Food Revolution Ambassador Monthly Challenge: December 2014

Time for my favourite post of the month where I get to share the monthly challenges that we as Food Revolution Ambassadors look forward to doing each month.

If you are new here: At the beginning of each month the challenges are announced. These challenges are for inspiring the entire team and to make deeper connections with everyone (fellow food ambassadors, friends and family, anyone who wants to be a part of this challenge too), share our stories , whether we failed or conquered and more. The idea is to complete as many challenges as one can (Read about the October and November challenges).

For December:

Challenge One: Join #JamiesChristmas. Join Jamie and our global community in getting into the festive season, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, we can all celebrate the food revolution today! Look out for tips from Jamie and the team and some fun and games to join throughout the month!

Christmas is always a special time of the year. I studied in a convent so though we didn't celebrate Christmas at home initially, as I grew older and learnt more about Christmas I became very very fond of everything connected to Christmas and mum dad became part of this new tradition at home. 



When my little chefling came along she joined us in the festivities. Each year we work on an advent calendar for her, she makes Christmas cards, we make edible gifts, we sing carols, we play Christmas games, write a letter to Santa and she invites her friends over for Christmas festivities. 

This year we did the same and just like the twinkling fairy lights on the tree little eyes sparkled, just like the glowing baubles their faces lighted up and we celebrated Christmas.

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas yesterday.

Challenge Two: Share your greatest Food Revolution moment from 2014. Whether conquering a certain recipe, getting your picky eaters to try new foods, or joining FRD 2014 we want to know your best food revolutionary moments from this year - send us your quotes, images, achievements and favourite photos. 

Early this month, I had the opportunity of putting sixteen little children, red juicy apples, a couple of really really funny songs and a story in a room. In return I got giggles, grins, sparkling eyes that went wide, crunching and munching,millions of questions, amusing tales and a lot of fun.

This and more was exactly what I took back home with me from the Apple Workshop that I put together for the little ones as part of my Food Revolution Diaries (The workshop was for the children between the ages of 3-7 and was free for everyone who wanted to attend).

This for me would be my Food Revolution moment of the year. I joined the wonderful and very encouraging team of Food Ambassadors very recently (third month here so technically not the moment of the year type of a moment but hey it is the drop that counts!) and I am so happy that we enjoyed our apple story and biting into apples. Post the workshop even if a handful of kids out of the group of sixteen who came that day end up including apples in their diet and in turn convince their friends to try a bite from theirs I think we may have a little proud moment here.

2015 is almost here and it is going to be my goal to connect with more and more children this year through cooking, telling stories, getting parents and kids to be in the kitchen together, writing and more.

Then there is the big day on the 15^th of May that I can’t wait for and together we will bring about a Food Revolution at Dubai.

To the little changes. To the big ones. To healthy eating. To real food. To Food Revolution.

Read the complete post here

Challenge Three: Festive cooking. Share your favourite festive recipes from your home country, what food gets your friends and family together to share the love and enjoy time together?

I come from India where every festival, celebration, special occasion like so many other cultures translates into making and eating some Meetha (sweets). We take our "meetha" so seriously that "kuch meetha ho jaye" is like a national anthem (Let us have some sweets). 

India is a pretty large country where food habits change every few kilometers but what is interesting is that across the country we all have our very own rice pudding and that is what I'd like to share with all the other ambassadors who come from so many different countries for the third challenge. 

Our rice and milk meetha is something we all like to make to mark our special days.  Kheer,Khiri,Khir, Payasam, Payasa, Payesh, Payoxh, Phirni,Gil e Firdaus and more. Each state has its own variant. 

It is made by boiling rice with milk and sugar (sometimes jaggery); it is flavoured with cardamom, raisins, saffron, cashew nuts, pistachios or almonds. Ghee (clarified butter) / cream are added at times to up its richness quotient. 

