Cookbook of the Month - November 2010

I've been off the blog radar for a little while as I busily prepare to go on holidays this week, but this is a post I've been looking forward to.

I am delighted to announce the Cookbook of the Month for November - The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnet.

I received this book from my beautiful sister for my birthday last month and I was immediately blown away by it. And not by the food photography, because there isn't a single photo - the content is the drawing card here. It is unlike any other cookbook I've ever come across. It is not a regular cookbook in the true sense of the word... it is more like a compendium of flavour combinations that complement each other really well, including some less common ones such as chocolate and anise; beetroot and orange; watermelon and fresh coriander; and, hazelnut and rosemary... It is intriguing, inspiring and you can't help but keep reading. Some of the pairings are followed by examples of top chefs' dishes utilise the combination, while others include recipes to try yourself.

But what I really like about this book is that the author sets out to instil more cooking confidence in readers so that, rather than following cookbooks "like a handrail in the dark" that we can learn to follow our instincts when it comes to cooking, really cooking, which is what we all strive towards, don't we?

Although I will soon be on holidays, I will endeavour to share some of the flavour combinations from the book with you upon my return. Until then, I'd encourage you to check out this book if you get the chance, it's a very interesting read!


Ladybird x