I've been thinking for ages that I'd like to do a blog post about favourite cookery books -- the ones held together by food splodges and bits of yellowing Sellotape - and I will at some point. But meanwhile, here's my favourite new one in ages. It's by Kerstin Rogers, aka Ms Marmite Lover, a former rock photographer, who
blogs here and runs a much-feted supper club called
The Underground Restaurant from her home in north London. There's masses to love about the book, from Kerstin's anecdotes about cooking for (I paraphrase very loosely) vegan cooperatives in Hackney squats or protestors at anti G20 summits (Kerstin for a time lived in A CHANGING ROOM at London Fields lido) to the advice she has for anyone wishing to open their own underground restaurant.
Mostly, though, what I love is that there isn't a single recipe in the book that doesn't make me want to run to the shop and start cooking it right now - quite a feat. You know how with some cookbooks you get the sense that the person is going through the motions and that their recipes might be nice but you wouldn't go out of your way to eat them or hang out with their author? Not here. Supper Club is written by a proper, joyfully greedy girl (I mean that as the highest compliment) who really knows her stuff. It all sounds delicious - robust, non-poncy, just really good food -- and reads deliciously too; the recipes are clearly written, and HarperCollins have done a beautiful job on the aesthetics front. Out now;
here's the Amazon link.
PS The book contains recipes from an Elvis-themed feast Kerstin had. The starter is deep-fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches and there are 14 other courses. I practically got a boner reading it.
Lovely poster with recipes by
Cressida Bell (click to expand). Perfect present for students, or indeed for anyone interested in good fast food. There are 20 recipes. £10 directly from Bell's
website.
Drink, Shop & Do is a charming café at the Kings Cross end of Pentonville Road. Everything in it is for sale; there's cake, cocktails and serviceable food (see this
review) and they run
craft events - knitting, book binding,
pearl-necklace making. Ha ha ha. Yes. Anyway: they also play fantastic music. Go - it's lovely.
If you always wondered what the other 56 varieties were, now you know. Found
here via
here.
Pierre Hermé, who makes totally incredible macaroons, open a concession inside Selfridges tomorrow, Friday the 5th. The flavours on offer will include rose and quince (together). *stares into space distractedly for some time*
And then, of course, there are chocolates. Oh yes. There are chocolates *stares more*.
If all of this is making you feel sad because you're not in London - worry not: you can order
online, though the selection is more limited.
I write books, and things for The Sunday Times. But I wanted a place to stick other stuff I like, and Posterous is unbelievably easy to set up. So here we are. Yet another work-avoidance strategy by me. You can follow me on Twitter, too - I'm @indiaknight. I know, right? The interwebs: where the fun never ends.