With 2014 coming to an end and a promising 2015 almost here, I'd like to share this "meetha"with all you lovely ambassadors and my awesome readers. 

Phirni (makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• a few saffron  strands
• 1 litre milk (full cream)
• 4 tbsp long grained (basmati) rice
• 6 tbsp sugar

To finish

• a few chopped almonds
• A few saffron strands

Instructions

1. To the saffron strands add 1 tbsp of warm milk and keep aside.
2. Soak the rice in water for about 1 hour.
3. Drain the rice and grind it in a mixer to a coarse powder.
4. Add ½ cup of cold milk and mix to make a paste. Keep aside.
5. Boil the rest of the milk and stir in the rice paste.
6. Cook for about 20 minutes on a low flame, stirring continuously.
7. Add the sugar and saffron milk and simmer for another few minutes.
8. Pour into individual containers and let it come to room temperature. Refrigerate. 
9. Serve chilled garnished with almonds and saffron strands.

p.s I added some cardamom pods to the milk as well.

Wish you all a sweet, sparkly and a shiny New Year. May 2015 be filled with magic, memories and madness. 

See you in 2015.

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask! 

Chocolate Fondue and Christmas.

'Tis The Season to Be Jolly and that means my little chefling will have her friends over for an evening of fondue and Christmas card making. There will be Christmas carols in the background, sparkling fairy lights, the Christmas tree standing tall and proud with ornaments both store bought and handmade, warmth of the vanilla candles, cider simmering on the stove and big smiles and fuzzy hearts.

She and her tiny friends will together “make” the fondue and then share it. Fondue is such a communal way to eat. The children will eat from a common bowl of chocolate, picking their favourite things to dip but taking care that they leave enough of everything for their friends. They will learn  that they need to be fair and equal and will go back home with the kind of happiness that only sharing can give them.

Plus the abundance of lots of tiny platters make it just the Christmassy thing to do.

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

100 grams of dark chocolate broken into pieces

100 ml thick cream

50 ml milk

For dipping & coating use whatever you have on hand. Here are some ideas:

• Fruits of your choice: apples, grapes, pears, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, etc
• Sprinkles
• Chocolate curls
• Pretzels
• Marshmallows
• Dessicated Coconut
• Edible glitter

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler or heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate with cream and milk stirring, until smooth. Transfer to a fondue pot and light a candle (If your children are old enough this task too can be given to them, under your supervision). Teach them if it gets too runny, simply put more chocolate.
2. Depending on the age of the kids ask them to help you peel the banana, wash the rest of the fruits, separate the grapes from the stem.
3. Give them a child friendly knife and ask them to slice the bananas, chop/slice the apples and the pears and cut off the strawberry tops
4. Next ask them to fill all the little plates/bowls with the rest of the fondue accompaniments.
5. Pick up the skewers and dunk everything into the warm chocolate and enjoy. 
6. Little children with chocolate all over their faces and sticky fingers come free with this recipe.

Add some zing to the sauce by adding a splash of vanilla, a bit of orange juice, grated lemon /orange zest or mint extract.

Do you have more ideas on things that would be fun to dip?

Merry Christmas everyone.

Before I end this post, I wanted to share that a couple of us have gotten together for a Christmas Festival of sorts on our blogs. One post a day to inspire you to make Christmas cards, decorations, read Christmas  books, try out Christmas  recipes and make Christmas goodies with your little ones (Yes, that would be me:))

Hope to see you guys drop by everyone's blogs and share the love.

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission. Just ask!

Come join a set of fabulous bloggers sharing their Christmas moments - Easy Holiday Crafts, DIY ideas, Recipes , Decor ideas and book recommendations with you .

