The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
About the author Alain Ducase is a legend. He’s done so much and created such wonderful food all over the world. Did you know he has 20 restaurants in 8 different countries??! He was also the first chef to be awarded 3 Michelin Stars in 3 different cities at the same time. He’s written this […]
Great British Chefs recently asked me to review The Mighty Spice Cook Book, and being a bit of a spice fiend I was delighted. John Gregory-Smith, the author of this wonderful book, sounds a lot like me. He grew up eating lots of different spices, he’s travelled all over the world meeting local people to learn […]
I was sent a couple of children’s cookery books a few months ago and to be completely honest I was a bit wary about trying them out and reviewing them. I don’t really believe in “kid’s food”. My daughters, aged 7 and 9 now, have eaten what more or less what I eat since they […]
About the author Sabrina Parrini has a background in early childhood teaching and launched Australia’s first organic cooking school and party venue. She now demonstrates her skills and recipes at food fairs and plans to revolutionise the way that people look at children’s health and wellbeing. About this book This book is aimed at 8 – 12 […]
This book is inspired by Louise’s childhood growing up in her grandmother’s kitchen. About the author Louise is a graduate of Cordon Bleu Cookery School and like me, has a passion for helping children develop a love of food. Her Grandmother Margaret who wrote the recipes for this book, is one of Australia’s most respected cookery […]
It’s taken me a while to read this book because it’s one of those that takes you off in different directions that then require some quiet time reflecting. I have enjoyed it immensely. About the author Sebastian Pole is the co-founder of Pukka Herbs which sells organic teas, herbal and ayurvedic remedies and massage oils. […]
About the author Laura Santini won the Guild of Food Writers’ Jeremy Round Award for Best First Book in 2010. She describes herself as a Cognitive Cook because her work explores links between flavours and feelings recognising ingredients that flavour life in and outside of the kitchen. I’m really inspired by all the things she […]
About the author This book is by Diana Henry who is one of my favourite cookery and food writers. She writes for so many publications but most notably The Sunday Telegraph. My review This book is as much a travel memoire and a poetry collection as it is a recipe book. It is the perfect […]
About the author This book is by Thomasina Miers who visited Mexico at the age of 18 and then returned to live there, set up a bar in Mexico City and travel the country. The setting up a bar in Mexico City must have taken some ‘balls’ so that itself gets my admiration but on […]
About the authors Hilda Leyel was an expert in herbalism and founded the Society of Herbalists which later became the Herb Society in 1927. She opened a chain of herbalist stores called the Culpeper stores, became a fellow of the Royal Institution as well as an officer of the Academie Francaise. Olga Hartely was Mrs Leyel’s […]
About the author This book is by Linda Collister who is an experienced cook and baker. She trained at L’Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris and the Cordon Bleu in London. There are also forewords from the judges of the BBC TV series – Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. My review Mary’s foreword starts […]
About the author “Valentine Warner is a cook, forager, fisherman, and a culinary adventurer. He spent five years working in London’s restaurant kitchens before setting up a private catering company”. My review The introduction of this book is incredibly poetical. Valentine sets out to explain how The Good Table is his ‘heart on a plate’. How […]