Sweet by Sam Linsell (Struik Lifestyle, R250)
If you have a serious sweet tooth, then this is the book for you. Local blogger and photographer Sam Linsell’s second book is divided into five sections: vanilla, caramel, chocolate, fruit and “more sweet”, which includes creations such as sweet whipped butters, iced teas, granitas and ice creams. Each section contains cakes, biscuits and sweets guaranteed to get you firing up your cake mixer. Try the vanilla Snickers bundt cake or banoffee pie with pecans in jars – you’re sure to find your ultimate sweet treat.
The Scandinavian Cookbook by Trine Hahnemann (Quadrille, R369)
As the author observes in the introduction to this book, Scandinavians’ “daily lives are affected by shifting seasons and changing weather patterns”. The book is divided into chapters for each month of the year and dark winter days are filled with dishes such as pan-fried plaice with potatoes in parsley and traditional smorrebrod, or rye bread, topped with cod’s roe. Spring and summer bloom with mint, apricot and celery-stuffed lamb with spinach and mint roast potatoes and rhubarb trifle. There are also recipes for delicious pastries such as kransekage, or almond cakes.
My New Roots by Sarah Britton (Pan Macmillan, R420)
After spending a year on an organic farm, Sarah Britton had what she describes as a “revelation” about eating according to the seasons and where food comes from. She shares this philosophy on her popular blog (www.mynewroots.org) and in this book. It is divided into chapters for each season, plus one on useful cooking techniques, and is mostly vegetarian, often with gluten-free and vegan options. the recipes run the gamut between strawberry coconut milkshakes in spring, caramelised onion and kale calzones in summer, chickpea curry in autumn and roasted root vegetable crumble in winter.
My Kitchen Notebook by Rachel Khoo (Penguin Random House, R395)
Rachel Khoo grew up in England with a Malaysian father and Austrian mother and now lives in Paris. She’s also travelled widely, and her adventures are the inspiration for this book, which she describes as a “personal culinary diary” where her ideas take shape and evolve. The book is divided into chapters for starters, mains, sweets, homemade treats and equipment. Devise a menu with the likes of poached fennel with pink prawns and toasted almonds, confit cod with rainbow chard gratin and pistachio and pomegranate cake.
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