Starting from today till Christmas and beyond, each one of us will be writing a post related to Christmas.
Participating blogs
ArtsyCraftsyMom - munniofalltrades - hfareensspace - roohiscollections - hellomommyhood - attachedmoms - totschooltotallyawesome - Themomviews - bumpsnbaby.com -
rugsoflife - oneandahalfminutes - shishuworld - ruskandtea - aspoonfullofideas - orangekitchens - obsessivemom - rachnaparmar - parentingmantras -
onboardthemommyship - kwikdekoblog - thekeybunch - momzspace - whatscookingmom - coloursdekor - happypeopleevents - fantastic-feathers - beingzoesmom

So sit back, relax and check out all the fabulous Christmas Bonanza posts from our participating blogs in the linky. Support us by sharing our posts using the hash tag #ChristmasBonanza


This Linky is for participating blogs only, but We would love to see your Christmas Crafts too. Come and link up your Christmas post at ArtsyCraftsyMom.com

An InLinkz Link-up

25 days of Christmas. Advent Calendar.

It is the first of December people! It is time to put up the Christmas tree and fix those fairy lights. What are you going to be doing today and the days that lead up to Christmas?

Sara and I have our plan ready for today and the next 24 days. We'd love you to join us by downloading this advent calendar (right click, save and cut). You can mix and match the dates and the activities according to your schedule and convenience.

So who is joining us?

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask!  Also this calendar is only for personal use.

Food Revolution Ambassador Monthly Challenge: November 2014

Hello lovely people. It is that time of the month when I get to share the monthly challenges that we as Food Revolution Ambassadors aspire to do. 

October Challenges. Check. 
November Challenges. Check. 
Double whoa.

(I had so much fun attempting the October challenges, read my experiences here and jump right here to read how my tryst with making pasta from scratch made the entire world conspire in helping me mastering fresh pasta) 

If you are new here: At the beginning of each month the challenges are announced. These challenges are for inspiring the entire team and to make deeper connections with everyone (fellow food ambassadors, friends and family, anyone who wants to be a part of this challenge too), share our stories , whether we failed or conquered and more. The idea is to complete as many challenges as one can.

Challenge One: Slow Cooking! We live in a fast food world, but this month we’re asking you to slow things down, try out and share your slow cooked food recipes with us. 

I agree we are all pressed for time. There are household responsibilities that we can't look away from, children who we want to do everything for, work where we need to show up each morning, interests and passions that I think everyone in life needs to develop for sanity and give meaning to our lives and more. In between all this we need to feed our tummies. Feeding our souls isn't enough. So we begin to look for shortcuts in the kitchen and rightly so. Frozen peas, ready to roll out pastry, tomato purees all become our friends. They help us put a meal on table in under thirty minutes.

But sometimes it is nice to slow down things. Endlessly stirring that pot of risotto with music in the background is my favourite thing to do when the mind needs some calm. Have you tried it? Getting the oven ready to dry tomatoes that will be used across meals is another. The oven does the work here, slowly; while we get to enjoy the results.

The pleasant weather here at Dubai called for a slow cooked lamb and date tagine. I cooked it in pomegranate juice with mejdool dates for company. It was slowcooked and after three hours of being on low heat it was exactly what I had imagined; rich, sweet and sour. Tender too. We had it with spiced couscous sprinkled with generous quantities of dried barberries and an onion and pomegranate relish.

Challenge Two: N is for November, and nectarines, and nutmeg… we want to see your recipes for dishes beginning with the letter N or using ingredients with the letter N. 

A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat and D for Dog. This challenge for it took me back to my kindergarten class. Wasn't singing the alphabet a lot of fun? Only this time it was double the fun for it we were singing food. Sara and I often play this game at home and in the past I have had the kids loving this exercise in some of my food workshops when asked to name fruits and vegetables for each alphabet. So I decided to play this challenge with Sara.  N was a tough one for. She stopped at Nectarine. That is when I gave her a hint. Who do you like watching on TV, I asked. She rattled all the names that came to her mind. Siba, George and Gary, Ina, Jamie. Aannd I asked? N for! Nigella mamma. Nigella she screamed. I showed her the ingredient that matched the name. She was quite amused. How can she share her name with some seeds? :) May be one day we will come across seeds that are called Sara I laughed.

