Arabella Boxer - The Hamlyn Spice Book

"The complete guide to culinary spices with over 170 recipes". It is a book full of refreshing and new ideas on using spices.

The book is divided into 2 sections, the spice directory and the recipes. In the directory the author analyses the origins and uses of both well-known and more unusual spices. Each spice is beautifully photographed for easy recognition. The spice directory also includes an exploration of various spice mixtures including dukkah, garam masala and za'atar.

There are 12 recipe chapters, soups, eggs, fish, poultry and game, meat, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, rice, pastry and grains, sauces, breads, biscuits and cakes, chutneys, pickles and relishes, desserts and drinks.

Every recipe is within the range of every cook but remains impressive, using easily obtainable ingredients. Fully illustrated with stunning photographs. It is a must for everyone interested in spices and their many uses.

Braam Kruger - Kitchenboy Provocative Cuisine

This is the debut cookbook by Braam Kruger a.k.a. Kitchenboy - well-known South African artist, provocative chef and fearless restaurant critic. A book filled with passionate food writing, philosophies and fresh insights into food.

This is really an alternative cookbook printed on black paper and filled with strange drawings and paintings by the author. Also included are many photo's of the author and friends and many intimate stories so that it almost seem like voyeurism. Interesting photo's on food preparation are also included. Reading through this book is like walking into a nightclub. Interesting mumblings and philosophies which I enjoyed will not be to everyone's taste.

Categories range from Philosophy, Starters, Shellfish, Fish, Poultry, Meat, Vegetables and Dessert. A range of interesting and alternative recipes are discussed and recorded.

Made for interesting reading and the insightful information on different food and dishes. Recommended to the person that likes alternative food stories.

Luciana Sampogna - Light of Lucia

"I aim to record and safeguard the Italian cooking heritage which has been lost in many misinterpreted recipes around the world." - Luciana Sampogna

A beautiful book about Italian cultural food traditions explained through different journeys in life:

• Baptism - focusing on antipasti recipes with descriptions about celebrating baptism in an Italian community.
• First Steps - basics and learning most important steps in Italian cooking (pasta, gnocchi, risotto and polenta).
• Festivals - descriptions about Italian feast days and special dishes to commemorate.
• Young Lady - easy to prepare dishes for the young lady with lots of friends but little time
• Falling in Love - heart-warming soups, homemade pizza and decadent dessert to win over your loved one.
• Wedding Day - explains the many customs and superstitions around as well as some of the author's family recipes.
• Mother-in-Law - more challenging recipes, like sharing the kitchen with your mother-in-law. Old Italian treasured recipes.

The recipes provide enough guidance for the novice and are well written and easy to read. The book is loaded with tips on preparation methods - almost like a master class in Italian cooking. This is a heavy book loaded with full colour photographs in beautiful traditional Italian settings. The old family pictures of the author give the recipes context. Interesting food stories are also shared with the reader. The "conversations" of the author and her Nonna (grandmother) are very sweet and inspirational.

Recommended to the food person interested in food stories that wants to know more about the Italian cooking heritage and authentic Italian recipes.

Gennaro Contaldo - Gennaro's Italian Year

Based on a culinary year Gennaro guides the reader through his childhood memories of growing up in Minori on the beautiful Amalfi coast remembering all the feasts and festivals they use to celebrate. Gennaro visits each season, starting at autumn through to summer, and describes the cooking of seasonal dishes. Life in Italy comes alive though the different tales of Italian traditions and stories about food.

A very insightful and interesting book which will hold the readers attention. It reads more like a story than a cookbook. This is a cookbook with a lot of background about the dishes and puts the recipes into perspective. There are also lots of descriptions about ingredients that is very traditionally Italian. The recipes are well written and accompanied by beautiful colourful photo's.

This book is recommended to the food person enticed by food stories who would like to know more about Italian culture and tradition.

Tessa Kiros - Venezia food and dreams - Cooking

A wonderful book revealing the tastes and views from Venice, Italy. The author takes the reader on a journey through the back streets of Venice, cooking authentic meals. She gives us an inside view into the lives of people living in this water kingdom with very visual encounters and observations. The reader will yearn for a life of shopping at these sumptuous markets and seeking out quirky restaurants. This will get you into the kitchen and cooking. And after that, you will be packing your bags for a trip to Venice. One can only resist for so long...

The recipes are easy to understand and follow. The categories of the recipes are logical ranging from drinks and antipasto through to mains and dolci. Highly recommendable.