Read, watch, listen: March-April 2022

Read

For the vegans

NATURAL FLAVA by Craig and Shaun McAnuff

Brothers Shaun and Craig McAnuff are on a mission to show the world that there’s more to Caribbean cooking than jerk chicken. This is their follow-up cookbook to the bestselling Original Flava and it’s filled with over a 100 easy plant-based dishes inspired by fresh and vibrant ingredients from Jamaica such as plantain, squash, yam and callaloo (taro leaves). Find recipes for a spicy fried chicken made with banana blossom, traditional Rasta pasta with butternut, sweet and sour tofu and creamy plantain milk.

For vegetarians

THE WHOLE VEGETABLE by Sophie Gordon

Sophie Gordon is passionate about minimising waste in the kitchen and cooking according to the seasons. She gives everyday vegetables the root-to-leaf treatment with wholesome and sustainable planet-friendly recipes that are easy to follow. The book is divided into seasons and the veg that shine during these months. Plus, there’s an entire section in the book devoted to plant-based condiments, stocks and dressings right at the end, with a recipe for a nut pulp granola to use up leftovers from making nut milks. That’s genius!

For home bakers

THE CAKE BOOK by Rebecca Firth

From the best-selling author of The Cookie Book and creator of the blog The Displaced Housewife comes another beautiful book of cakes that is sure to be the life of any party. Inside you’ll find elevated classics with creative flavour combinations, snacking cakes and layered ones, tea cakes, Bundts and cheesecakes, too! We love the sound of an olive oil and coconut layered cake with pineapple curd, a chocolate horchata meringue cake and mini confetti party cakes that would be great for an Easter-themed party.

Watch

HEAVENLY BITES: MEXICO

Over-the-top fast-food mashups and imaginative flavours from Mexico are the stars of Netflix’s latest docuseries. Hosted by Mexican actor Memo Villegas, the series shines a light on the country’s most visually stunning dishes and drinks and the food vendors and restauranteurs that created it. Tortas drenched in sauce, burritos the size of babies, jello filled bread and a 10-tier skyscraper hamburger are just some of the innovative examples you can expect to see on your screen. All 6 episodes of Heavenly Bites: Mexico are now streaming on Netflix.

Listen

KEEP CALM AND COOK ON with Julia Turshen

Award-winning cookbook author Julia Turshen talks to all our favourite food heroes like Dorie Greenspan, Antoni Porowski, Yasmin Khan and Claire Saffitz on her podcast that explores not just cooking, but also topics like mental health, relationships and great professional advice. The conversations while largely about food and cooking, are always warm, intimate, and vulnerable. Find Keep Calm and Cook On with Julia Turshen wherever you find your podcasts, like Apple Music and Spotify.