N is for Nigella Seeds: With Christmas around the corner I tested a batch of tomato and raisin chutney tempered with "Nigella Seeds". I also added ginger and red chilli powder for that little kick. I love giving edible gifts to all our loved ones on festivals and I am hoping this little jar of red garnet chutney dotted with black nigella seeds will make everyone around me happy. Trust me no store bought gift can ever match up to handmade love.

Challenge Three: Share your holiday traditions. Holiday season is almost upon and we want to know what your holiday traditions are and what food makes it to the table for your family gatherings.

My favourite challenge for the month. Celebrations, company and the customs. There is something so magical about the festival season. Be it Diwali, Holi, Thanksgiving or Christmas...I heart them all. Observing family traditions some that my parents made and we love to observe and some that we are creating for my little chefling each year.

Each festival comes with its own customs and rituals but certain tradition remains constant; making edible presents for loved ones, filling up our home with candles & flowers, setting up the "welcome table", making sure there is abundant home cooked food for everyone and that essential element; the spirit of sharing that for me translates into going overboard when it comes to dips, mezze, platters and fondues. That and more.

But what I love most about the festivities is seeing the happiness shining on my little girl's face, yet somehow reliving my own childhood memories.

Thank you lovely readers. For being there and motivating me to show up here; each time I a little voice in my head whispers hey is any one even reading this? For the kindest emails and messages you send me. For making Orange Kitchens a part of your lives. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. 

Eat real. Stay healthy.

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask! 

Gifts for food lovers: Cookbooks

My bookshelf is bursting with cookbooks (we are talking three digits) and though in an ideal world I would be using all of them in a real world very far away I often end up revisiting my old favourites.

When the year began I set some food goals for myself. One of them was:

"Use more cookbooks rather than using the same ones over and over again: I own several cookbooks. But you know what like a lot of you out there (please tell me you belong to this group) I end up using the same ones each time for they and I have made this little bond over the years. They are familiar and I trust them. They help me when life takes over and I have to get a meal on the table each night. But this year I am going to get to know my other “friends” a little better".

I would say I did okay on that front. This year I was determined to dive into more of my collection. Some I cooked from, some I opened for inspiration, some helped in my work and some made my bedtime happier. 

I am often asked which ones are my favourite, which ones would you recommend, which ones make thoughtful gifts and more. Last year I did attempt to share little notes on some of them on the Orange Kitchens Facebook page here and here but I realized only a handful  of crazy cookbook lovers and more importantly readers with immense patience were actually going to work their way through the mammoth album and reading each note. 

With Christmas just around the corner and 2015 almost here this post will give you a quick tour on books that have worked for me (it could be different for each one of us and some of you cookbook junkies please do give your opinions I'd appreciate that), those I think would make memorable gifts this Christmas and some that I think would be nice to include in your collection to expand your repertoire of recipes in 2015.

Some were and are my bibles and some I decided to have a casual fling with this year. Looking back I think we are in for a long lasting relationship now.

Without further ado.

Indian Cuisine.

50 great curries of India: I have lost count of the number of times I have cooked from this book. I have tried and tested almost all the recipes and each one is a keeper. My favourites have to be the dalcha (meat with lentils), kaali mirch cha mutton (lamb with herbs and black pepper), kori gashi (chicken in thick coconut gravy) and the annas curry (pineapple curry, really love this one!). The book gives you a taste of some of the finest recipes from India and a good book to have in your collection.

India Cookbook: Don't let the size of this book intimidate you. True to what is written on the cover if there is only one book that you can have in your kitchen library then this is the only one you'll ever need. Written by Pushpesh Pant, a noted Indian academic, food critic and historian India this book was named by The New York Times as one of the best cookbooks of the year and rightly so. It takes you through the length and the width of the country and makes you marvel how flavours changes every hundred miles in India.

