Take Comfort.

Published 04 June 2021 by Collins234

Take Comfort.

4 Inspiring Cookbooks to help you through Winter (and beyond).

Learning to bake sourdough bread has almost become a rite of passage this year. We’ve spent many extra hours in close proximity to the kitchen so it’s hardly surprising our focus on food may have stepped up a notch or two. As winter closes in, here are our pick of the best comfort food cookbooks from Dymocks Booksellers at Collins234 to sink your tastebuds into. Call their friendly team on (03) 9663 0900 to order any of these books and more today.

1. Take it easy

If you’ve got teens with a little extra time on their hands at the moment, there are some great books with simple, tasty winter recipes to get their creative foodie juices flowing. Justine Schofield’s ‘The Slow Cook’ is an accessible and inspiring introduction to the world of comfort food. Featuring new classics such as pork and pineapple tacos, as well as tried and true favourites like Lemon Delicious, Schofield focuses on fast and easy preparation to give maximum flavour for minimal effort. Her style suits every day, family mealtimes with easy-to-follow instructions and no-fuss ingredients lists. If your kids leave home with a few recipes from this book mastered, they’ll fare well. And hopefully the rest of the family will benefit from a year of two of regular practise cook-ups!

2. Beyond bread

Think you’ve mastered sourdough? Well, why stop at bread when you can make absolutely anything that rises with your sourdough starter? In this practical guide, passionate sourdough advocate Jane Mason explores both bread making as well as the lesser known art of sweet sourdough baking. Mason reveals a whole new world of healthier ways to make larder-filling treats, from cakes to pretzels and tarts. She quickly proves that sourdough has a beneficial role to play well beyond the breakfast table. The book’s emphasis on slow fermentation and Mason’s gentle educative approach, makes feeding our sweet-teeth both inspiring and (almost) healthy. The impressive number of recipes provides plenty of simple options to get you baking microbiome-approved afternoon treats right away, as well as more complex options that might take some warming up to. The one thing we have right now is more time at home, and that is the central ingredient in every comforting recipe Mason offers.

3. Dessert heaven

Few things will inspire neighbourhood jealousy the way a perfectly baked pie can. When your street or hallway fills with the aroma of buttery pastry or slow baking chocolate, you’ll be glad you thought ahead and delved into the sumptuous pages of Claire Saffitz’s Dessert Person. A rich and rewarding journey through the basics and the finer points of dessert making, Saffitz covers the classics with her trademark innovative flair. If you’ve watched her YouTube series Gourmet Makes, you’ll know she goes the extra mile to understand and reveal every single reason why a recipe works. She is meticulous and lots of fun, and her beautiful book of desserts won’t disappoint. From decadent cakes, slices, syrups and pies, to a selection of savoury recipes, you could end up hoping for a longer than usual winter and more reasons to bake up a dessert-y storm. ‘Dessert Person’ is comfort food at its very best. And the perfect companion to extra hours spent at home.

4. Take yourself to Morroco

Let your tastebuds do the travelling and hit the one-pot wonders of Morocco where comfort and adventure go hand in hand. Ghillie Basan’s ‘The Modern Tagine’ is a heady mix of all the fragrant spices and Middle Eastern ingredients you’ve come to know and love. Adapted to suit modern kitchens and lifestyles, each tagine is easily replicated with authenticity at its heart. And you don’t even need an actual tagine to make them. Basan has been cooking and researching spices from all over the world for decades. Her adventurous sprit and practical knowledge is shared generously across her vast array of cookbooks to ensure even the least experienced home cook can master her beautiful recipes. Dive in and transport yourself to Marrakech and beyond!

Ready to get cooking?

Call Dymocks Bookshop on (03) 9663 0900 to order your books now. Their friendly staff will help you find the perfect cooking guide to get you through the winter months. They have thousands of books in stock and even more which can be placed on immediate order for you.