Book Review: Comfort & Spice by Niamh Shields

It is thanks to Niamh's Eat Like a Girl blog and her tweets that I have learned about Sumac and Fiddleheads. I really enjoy reading her blog posts as she recounts her culinary and travel experiences. How this girl copes with the jet lag, Lord alone knows but throughout she remains a bubbly and positive person whose passion for food knows no limits. So when the opportunity to review her newly launched book, "Comfort and Spice" came up it was a bit of a "no-brainer" for me! I particularly like the quote "Treat your spice box as a palette and watch your food come to life" Nice opening isn't it?

Comfort and Spice Book

In a nutshell, this book jumps up and gives you a warm Autumnal embrace! Can I break it down further?

Pros:
Practicality/Application:
One of the first things I look for in a cook book is the ability to replicate the recipes and buy the products and I am pleased to say that there are a variety of recipes that I would take great pleasure in reproducing. I am already looking forward to making the Venison with Blackberry and Balsamic Sauce, Baby Back Ribs and the Quince Tarte Tatin.

Good variation of themed chapters:
All in all there are 5 themed recipe chapters: Brunch, Speedy Suppers, Long Weekend, Sugar and Spice and Drinks. Each of the themed chapters highlights a "Passion" section which denotes Niamh's favourite recipe(s) from the chapter. I followed the Lentil Soup with Harissa Croutons recipe from the Speedy Suppers section and because I did not have red lentils, replaced using green lentils. It was a tasty and heartwarming dish!

Lentil Soup with Harissa Croutons

Irish influenced cuisine:
Although I am Scottish, my great grandparents on both sides were Irish and apart from visiting Dublin once, I've never really had much experience of the Irish culture (much to my disappointment) so the Irish inspired dishes go some way in bridging this gap. I like the way the book introduces homemade favourites such as Blaas and Irish soda farls and I feel it's a nice touch when Niamh pays tribute to a local fish smoker. Her personal experiences are a recurring theme throughout the book.

Additional Extras:
The book is peppered with added bonus such as "How to be a better cook" where Niamh provides tips on how to shop for ingredients and acquiring the basics in the kitchen. She has a nice way of jazzing up salt by making her own "Ham Salt" or "Rosemary Salt" - who knew? The Leftovers section is equally good as I frequently suffer from this dilemma.

Size:
Very book shelf friendly (thank you). Space is a premium where I live :-)

Cons:
Overall cooking and preparation time:
A minor point but a personal preference nonetheless. I like to know up front how long it will take to prepare and cook a dish, rather than estimating a preparation time and counting up a series of cooking times within the recipe.

Heavily geared towards Autumnal/Winter Dishes:
This is by no means a bad thing at all, just the majority of dishes are largely focussed on warm comforting dishes such as Chicken and Chorizo Pie, Lentil Shepherd's Pie, Lamb and Aubergine Stew so it probably would not be your first stop when looking for Spring/Summer dishes. Besides, I'm looking forward to reading another cook book by Niamh - perhaps one based on Spring/Summer meals will be her next?

Congratulations to Niamh on her first cook book, I'm going to raise a glass of her very own Mandarin, Chilli and Lemongrass Juice in her honour. Cheers!

Overall MelikeyUK Rating: 9/10


You can read Niamh's blog here
You can follow Niamh on Twitter here


My thanks to Quadrille Publishing for providing me with a copy of Comfort and Spice.

Book Review: Ocean Voyage by Mark Jordan

Ocean Voyage: A book of  gigantic proportions!

A couple of weeks ago, the book, Ocean Voyage arrived at the MeLikeyUK residence with an almighty crash, bang wallop! This book is big on creativity, imagery and ahem, size. It depicts, Michelin star chef Mark Jordan's journey at the Atlantic Hotel in Jersey and recounts his success, showcasing his signature dishes. It also pays a fitting tribute to his inspiration and mentors, including the renowned and much missed Keith Floyd.

