrles but various hot affairs from all over the world. An exquisitely produced book from Pavilion is Ismail Merchant's Passion- ate meals (£14.99), full of excitements. Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail by the excellent Leslie Forbes (BBC Books, £16.99) contains over 100 stunning recipes as well as the cultural history pertaining to the cuisine of today. Fascinating stuff. . _ The vegetarians can choose from Italian vegetarian Cooking by EmanueIa Stucchi (Pavilion Books, £17.99), a handsome book of simple, good Italian produce. The Japanese Vegetarian Cook Book by Patricia tIchfield (Piatkus, £12.99) deals with what is said to be the healthiest cuisine in the world. And to cover all occasions there is Realeat Encyclopaedia of Vegetarian Living by Peter Cox (Bloomsbury, £16.99) — rather daunting but useful to aficiona- dos, I suspect.
Now for things dearer to my heart. Marie-Pierre Moine, the author of Cuisine Grand-Mere, which I loved, has produced another sparkler, The Secrets of French Home Cooking (Conran Octopus, £16.99). Nothing really new to the experienced cook but ideal for the newcomers. Simple and clear directions for every delicious receipt from eggs, soups, sauces, souffles through quiches and pastries to the preparation and cooking of fish and meat, salads and puddings and a very good introduction on the basic needs of your kitchen and store cupboard. Give it to the young at once. From our own great chefs we have Marco Pierre White's glorious Wild Food from Land & Sea (Ebury Press, £19.99). There is a lot of grand and expensive food here but also simple but important things like buttered or braised cabbage and parsnip puree, risottos, stocks and sauces. On the other hand there is a jolly little starter of oysters with scrambled eggs and caviar. Why not? John Burton-Race gives us Recipes from an English Master Chef (Headline, 19.99). Owner of L'Ortolan restaurant near Reading, he has devised superb seasonal menus and a good and useful last chapter on the Basics, i.e. stocks, sauces and pastries.
The splendid Marguerite Patten will please those people 'who don't like their food mucked about' with her Classic British Dishes (Bloomsbury, £19.99) which range from English breakfasts to Scottish high teas, amongst the wealth of more than 500 receipts. A thoroughly dependable and use- ful book, it would make an ideal present for Anglophile foreigners.
For the militarily inclined there is The Colonel's Table by Henry Stanhope and Tank Nash with Brian Jones (Brassey's, £25), an entertaining if expensive book, taking you through the meals of the day with a selection of the Army's special receipts and even instructions for children's parties and cricketing teas. Dishes include the Colonel's Steak, Oyster and Brown Beer Pie, Stuffed Suckling Pig, and of course Beef Wellington and Chicken Marengo. There are also tales of many of the curious people who dined in the mess.
The World of Escoffzer by Timothy Shaw (Zwemmer, £19.95) is a ravishing book, though hardly a cookery book, having merely 30 of the great man's receipts, but it is a fascinating account of the world's most famous chef, from his early miseries to his international fame. Magnificent pictures, photographs and paintings.
In the realms of exotica you couldn't do better than Vatch's Thai Cookbook by Vatcharin Bhumichitr (Pavilion Books, £17.99). He has already produced two Thai books and this is his ultimate Thai bible, with a guide to essential ingredients and where to purchase them. Delicious, subtle food with practical information.
For what people call stocking-fillers (they used to be tangerines) I would sug- gest Superhints for Cooks compiled by the Lady Wardington (Michael Joseph, £9.99), a dear little book from the famous, the pro- fessional and those who entertain; some very good hints, and, what is more, all the royalties go to the Katherine House Hos- pice. Albert Roux's Cher Albert from the Evening Standard (Pavilion, £9.99) has answers to everything gastmnornique. Coffee, from Claudia Roden, is a Connois- seur's Companion (Pavilion, £9.99.) with 'Oh look, it's a worn again Christian Dior.' pretty illustrations by Murray Zanoni and a wealth of information. Fresh from the Garden by Henrietta Green (Kyle Cathie, £7.99) is the first cookbook from the Royal Horticultural Society, beautifully illustrated by Sally Maltby, offering over 60 receipts for using homegrown vegetables, fruits and herbs; delightful for cooks and gardeners. Pleasures of the Italian Table by Burton Anderson (Viking, £14) is a very nicely produced book devoted to the foods of Italy and the artisans who make them from the edge of the Alps to the shores of Sicily.
In paperback go for the wonderful The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook (Serif, £8.99) and learn how to make Hasish Fudge (which anyone could whip up on a rainy day) to brighten up ladies' bridge parties. For any- one who has not met this book before there is great joy in store.
Lastly, there is an old oddity of great charm, a reprint of The Cookery Book of Lady Clark of Tillypronie with an introduc- tion by Geraldine Holt (Southover Press, £19.95). This is the first reprint since 1909. She was quoted by both Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson and offers the best of 19th-century country house cooking.
Arrived just in time to squeeze in, thank God, is The Best of Robert Canier (Bloomsbury, £20); a treat and a treasure for Christmas. Nice to have him back.
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