Mmm… here’s our tasty menu of some of the freshest new cookery books for summer. Even if you can only master beans on toast, you’ll find something here to inspire you…
Scook is a stunning collection of make it at home recipes from Anne-Sophie Pic, the only female French chef with three Michelin Stars. She has also set up her own cookery school, Scook, and has created a mouth-watering collection of over a hundred recipes covering everything from simple suppers to dinner party classics. Anne-Sophie’s passion for passing on her techniques makes this ideal for experienced cook keen to shift up a gear. £26, Amazon.
There’s nothing to touch home baked bread, so Parisian master baker Eric Kayser has brought together over eighty recipes for making at home. Lots of step by step pictures make it look easy, so you’ll be rustling up a batch of croissants for Sunday brunch in no time. Buy The Larousse book of Bread from Phaidon.com £29.99, or under £20 from Amazon.co.uk
For those interested in healthier eating and longevity, The Nordic Cookbook by Magnus Nilsson is an excellent compendium of Scandinavian home cooking from one of the world’s leading chefs. A mix of the IKEA-familiar and some more exotic options, it’s gorgeously illustrated and offers recipes from the Faroes to Finland, by way of Iceland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Around £20 from Amazon.
Lastly, Mina Holland’s The Edible Atlas is a culinary world tour which skilfully combines disparate ingredients, pulling together tales of travel, a soupçon of history and a sprinkling of anecdote into an irresistible dish. No pictures, but some great recipes and highly engaging travel writing, so the book takes hold of your imagination, leading you to dream of far off destinations and exotic fare. It’s difficult to know whether to head to the kitchen or the travel agent first. Canongate £9.99.