Sarah Dall recently joined the Crush team as a recipe developer and stylist, and we couldn’t be more excited to share her cookbook with our readers. For the love of baking is a collection of delectable sweet treats, all beautifully styled with Sarah’s signature flair. The book starts with a helpful glossary of terms, as well as recipes for homemade essentials like curds, icings and sauces used in a number of the subsequent dishes. Each turn of the page reveals another mouth-watering visual feast that will have you wanting to down whatever you are doing and get stuck in straight away. From scrummy sounding Oreo and marshmallow cupcakes for kids, to salted caramel fondants for the discerning sweet tooth, this book has you covered. Helpful tips and suggestions along the way will help beginner bakers to find their way and more difficult recipes will challenge the accomplished.

The pièce de résistance must surely be the stunning festive macaroon wreath towards the end of the book, which, with a little practice, will leave your guests speechless come December. In the meantime though, pick up your copy of For the love of baking and try other upcoming holiday favourites like the chocolate chip hot cross buns for Easter or Amarula kisses for Heritage Day. Certainly if you are an aspiring baker, or you gift it to someone who is, this book will become a well-thumbed favourite.

 

Without question, the enthusiasm around the LCHF (low carb, high fat) lifestyle is thriving in South Africa. While not everyone may agree with this lifestyle choice, for many it has changed their eating habits completely. For those devotees who have found LCHF beneficial, the new publication Low Carb is Lekker should definitely be in your cookbook collection.

Author Inè Reynierse has been through her own LCHF journey to health; the recipes in the book are her tried and tested versions and include some traditional South African favourites. The book starts with an easy-to-understand explanation of the lifestyle and includes a helpful guide of ‘always allow’ foods through to ‘avoid’ foods. There’s not only a list, but also an explanation as to why you should be allowing or avoiding certain foods, which is very helpful for those new to the lifestyle. Inè also gives tips and tricks with regards to useful kitchen tools to invest in, to prepare this food and helpful hints to cut costs as well.

The book includes breakfast, lunch and supper recipes, as well as a fabulous selection of snacks and beautiful baked goods that look utterly delicious. Recipes for chocolate brownies, caramel cream cheese balls, marshmallows and even malva pudding will have you drooling!

Since Inè is a mother, she has also included ideas for dishes that will suit kids, including lunchbox ideas and even kids themed party ideas.

Throughout the book are ‘Lekker Tips’ which give alternatives and serving suggestions, as well as a carbohydrate intake per serving. The book is beautifully styled and the recipes easy to follow.

One of the most difficult things to do when following any eating plan is to be continuously inspired and inventive – boredom, combined with lack of planning, can quickly cause regression. With Low Carb is Lekker, you will not only be inspired to try new meals, but you’ll look at your LCHF lifestyle in a totally new way, not as limiting, but as completely wide open to new ideas and inspiration.

RSP R220

“Looking back at it now, I think we’re the only group of people who can manage to turn a four-hour trip into a 12-hour adventure, but that’s what happens when you take the road less travelled. And that’s what we love.”

In Cooked in the Karoo, Justin and his team take you on a culinary journey from Calvinia, through Sutherland, via Route 62 and the Swartberg Pass to Elandsvlei – with a few other stops and many adventures in between.

With his typical indomitable sense of fun and adventure, he discovers the richness and diversity which the Karoo hides under its barren exterior – SALT, fossils, bushmen paintings, the weather, the water, angoras, corbelled houses and flying lawnmowers – all beautifully described by Helena Lombard and exquisitely photographed by Louis Hiemstra.

The recipes too, are rich reflection of the Karoo – it’s lamb country, so there are many delicious recipes for lamb in various guises, in addition to preserves, pickles, and jams. There are sweets, caramel popcorn, pecan nut pie, roosterkoek, frikadelle, pumpkin pie, prickly pear ice lollies, suckling pig, offal and brains.

This is foodie armchair travel at its best, but who knows you may get inspired to explore the Karoo yourself…

The Next Element is Andy (winner of Australian Masterchef 2012) Allen’s first book. His fresh-faced honest approach to food is refreshing and his obvious love for feeding both his family and friends in a very informal way shines through the pages. Images of Andy together with his family make the book very personally his, along with his choice of recipes which range from delicious, rustic-looking Chunky Beef Pies and Indian Lamb Curry to a Mexican tapas spread, as well as many of his speciality signature seafood recipes.

It’s a happy book and you’ll enjoy cooking from it.

Many of the recipes, such as Wild Green Salad and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Nutmeg, show her hobby-farm origins – her family had a farm in Bendigo, where she learnt the joy of growing vegetables from seed at a very early age.

She also has great enthusiasm for urban foraging, and dishes such as A Foraged Plate and Double Tea-smoked Salmon with Pickled Cucumber, Sea Herbs and Crème Fraîche, see classic, as well as more adventurous ingredients, combined happily in one dish. Luckily the ingredients used in most of the recipes are freely available outside of Australia.

This book will take you from breakfast through to tea time and dessert treats, with main meals embracing snout to tail cooking with scrumptious sounding recipes for oxtail, pork and beef cheeks, quail and rabbit, and several delicious sounding fish and vegetable dishes.

Fun, warm and homegrown, this book will be a happy addition to your cookbook collection, or to your coffee table.

In Cooked in the Karoo, Justin and his team take you on a culinary journey from Calvinia, through Sutherland, via Route 62 and the Swartberg Pass to Elandsvlei – with a few other stops and many adventures in between.

With his typical indomitable sense of fun and adventure, he discovers the richness and diversity which the Karoo hides under its barren exterior – SALT, fossils, bushmen paintings, the weather, the water, angoras, corbelled houses and flying lawnmowers – all beautifully described by Helena Lombard and exquisitely photographed by Louis Hiemstra.

The recipes too, are rich reflection of the Karoo – it’s lamb country so there are many delicious recipes for lamb in various guises, in addition to preserves, pickles, and jams. There are sweets, caramel popcorn, pecan nut pie, roosterkoek, frikadelle, pumpkin pie, prickly pear ice lollies, suckling pig, offal and brains.

This is foodie, armchair travel at its best, but who knows you may get inspired to explore the Karoo yourself…

This is delightful, smiley and popular winner of Australian MasterChef 2013, Emma Dean’s first cookbook, and her personality, and love of using the freshest ingredients, shines through on every page.

Many of the recipes, such as Wild Green Salad and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Nutmeg, show her hobby-farm origins – her family had a farm in Bendigo, where she learnt the joy of growing vegetables from seed at a very early age.

She also has great enthusiasm for urban foraging, and dishes such as A Foraged Plate and Double Tea-smoked Salmon with Pickled Cucumber, Sea Herbs and Crème Fraîche, see classic, as well as more adventurous ingredients, combined happily in one dish. Luckily the ingredients used in most of the recipes are freely available outside of Australia.

This book will take you from breakfast through to tea time and dessert treats, with main meals embracing snout to tail cooking with scrumptious sounding recipes for oxtail, pork and beef cheeks, quail and rabbit, and several delicious sounding fish and vegetable dishes.

Fun, warm and homegrown, this book will be a happy addition to your cookbook collection, or to your coffee table.