The Dynamic Duo

Where do you start when putting a cookbook together? Can you just have a bank of good recipes and some novel, never done before ideas? Well the answer is no, not anymore. The straight format of recipe and accompanying photographs is no longer de rigueur. Things have moved on since the stultifying books of the 70s and early 80s. Our lives have become entwined with that evasive word, lifestyle, and this has now crept into our cookbooks. We are all seeking ideals and aiming higher than just producing good food and want to go the whole hog, creating that elusive ambiance of an occasion to remember. Two things that one should try and achieve are:

1. Your friends should remember the food you serve and want to talk about it afterwards.
2. Most importantly, your friends should look forward to being asked again, not just for the sparkling company but for the delicious food as well.

Two names that are very much on everyone's lips at the moment are Fran Warde and Debi Treloar. Eat Drink Live was published by Ryland Peters & Small in the autumn under the authorship of Fran, with Debi being responsible for the photography. You get the impression from Eat Drink Live that they adhere to this notion of an all-encompassing lifestyle cookery book. It certainly is attractive and will have you yearning for cosy brunches or seaside barbecues: all the sort of memories that we like to keep locked away to bring out on rainy days.


But let's take a look at Eat Drink Live and its inception. Ryland Peters & Small had been sitting on the title for over two years before they approached Fran. She was given a completely free rein by RPS and put together a series of ideas. She then brought in her friend, Debi Treloar, the photographer, and with Louise Leffler, the designer, they sat down and thought the book through. Fran says ‘the book was completely organic in its fruition and they (RPS) just loved what came back. We tried not to give it one look but a grand scene followed by a simple barbecue on the beach'. And in Eat Drink Live, the photography gets equal status with the recipes. The photographs are as much about the setting, the china or glass used than the food on the plates. RPS must know their formula as Fran's book is already in its second edition in America.

The photographs
Debi and Fran feed off each other and both instinctively know what they want to achieve. They decide between them the recipes they want to illustrate. Fran prepares all the food for photography herself and uses her own props. She is always on the lookout for interesting tableware and already has a huge collection. The designer is on hand at all times, but with these two, she is rarely called into action. They have the knack. Eat Drink Live took just seventeen days to shoot, which included a trip to the Isle of Wight and the sun shone magically for them.

Debi had no hand in choosing which photographs would be used. Although she readily admits that she can keep back any that she is unhappy with. The cover of Eat Drink Live was not shot purposefully. RPS chose the image that they felt best embodied the whole book.

The Recipes
Fran has worked her way on the world food trail, coming home to roost in the leafy suburbs of West London. Her time spent as a food stylist has served her well. She admits that ‘It was very hard for me to change from being a chef to a writer. As a chef, you cook with a rustle and an eye. Having to write things down became painful for me.' However, she is now well practised and shouldn't even confess to such doubts. Her recipes are short and easy to follow.

The good news
Fran and Debi have already started work on a second book for RPS. Last summer, they took a villa in the South of France to start work on it. They had their respective families with them and cooked and photographed away. They had the most marvellous time and it didn't even look like work at all. But then perhaps that is the key.

To find out more about Fran Warde, .


To find out more about Debi Treloar, .