Autumn Spectacular- Cooking the Books

A welcome transition into cooler weather -Autumn is coming. Time to reignite that love of baking and batch cooking. A quieter season, when we can all embrace preparing and sharing comforting foods. Step back into the kitchen and relish the new seasonal cookbooks hitting the shelves.

Let’s start with the latest offering from the wonderful Ruby Bhogal. Who wouldn’t like to travel Around the World in 80 Cakes? Carefully divided into recipes for all levels of bakers, here are some unbelievably delicious flavour combinations. Our Sam wants me to make him the traditional Singaporean Pandan Chiffon Cake ( advanced) but might have to accept instead a citrussy Moroccan Meskouta Cake ( beginners)!

TikTok sensation, Poppy Cooks, has a delicious selection of recipes to batch cook and freeze ahead so that we can still have home-made meals on our busiest days. More than just the Potato Queen, here we have takeaway classics, protein-packed casseroles and unctuous desserts- the Chocolate and Speculoos Fondants look great.

If food is your love language, let Wojtek van Porter transport you to his beautifully curated table of mouth-watering seasonal recipes, inspired by his Polish grandmother. I am going to try the Roasted Apricots with Feta as soon as I can get my hands on my own copy of this gorgeous book.

And whilst we are talking grandmothers, we have the new book from the Pasta Grannies full of their hard-won wisdom and knowledge of how to make the most of seasonal produce on a budget. Full of colour and flavous.

For fantasy lovers, we have the (unofficial) Fourth Wing cookbook, A Guide to the Kitchen Quadrant. Full of references to the novels, this book will take you seamlessly from breakfast to dinner with some amazing character- inspired snacks on the way. How about the Orange Zest Scones of Retribution  or Dark Wielder’s Mushroom Risotto with Blackberry Reduction? Perfect ideas for fans new and old.

And let’s finish with more baking- because I can ! Sugar and Spice is a brilliant cookbook aimed at the fledgling baker who wants to learn the classics but perhaps give them a modern spin with less usual baking spices. Here you will be in safe hands as you learn to spread your baking wings. The Cidered Apple and Fig loaf went down well with the Mr B’s team recently.

I will be back with the best of winter and Christmas cookbooks later in the year but, until then, Happy Reading and Happy Cooking!