This month I had to go through the palaver of collecting all my library books from around the house, taking them back to the library in my little shopping basket on wheels, leaving them in the staff cloakroom for a week, then bringing them back again, so they didn't get mixed up in anything or lost in the big house move...good job I work at the library and it's within walking distance really! So I haven't really had much time for reading this month, but I have really enjoyed these two books.
River Cottage Veg Everyday - Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall
I watched the TV series that went along with this book, and was really interested to see Hugh's (who is a big meat eater) experience of going veggie for the summer (and watching his dramatic weight loss as the series progressed!) There are lots of yummy recipes in this book, everything featured in the series and more, it's an enormous book. The spring onion, puff pastry pie, veggie biryani, bhaji and bread recipes look particularly dribbleworthy!
Queen of Crafts - Jazz Domino Holly
I nearly left this book on the shelves, it looks like all the other new crafty/lifestyle books that are out there at the moment...but it's not, cos this one is Awesome. Firstly, it has instructions to make your own edible glitter...if this was the only great thing about this book that would be enough, but it isn't. There are great instructions for home made beauty stuff, like moisturiser and lip balm, that seem easy to make, lots of instructions for making jam, baking, gardening, sewing, knitting and all sorts of other things. It doesn't have as many pictures as some other books, which made me think it didn't have much content when I first picked it up, but there are lots of projects without pictures and there are more projects in this little book than in some of the glossy, photo filled books you can get. I also really loved reading about Jazz's WI group, the Shoreditch Sisters, who are a young faction of the WI and have tea, cake and rock and roll parties, there are tips on setting up your own 'cool' WI group or holding other gatherings too. Jazz Domino Holly is my new girl-hero.
Hey Sooz! These books sounds amazing. I would really like to read veg everyday. Sounds fab! We don't have tv, so I don't know about the tv episodes you speak of, but sounds like something I would love to watch! I haven't been to the library in over a month, and I think it is time I go!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I love your quilt in the background! Hee-hee! It looks lovely. What a stunning find!
ReplyDeleteHi Sooz,
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have decided to do when I move is to join the library. The last tiem I went to the library was when I was a student, then I found work, discovered money and bought cookbooks, this is all obviously on hold now. But hey how on earth did I forget about the library ?!
I so have to check out Queen of Crafts - the fact it has makign your own edible glitter has excited me. I bought the stuff a few years back, pretty pricy. Would so love to make my own.
Oh Shaheen, you must go the library...it's full of wonderful things! We have such a good cookbook section in the library I work in, we keep getting nice shiney new ones in! Edible glitter recipes are googleable too (I just checked!) all you need is some gum arabic (mine was £2 off ebay) melt it in an equal amount of water and paint it onto a surface with a pastry brush, let it dry and scrape it off...tis glitter!
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