Library Books of the Cooking(ish) variety

I have this major, serious love of books, that, quite frankly, even by my own admittance borders on the ridiculous. My daughter also has the book bug, and so when we met a friend for lunch at the library last weekend we couldn't resist loading ourselves up with books, and we even bought a couple in the 'book for a penny' sale.

I enjoy reading around the subject of cooking, so I borrowed:

'Cooking Dirty' Life, Love and Death in the Kitchen by Jason Sheehan.
A book about a real-life chef, as opposed to a 'celebrity' chef. The back blurb mentions that the book contains 'what they don't show you on tv' and 'what you don't learn at cookery school'.

It reminds me of an expensive restaurant that I once worked in as a waitress. I remember with some dismay that the cheesecake was bought in cheaply and in bulk. When a customer ordered it, the waitress (I) had to scrape off the cheap topping and then scoop on some lovely fresh berries and add a spray of cream. I guess they could have just dished out the cheesecake with the sub0standard topping, either way to me it seemed to be cheating, or misleading the customers, passing it off as something it wasn't. I'll bet there are tons of restaurants out there who do a variation on a theme of this kind of practise though, and it's probably quite acceptable.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying the book and it's bringing back happy memories of those studenty, waitressing days.

I also borrowed

Cook your own Veg by Carol Klein

This book is fantastic ! I haven't had the book for long, so I can't go into too much detail, but I have been trawling the web and my own veggie books, searching in vain, for information on how and when to harvest the old Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and I found everything I needed in this book. Excellent.

I am in full planning mode now for the coming season for the garden, so I am looking forward to exploring the book further for more hints and tips.

Lastly (for now).. and I've been having great fun with this one..

Gastronaut by Stefan Gates

This is a little like Heston Blunmenthal's style of cooking. Wild and wacky. When cupcake had her pal over I told them both that the book not only had a recipe for Rabbit pie (Cupcake's pal has 2 rabbits), but there is also a recipe for boiled guinea pigs (Cupcake is a guinea pig pan.)  Actually it was 'Peruvian Grilled Guinea Pig' - I just checked.They couldn't believe it, they ran off with the book and looked up all the really gross recipes - which includes things like: 'Make your own Biltong' and a recipe for Pigs Ears and also Fish Sperm on Toast... All an acquired taste I'm sure..

I love the way this book also gives a music suggestion for each recipe, along with a reason for the choice. It'sjust totally out there isn't it...

I don't know why I like this stuff, but I guess I don't call myself Kooky Girl for nothing. Ha !