Indian Cuisine (regional) 

Hajra's recipes of life, for life: This is not a book that you buy for pictures. You buy this one solely for the recipes. Cutchi Memon food straight from the heart. khatti dal gosht (Tangy lentils with mutton), kadhai keema (Open pan cooked mince), ande ki kari (Egg curry), kofte ke salan ( Spicy meatball curry), baghare baingan ( aubergines in a piquant sauce), aam ki khatti mithi chutney (sweet and sour mango chutney) and ofcourse the many many biryanis. If you love Muslim cooking then this is a must have. Also the book comes in the form of menus which is awesome because someone has already taken care of all the menu planning.

Kashmiri Cuisine: I got this one on a friend’s recommendation and find myself going back to it time and again. I recommend this book not only for the recipes but also the gorgeous pictures of Kashmir and its people. I especially love the section on chutneys and pickles. Muj Chetin Doud Dhar (Grated radish in yogurt), Doon Chetin ( walnut chutney) , Talith Muj Chetin ( Fried radish chutney) are often eaten as maincourse at our home

Calcutta Kitchen: The book is about Bengalis and their love for food and more. It carries many a stories and recipes from the heart of a Bengali kitchen but also talks about the Raj era, the Muslim culture and the Portuguese influence when it comes to food. A mesmerizing read from Simon Parkes. Kosho Mangsho, shorshe baata maach (fish with mustard and chillies), doi maach ( fish with yogurt), chingri maacher malai curry (shrimp and coconut curry), begun shorshe (eggplant with yogurt and mustard) and cholar dal (yellow split peas with coconut and raisins) appear very often on our dinner table.

The Suriani Kitchen: Latika starts with a great foreword on Syrian Christian Cuisine and takes you to her grandmother’s home and narrates magical family tales. Paddy fields, palm trees, ferrys,kappi...you get the idea. I heart the black and white illustrations and her memories of family that are interwoven with the recipes. Avial (mixed vegetable curry), kaalen (Mango & yogurt curry), parippu (lentils with coconut milk), meen arapu roast (spiced fish roast), meen vevichathu (yesterday’s fish curry), meen molee are some that we have often at home.

French Cuisine

My Paris Kitchen: Recently added to my ever growing collection of books this one is lush beautiful. One that you read because over the years you've fallen in love with a man called David Lebovitz. His stories and his life in his tiny kitchen at Paris and how he celebrates his life, his friends and each day through food. The bread, the cheese, the wine and the chocolate. Fresh produce too. If you want to travel to Paris sitting in your room this book is what I would recommend. 

Mastering the art of french cooking: Want to study (Study with a capital S) French cuisine then get the two volumes. Very intimidating no doubt. I marvel at the amount of work and the years Julia Child put into making these two volumes happen. Read “Dearie” to know more about her life and that will make you appreciate each lesson even more. Wearing a string of pearls around your neck is highly recommended :)

Around my French Table: If it has Dorie’s name written on it then it really doesn't require any explanation. Does it? France has always intrigued me and Paris happens to be my favourite city in the world. I would give anything to live there. Years back when we went there I had a tough time coming back:) Dorie writes the book in such a beautiful and personal tone. It’s my ambition to cook my way through this one. The lovely photographs, the coffee table like look and Dorie’s to-die for recipes keep tempting me to come back to it. Oh! Butter!

Italian Cuisine

The Silver Spoon: Want to get acquainted with all the elements that come together to make a great Italian meal...the ingredients,the sauces, produce, et al then this massive book is a must have in your cookbook library. It is a classic. But not a book if you like stories behind each recipe. This is straightforward with directions and ingredients from all over Italy and really very easy to use.

Nigellissima: This isn't the book if you want authentic Italian Food. But if you love Italian food, simple and quick recipes and prefer to work around the ingredients you have on hand then this book is for you. Lets just say it is Italian with a British accent and it is for Nigella fans really. 

