Transitions have been a way of life for my family in the last three years. Food has been a constant through our ups and downs, moves, new jobs, new parenthood adventures and new travels. So I wanted to introduce you to one of my new favourite cookbooks, by Kelis of ‘Milkshake’ fame.
We’ve moved a total of five times since October 2014. That’s right: five different houses. I sometimes feel a bit nomadic. Like as in, we should just sell it all and trade our cars for camels or a LandRover and cross continents slowly steeping ourselves in food, culture and language.
But just when my global nomad fantasies were at their height, we landed on a pretty sweet island spot so no more round-the-world fantasies (for now). During life’s transitional moments cooking, baking in particular, is my constant, my therapy, my way of relaxing. As long as I have my cookie sheets, my wee hand blender and some parchment with a well stocked baking cupboard, I’m happy. It’s what gives me a sense of home, when home is changing so often.
Kelis’ My Life on a Plate – Recipes from Around the World has been one of my 2016 cooking constants, steering our family’s table through yet another year of transition.
I’ve road-tested My Life on a Plate in several situations for different functions or work potlucks. Folks – it’s a winner. Like Emily Wight and Susan Musgrave‘s odes to honest cooking and west coast living, Kelis’ global sampling and descriptions of exotic foods is accessible and colourful. Sort of like watching a sport for the first time, while the game’s commentators don’t make you feel like a dumbass for not knowing all the tiny details of said sport. Kelis walks you through each recipe with humour and vision using lovely anecdotes before each. Ingredients are accessible and directions are easy-to-follow.
My favourite three recipes in My Life on a Plate so far have been: fried purple cabbage (p. 59 with a health dollop of marscapone or goat cheese), skillet cornbread with candied ginger (p147, soooo easy) and fava bean pilaf (p.80, exuding the rustic, filling tastes of Beirut). But by far my favourite, new go-to cookie recipe is Kelis’ chocolate cookies with sea salt potato chips on page 155. Seriously this recipe combines two of my great loves: chocolate and chips.
So if you have an Amazon prime account or live near a sizeable book store, scurry out and buy this book for your sweetie. He or she won’t be disappointed.
Since Santa is coming soon, I’m putting this out there: I’m dying to get my hands on Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook Cravings and Questlove’s Something to Food About. Family, friends reading this: nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
NOW HERE IS THE BEST PART!
Thanks to the lovely folks at Kyle Books, I have an extra copy of My Life on a Plate to give away! To enter to win a copy of My Life on a Plate please tell me about what has been your favourite cookbook of 2016 and sign up for my newsletter (look left for the sign up slot on my side bar <<<—–) and I’ll randomly draw someone’s name on December 31 and pop a copy of My Life on a Plate the first week of January.
Bon Appetito! Lekker eet! Buen Provecho! And happy, healthy hangry-free holidays.
UPDATE: Congrats to Andrea! You’re the winner of the cookbook giveaway.
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