Staff Pick
You can always count on Phaidon to publish a beautiful cookbook, and The Kitchen Shelf fits this to a T. This is not-quite a beginner cookbook, and also not-quite-not a beginner book. Authors O’Sullivan and Reynolds give a list of 30 must-have pantry ingredients, and provide recipes to make use of all these ingredients. All you’ll need to do is augment your pantry with two additional purchased items. Each recipe indicates which ingredients you’ll need to buy. The recipes are mostly simple, yet resulting in complex flavors.
Now after having written this review, I think all I needed to have done is mention this recipe: Smoky Garlic Monkey Bubble Bread. I know there are lots of folks who have to avoid gluten and other wheat-based products, but for those who don’t, I’ll bet it’s the rare person who can turn down Smoky Garlic Monkey Bubble Bread! (Helpful hint for parents and grandparents — give your kids and/or grandkids this book and a gift certificate to a local grocers and set them up for a lifetime of good cooking.) Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
From a handful of ingredients from your kitchen shelf and a couple of fresh ones from the store, you can create 100 amazing recipes.
With a perfectly stocked kitchen shelf, you just need to pick up two fresh ingredients and you can make a delicious meal.
The Kitchen Shelf is packed with recipes and information on how to have a perfectly stocked "kitchen shelf" so when you head home after a long day, all you need to do is pick up a couple of fresh ingredients and you can be sure you have everything required to make a delicious meal. It is an excellent way to build up your repertoire in the kitchen and pick up on the bargains of the day in the shop or market.
There are 30 shelf essentials of which there are 10 "key" essentials: A can of chickpeas, a bag of rice, a can of tomatoes, a bag of flour, a jar of peanut butter, a box of eggs, a bag of pasta, a can of coconut milk, a bar of chocolate, and a bottle of milk.
With handy tips and simple techniques, the home cook will feel confident to swap ingredients and create new dishes to share with friends. Ultimately, it is a staple book for the kitchen: reliable recipes, no-fuss shopping and fantastic photographs of the finished dishes.
Review
"Proves how just a couple of fresh ingredients are needed to make light work of good food." The Guardian
Review
"Transform one or two fresh ingredients using your essentials." House and Garden
Review
"Just a handful of ingredients from your kitchen and a few from the shop is all it takes to make a meaningful meal... this book offers just about everything but the kitchen sink." Wallpaper
Review
"Follow the simple recipes and tips for swift, no-fuss shopping while enjoying the indulgent food photography." Canary Wharf
About the Author
Rosie Reynolds is a London-based food stylist, recipe writer and developer. Having trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine, she went on to work for BBC Good Food and Olive magazines in London. She has styled books, including Ella Woodward's Deliciously Ella, and writes recipes and food styles for magazines such as Good Food, Olive, Waitrose Kitchen and Stella, as well as the Guardian, the Independent Review and Australian Sunday Life.
Eve O'Sullivan is a London-based food writer, cookbook author, food stylist and editor of Cooked. com. She is a regular columnist for Cook, for which she writes the weekly Readers' Recipe Swap. She has written for magazines such as Olive, Delicious, and Harper's Bazaar online, and gives Guardian Masterclasses in food blogging, styling and recipe writing.