Recipes and dreams from an Italian Life: There is something so beautiful about Tessa Kiros...the way she talks, the way she cooks and the way she puts her books together. I had the pleasure of meeting her early this year and it made my love for her stronger. This book is the kind of heirloom you want to leave for your children, It is the kind of book I want to write for my girl. Family recipes, stunning pictures and that  Tessa stamp all over the book. 

Middle Eastern Cuisine

The new book of middle eastern food: It is my bible-my encyclopedia on Middle Eastern cuisine. Its an old classic printed originally in 1972 and has been called “the landmark in the field of cookery” by James Beard. The book has very simple and very healthy recipes from all the four regions; Iran, Arab cooking from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, Turkish cuisine and North African cooking ( Morocco). If you like to see pictures then this is not the one for you. It has over 800 recipes but only about 24 pictures. But if you like the idea of reading all about the middle eastern cuisine...the history of the food, classic cooking tales, eating habits, many many snippets from literature and more. I have cooked so much from the book that I am not sure which recipes I like the best. Having said that the salad section in my favourite.

The mezze cookbook: As a child I would often dream of hosting pretty tea parties complete with delicate china, doilies, sandwiches and teacakes. As I grew up I realized I disliked tea and coffee was made for me. But I still lived with the romantic idea of enjoying little bites with friends and families. Only they were not very British but middle eastern. If you love mezze, get this one. The hummus beiruty ( Beirut style chickpea dip) gets made by kilos at our home and so is the Mohamra (walnut dip). Gemista (stuffed vegetables) is another gem. Over 90 delicious appetizers from Greece, Lebanon and Turkey.

Asian Cuisine (excluding Indian)

Bill's everyday Asian: A big favourite once again. Whenever I don’t have any energy or the enthusiasm to cook I turn to this one. It instantly gets me all excited plus I like the fact that when it says Everyday Asian it really means recipes for everyday cooking. Almost all of the recipes ask for very little chopping, very few ingredients, cooking time is very little (well most cook on their own in the oven) and are very healthy.

Seoultown Kitchen: I adore kimchi. I can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and then again the next day. Crazy right? And when someone shows me how to make not one but several types and how to pair it with different foods then I love it! Classic napa baechu kimchi, daikon kimchi, cucumber kimchi, a kimchi aioli, kimchee broth, kimchi salsa...all yum!

Vietnamese Food: I like this one more for his journey than the recipes (the recipes are good too); from the corporate world and for taking that leap of faith and following his food dream. Resonates with me, each time I read it. If ingredients like crispy fried shallots, roasted peanuts, marinated chillies, fish sauce and lemon oil make you salivate then go and get this one now.

Baking

Baking: Dorie visits me kitchen again. Love love love the book. Not your night time reading book simply for the fact that this one will definitely require some muscle to lift. Blondies and brownies, cookies and cakes, pies and tarts...each needs to be tried at least once. They never ever fail to deliver. A must have if you love baking and she gives you so many variations of the same recipe (playing around) which is what I love about the book the most.

Chocolat: Love chocolate? Is it a BIG yes?  Then I can guarantee that you will appreciate this book. I added this to my library early this year and since then have baked my way through it and every little thing from this book has come out perfect. Now that is a sign of a good book. So much so when it is chocolate now I don't find myself going to other books at all. By the way that cake on the cover you see up there is going to be made in my kitchen this afternoon:) 

Booze Cakes: Is there a better than thing in life than booze plus cake? Really, I ask you? A match made in heaven. Classic cakes like the honey spice beer cake,golden rum cake, trifles. Cake shots like the pina colada cake shots,rum and cake or the long island iced tea cakes. Wait there is more...homemade booze! Oh and all the recipes are rated on the booze meter Lightweight, feeling it and totally tipsy. Got to love a book like this.