Here are my thoughts on the book:


Pros:

• Mark's passion for good quality local produce, his love for the island of Jersey and the strong rapport he has built with his suppliers emerges powerfully in the book.
• The photography is out of this world. A long time can be spent pouring over the pictures of the food and the island of Jersey alone. Mark's accomplishments are exquisite; showing finesse, flair and attention to detail.

From the Start: Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Apple Tart  aux Fine, Salted Caramel

From the Ocean: Pan-Roast Sea Bass Fillet with
 Fresh Garden Peas and Seared Jersey Scallops

From the Desserts:Raspberry Nougatine,
Pistachio Cream, Raspberry Reduction

The Contents Section

• The Contents section is very cleverly laid out in the form of a menu: "From the Start", "From the Ocean", "From the Land" and "From the Desserts".
• It is the perfect book for aspiring chefs and those wishing to emulate the fine dining experience at home. This book lends itself to various techniques which will set expectations to a superior level.
• The Appendixes/Appendices section includes a list of useful shorter recipes which are often referred to in the main section of the book. These range from Parmesan Foam to Veal Jus. Indeed, it was from this section I had today's lunch ; "Linguine with Home Made Pesto". Simple ingredients, but packs a powerful punch in the taste ratings. 

Appendixes/Appendices section

From the Appendixes/Appendices Section: Home Made Pesto

• The book goes beyond Mark Jordan's cuisine, but acknowledges the luxurious Atlantic Hotel and Jersey as a food lovers paradise . Having never been to Jersey, I am much more appreciative of what the island has to offer.

Cons:

• Practicality, accessibility and price of ingredients.

The dishes listed are very much akin to Michelin fine dining and they should be regarded in this light. The reproduction of some of these dishes could be rather intimidating to those amateur home cooks. Ingredients such as 3kg of lobster carcasses, Shimeji Mushrooms, Oscietra Caviar and Caper Berries would not be at everyone's fingertips. From a personal point of view, I would rather eat at the Ocean restaurant than spend money on top end ingredients where there is no guarantee they turn out as intended. However, this reflects my own ability to attempt Michelin style food at home, I am a lot better at eating it, than making it!

• Complexity and time involved.

When I start a dish, I like to know how long it is going to take me from start to finish so that I can organise myself around it. To facilitate this, a section dedicated to time to prepare and cook the dish could be included. Some of the dishes themselves are very much "projects", referring to a series of different techniques to achieve some of the core ingredients.

• Size of the book

It is a very minor point, I know, but the size means it does not fit on my bookshelf. Perhaps the photographs would have looked less stunning if the book had been smaller. Who knows?

I have really enjoyed leafing through this book, and while I am not quite brave enough to attempt some of the dishes, I have been moved by the beautiful creations and the passion that has been exhibited throughout. I have yet to visit the island of Jersey, but this book has given me plenty of incentive to go to the Atlantic Hotel and the Ocean restaurant to sample Mark Jordan's cuisine.

Overall MelikeyUK rating: 7.5/10

Ocean Voyage is available to purchase here.
For more information on The Atlantic Hotel and Ocean Restaurant click here.

I would like to extend my thanks to The Dovetail Agency for sending me a copy of Ocean Voyage to review.

Book Review: Small Adventures in Cooking by James Ramsden

Monday of this week, marked the sale of cook book "Small Adventures in Cooking" by the founder of the Secret Larder Supper Club and influential food blogger, James Ramsden.

Book Review: Small Adventures in Cooking by James Ramsden

MelikeyUK was given this book by Quadrille Publishing to review. Here are my thoughts:

Pros:


The Book Delivers Exactly What The Title Describes:
Small adventures in cooking. The book can be used by anyone who enjoys cooking with the emphasises on pushing the boundaries of their culinary habits that bit further.There is a strong sense of encouraging the reader to experiment with unusual and novel ingredients while having fun and trusting your instincts throughout the whole process.I thought it was refreshing how relaxed James' approach to cooking was, removing the anxiety and inspiring confidence.

This Book Speaks To Me:

At the risk of sounding like Ali G, this book keeps cooking and tales from the kitchen "real".

