Cannelle et Vanille, from long-time blogger, photographer and chef Aran Goyaga, whom I have been following and enjoying for many years. And The Hog island book of Fish and Seafood, by Chef John Ash, for its most sumptuous Book cover.
And as I am currently working on a most precious cookbook project with a long-term friend and spa chef, Samantha Gowing, from Food Health Wealth, I am thirsty for good Cook Book Covers, lay-out, typography, design and naturally great photography.
“Cannelle et Vanille: A Book for all cooks” is a delightful cookbook that promises to take you through basque cooking flavours and certainly lives up to its name. As an avid home cook passionate about exploring new tastes, I found this cookbook a refreshing addition to my collection.
The book’s layout is visually appealing, with beautiful photography accompanying many recipes, enticing readers to try creating the dishes. The diverse range of recipes, from hearty vegetables and nourishing proteins to sweet and spicy treats, ensures something for everyone, regardless of their culinary preferences. From comforting Basque seafood dishes to aromatic French pastries and roasted potatoes – the English way, the cookbook offers a well-rounded selection of recipes that will surely please a broad audience.
The instructions are generally clear and concise, making them accessible for novice and experienced cooks.
One aspect that sets this cookbook apart is the excellent background information provided for each recipe. The author goes beyond just listing ingredients and steps; they share personal stories, cultural significance, and historical context, which adds depth and meaning to the dishes. It’s a fantastic way to connect with the food more emotionally and gain a deeper understanding of the traditions they originate from.
This cookbook highlights the diversity of flavours and ingredients, allowing readers to expand their culinary horizons. The author has done an excellent job of staying true to the authentic flavours while making necessary adaptations for the home kitchen. Moreover, most ingredients used in the recipes are relatively easy to find in regular grocery stores, reducing the need for speciality shopping.
One minor drawback is that some recipes may require a longer list of ingredients or more complicated preparation techniques, which could be daunting for those looking for quick and straightforward meals.
In conclusion, “Cannelle et Vanille – A book for all cooks” is a well-crafted cookbook that celebrates the rich tapestry of global cuisines. It’s enticing visuals, engaging storytelling, and flavourful recipes make it a valuable addition to any cook’s bookshelf. Whether you are an adventurous cook or simply looking to expand your cooking repertoire, this cookbook will inspire you to embark on a culinary journey worldwide.
Book Covers are an essential part of enjoying a good cookbook. The pleasure of picking up the book and reading the author’s reasons for writing the story and recipes is enough for most readers to enjoy a culinary trip to a particular part of the world. Whether revisiting an area of a family holiday by recreating the recipes or exploring new locations to visit.
On a recent trip to San Francisco, I fell in love with the city, its old-fashioned railway trams for transport, long walks through easily accessible inner city streets and visiting beautiful stores with kitchenware. Followed by tasting the delicious food in the inner city and wharf-side restaurants.
‘The Hog Island Book of Fish and Seafood – culinary treasures from our waters: features favourites from the kitchens of the Hog Island Oyster bars and many other talented chefs who embraced the company’s sustainable ethos.
With a wide variety of cooking methods and clearly illustrated techniques, such as how to shuck an oyster, fillet fish or open a clam, this cookbook will guide you through the basics of seafood preparation.
Chef John Ash has deep knowledge of seafood and, most importantly, a knack for presenting it clearly to the home cook to reproduce the recipes successfully.
As a food photographer and stylist, I am always drawn to books with salivating images. This book features full-page photographs with creative use of light and dynamic compositions to entice me before and during the cooking process.
With a clear layout and design to follow the recipes, ingredients can be sourced easily or replaced with other seafood from more local waters. The instructions are generally clear and concise, making them accessible for novice and experienced cooks. However, I found the directions vague in a few instances, which might confuse those unfamiliar with specific cooking techniques or ingredients. Including additional tips or explanations would have been helpful in those cases.
Excited about producing and self publishing your own cookbook?
Creating a cookbook with your very own family recipes to have as a keepsake for the generations to come or to go on the journey of either getting published or self publish can be a dream. But with time, planning and support it can be achieved. If you want to take control of your book by using your own photo’s but feel there is more to learn about photography and styling then an opportunity of staying in residence in a beach house in Kingscliff, Australia for either one or two weeks could be the dream you are waiting for.
Stay, cook, style and photograph your tested recipes with me as your food photography mentor. Guiding you through styling, light and composition. Days to shoot and discuss how to create a cookbook from scratch.
Local markets and shops to get fresh food and produce. Assistance with cooking, or styling can also be arranged as well as a session with a recipe writer. Excited and wanting to know more details then contact me
And if travelling to Australia is not in the near future there is always the option of my online mentoring program, where I can assist in photography, styling and cook book publishing.