Vegetarian Food

Plenty: This man taught me how eggplants can be so much more than baigan bhartha. With buttermilk sauce, with soba noodles, with lentils, with tahini. Spectacular recipes. Some recipes are pretty straightforward and some I should mention require special ingredients, time and skill. Is it worth the effort? Yes. The next time someone tells you vegetarian food is boring and you can't do much with just vegetables show them a recipe or two from this one.

World Vegetarian: Over the years I have constantly made an effort to include more veggies in our diet and just when you think there are only so many ways one can cook okra or beans or even the humble potato. enters Madhur Jaffrey. A thug book weighing as much as my daughter and with virtually no photographs but indispensable in my kitchen. The book is neatly organized by ingredients (vegetables,lentils, and has the name of the country where the recipe is from. 

River Cottage Veg Everyday: I adore this one for its easy and clean recipes and its watercolour like illustrations. Vegetarian dishes that have such great flavours and depth. Once again a book that stays more in my kitchen than on the bookshelf.

This and that.

Encylopedia of sandwiches: A book that comes in the shape of a sandwich, has the history and hundreds of recipes for sandwiches from all over the world and is my savior so many times a month when all we want to eat is a sandwich for lunch. Written by blogger Susan Russo of Foodblogga; a blog that I was introduced by another fellow blogger; the book makes you look at the humble sandwich with new eyes.

The perfect scoop: You’ve got to love a man who has a great sense of humour, creates luscious icecreams, gelatos, sorbets and granitas,writes well and umm...lives in Paris(?). Another book from which I have tried nearly everything and has never disappointed me. The perfect scoop and my ice cream maker are my best friends. Oh and if you haven’t read his book The sweet life in Paris then you must.

The best little marinades cookbook: Most days when I stand in front of the refrigerator praying that dinner should materialize on its own, this book always comes to my rescue. Don’t be fooled by its size. Tons of inspiring, zesty marinades, dry rubs, pastes and more that have often helped me to put together a meal with whatever I have in my fridge and my pantry.

Kitchen wisdom.

The flavour thesaurus: An essential on any food lover's bookshelf. It inspires you,surprises you, provokes you, teaches you...and more.

Larousse Gastronomique: Want to know ANYTHING & EVERYTHING about food and cooking? Go to this one.

Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: For Julia lovers. 

Nigella love. 

You can either love this woman or loathe her. I obviously love her. Love her for the ease with which she cooks, how forgiving she is of herself and others who cook for her, how butter and chocolate are her best friends and she isn’t ashamed to admit it (though in her latest avatar she seems to have lost a lot of weight and is clearly staying away from both). I love her for the beautiful stories she tells about her family and friends. 

Feast: I like how the book has been divided by festivals/occasions and gives menus for kinds of get togethers. The chapter on Chocolate (Chocolate cake hall of fame) is used the most at our home.

Nigella Chrismas: If you need a good reason to buy this one it has to be for the incredibly easy chocolate fruit cake. Its part of out Christmas menu every year (along with many other desserts and hot spiced cider ofcourse) and no one seems to get tired of it. Aah..and also the christmassy pics that put you in "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" mood immediately.

Kitchen: The book is comprehensive, cozy and gives great comfort.

Just because.

Ottolenghi the cookbook: I couldn't have hit publish without including this one. The thing is I couldn't decide which category to fit this one in. It has a little of everything. You will obviously notice a strong influence from Jerusalem but  there is also Italy, North Africa, Lebanon and more. Chocolate fudge cake. Check. Apple and Olive oil cake. Check. Orange polenta cake. Check. Carrot and walnut cake.Check. Almond and orange florentines. Check. Unusual and innovative combinations and each one works. 

So there you have it...some of my favourite cookbooks. I'd love to hear your recommendations.  

Do you like gifting cookbooks? Which book is on your wishlist this Christmas? 

Visit my cookbook library here.