Everything you need to read, watch and listen to this month
Read
Delve into the flavours of the Mediterranean
For fans of easy dishes
5 INGREDIENTS MEDITERRANEAN by Jamie Oliver
Familiar to foodies in the UK for a long time, Jamie has definitely come in and out of fashion more than once. From restaurants to TV shows to campaigns for better food in schools, his sheer ubiquity has sometimes overshadowed his particular gift for tasty simplicity. This new book is a welcome reminder, as the chef puts his own quick, easy spin on summery dishes from around the Med (always his key area of culinary interest) using five quality ingredients and seasoning. Selections include pesto pizza and a wonderfully crispy paprika chicken.
For French enthusiasts
NIÇOISE: MARKET-INSPIRED COOKING from France’s Sunniest City by Rosa Jackson
The French Riviera might just form the leading edge of the European summer, in terms of fashion, leisure and especially gastronomy. Well established as a food guide and writer in France for almost 30 years, Rosa makes the case for Nice with this new cookbook geared toward the culinary culture of that southern city, with an emphasis on light dishes to be eaten outdoors or on-the-go: snacks and sandwiches, stuffed vegetables, fruity desserts and so on, all made with seasonal ingredients from the Med coast.
For lovers of southern Spanish fare
COCINA DE ANDALUCIA by María José Sevilla
A scholar of Hispanic gastronomy as well as a skilled practitioner, María unpacks 75 recipes from the southern Spanish region that has developed its food culture over many centuries and multiple conquering cultures – not least the Arab cuisine of neighbouring North Africa. Andalusian classics such as gazpacho soup or the native tapas staple gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic) are set alongside less familiar delicacies such as fried aubergines with molasses, or ice-cream made with turron (soft nougat).
Watch
DINNER PARTY DIARIES WITH JOSÉ ANDRÉS
Born in the northern Spanish region of Asturias, José Ramón Andrés Puerta has long since made his name in his second home, the USA, opening restaurants in various cities and founding the World Central Kitchen (WCK) to help feed victims of natural disasters. Both key areas of his work come up in conversation on this new programme, in which he invites celebrities to chat over dinners that tend to honour the rustic-esoteric cuisine of his birthplace.
Listen
THE DELICIOUS LEGACY
While travelling between meals in Europe this summer, why not consider the ancient roots of the continent’s cuisine with this so-called ‘archaeogastronomical’ podcast. Each episodes covers a different area and epoch, from the Greece of Socrates to the Rome of Cicero and the foods that made the passage across the Med from Mesopotamia, inviting experts such as Victoria Flexner and Dr Neil Buttery to reflect on what ancestral warriors, philosophers and average citizens were eating back in their day.
