Donna Hay has been heralded the world over for her thoroughly modern approach to cooking. Her books for the magazine,
Marie Claire, have all been huge sellers and
Flavours is yet another one to add to the growing list. This book is still hot despite being published several months ago. So much so that the respective judges of the
Guild of Food Writers Awards and the Glenfiddich Awards chose it as their best food book of the year. Well done Donna.
In
Flavours, Donna has chosen some of her favourite ingredients and explored their uses. From
vanilla to cinnamon and spice and
chilli to basil and mint, she puts these flavours to the test and has come up with some
great recipes and
good ideas.
Her stint as a
food stylist has not been wasted either. The photography in
Flavours, by Petrina Tinslay, is seriously cool: very minimalist with the food speaking for itself. The food is shown on white china on a white background: all very simple but effective. And this is where Donna has shown the way. Since publishing
The New Cook in 1995, publishers have been following her inimitable style.
Flavours is a confection of great food. Think of
ginger and start with
good ideas. Deep fry finely shredded ginger until crisp and use as a garnish in soup or salads. Expanding on the ginger theme, poach chicken in ginger broth and serve with beans. Or what about
prawn and ginger dumplings? Now think
salt. Olives that are too salty? What do you do with them? Soak them in water for an hour or so and some of the saltiness will have been washed away. Ever thought of making your own
gravad lax? Donna does and it looks easy. Just pack a salmon fillet in rock sea salt, some sugar and dill. Leave overnight to cure. Scrape off the salt, sugar and dill and cut into thin slices.
And we haven’t even touched on the chapter on
chocolate. It’s no good, there are just too many delicious things in
Flavours. You will have to go and buy it. But just to whet you appetite,
triple-choc brownies,
chocolate sorbet and
chocolate pear cake might just get you going.
Some may find this book not comforting enough for our dark, winter months. Hold fast, as soon as the weather improves,
Flavours will come into its own.
Publication Details:
192 pages. Photography by Petrina Tinsley. £14.99.
ISBN 1853919187. Published by Murdoch Books.
2000 Order directly from
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