What do I mean? I think James has tapped into something unique here.The fact that he has made errors and talks about them so openly and frankly really strikes a chord with me and all at once I am put at ease. I find preparing food a cathartic process and quite often I can be found in my kitchen with a glass of wine, volume on radio up full bung while I de-shell my broad beans. James describes the process as "involuntary meditation" and I'm sure others can relate to this too.It is also reassuring to know that even the best chefs do not need to use several ingredients and complicated techniques to come up with delicious and wholesome meals and they do not all have large kitchens so tips such as "wash up as you go" in the "Keep a karma kitchen" section are very much appreciated!

Variety and Broad Appeal:
The book itself has been well structured and presented. It has eight chapters depicting different scenarios, ranging from "Exploring the Cheap Cuts" where James tinkers with budget but noteworthy ingredients such as Ox Cheeks, to "Formal Forays" for the more special dining occasions. 

Each chapter is prefaced with a gentle introduction describing the scenario and sets an expectation of what is to ensue.
Application:

Will I use these recipes at home? Yes!There are so many recipes in this book, I would challenge anyone not to be tempted by one of them. Yesterday with the remaining ingredients in my fridge and cupboard, I made his "Chicken and Coconut Noodle Soup".I would easily attempt 60% of the recipes in this book.

From the Va Va Voyages Chapter: Chicken and Coconut Noodle Soup

Ingenuity:

Who would have thought of coming up with a chapter on "Corner Shop Capers". What a novel idea!This chapter is dedicated to what delights you can rustle up using tinned food bought from the local shop after a heavy night of drinking or simply, if you have the "midnight munchies". We have all been there, so don't knock it until you have tried it! Whoever thought there would be a market for tinned fried onion? The ultimate guide for students I think!

Little Extras:
At the foot of some recipes a few alternatives are offered;

"Tart": A suggestion to enhance the recipe by adding a certain ingredient

"Tweak": A suggestion to change or substitute an ingredient in the recipe

"Tomorrow": A suggestion of how you can use the leftovers the following day.
One of my favourite suggestions is to have a "Wasabi Chicken Salad" using leftover Roast Chicken. A predicament I frequently find myself in after preparing a Sunday Roast Dinner.

Additional tips are supplemented. For example, recommending the use of lemon juice to remove chilli oil from your hands and taking the chicken out of the fridge two hours before putting it in the oven so that it can adjust to room temperature before roasting.While other chefs may know these tips, they very seldom express them!  

Size:
The book does not come in encyclopaedia size. Containing 109 recipes, it is small and compact enough to fit nicely on my bookshelf.
Price:

The recommended retail price is £14.99 but the book can be purchased online at Amazon for £8.49 which is a fair and reasonable price.

Cons:

These would not detract from my cooking experience but would merely enhance it!

Time Indication:

This is a personal preference of course, but I like to know at the outset how long it takes to prepare and cook a meal. Within the body of the directions, timings are alluded to but there is no overall time allocation indicated on the page

Recipe Description Text Used:

One of the things I enjoy doing is flicking through a recipe book and stopping at a page whose description grabs my attention. The text used to describe the recipe in the headline is less easy on the eye and so I am unable to do this. Not all of the recipes have photographs and as beautiful as they are, they cannot be relied on alone to grab my attention.

In summation, I have really enjoyed leafing though this book. On many occasions, I find myself agreeing and smiling as he has captured my many thoughts and concerns when it comes to my cooking quandaries. It has reminded me why I enjoy cooking so much and ignited a notion for discovering and using new ingredients.
I will definitely be jumping into James' book for inspiration in the weeks to come. I have already earmarked the "Spice Roasted Leg of Lamb with Cumin Potatoes" and the "Lemongrass and Basil Granita with Vodka".

Overall MelikeyUK Review: 9/10

I would like to extend my thanks to Quadrille Publishing for introducing me to Small Adventures in Cooking.

Small Adventures in Cooking can be found here

You can find James on twitter here
or,
visit his website at http://www.jamesramsden.com/