BLOG TOUR: A Curious Cook - Bridget Morton

A comprehensive and supportive guide to vegetarian cooking for people with coeliac disease.

Bridget Morton puts her own personal experiences of living with coeliac to good use in the kitchen, whipping up nutritious, delicious and comforting dishes designed to help manage her symptoms.

What did I think?

I have to say from the start that I don't have coeliac disease, however, I am unable to eat certain foods (particularly white bread) without being crippled by stomach pains.  I try to keep my food as stomach-friendly as possible and I do enjoy cooking and creating tasty dishes in the kitchen.  It's sometimes a bit of lottery whether my slaving over a hot stove will cause stomach pain or not so A Curious Cook by Bridget Morton sounds like the perfect cookery book for me to reduce, if not alleviate, the risk of pain.

Over 95% of the book is dedicated to recipe pages, so there isn't a lot of annoying chat or pointless photos (like it's a photoshoot for Hello magazine) in the front of the book like you find with many other cook books.  The author's concise introduction discusses her cooking journey in a light and humourous way, mentioning her reasons for writing the book and offering snippets of advice.  

Following the introduction, there are handy conversion tables (to save you googling or having to ask Alexa) and a list of store cupboard basics before launching into the main event: the recipe section.  There are 104 recipes in total which are split into 7 sections: Savoury Tarts and Pies; Flatbread Dough; Pancakes, Crackers and Muffins; Small Savouries; Vegetables and Salads; Sugar; and Sauces, Preserves and Drinks.  A good proportion of the recipes are accompanied by a short introduction from the author and colour photos that show the finished product.

I would have liked to have made some of the recipes in advance of posting my review but unfortunately there wasn't enough time before my spot on the blog tour.  There are loads of recipes I want to try that look uncomplicated for novice cooks like me: winter squash and chilli tart (made with a variety of interesting flours); small savoury pies (made in a muffin tin and filled with tomato and feta); fennel seed tarallini (little twisty savoury biscuits); chickpea dal (this looks so easy to make and I love chickpeas) and courgettes with tomato and cumin (a delicious winter stew).  There are other recipes that sound lovely but they involve shallow frying in oil and that's a bit too advanced for me.

I was delighted to find that a lot of the recipes use courgettes.  Not only do I love courgettes but my uncle grows them on his allotment so our kitchen is always well stocked when courgettes are in season.  There are also a good number of chickpea recipes which are a store cupboard staple for me as I love them.  I can see A Curious Cook becoming a well-used and favourite cookbook in my house.

The only tiny gripe I have with the book is in the presentation; the paper in the book isn't coated like you find in a lot of cook books.  You will need to be careful when using it in the kitchen as if you're anything like me, it's sure to get splattered; an acrylic cookbook stand is a useful addition to the kitchen anyway and would be perfect to protect this book from splashes.

A Curious Cook is a fabulous cookbook for both coeliacs and vegetarians with a suspected gluten intolerance.  The recipes are clear and simple, with relatively easy to source ingredients, and they all sound tasty and comforting.  I suspect my stomach will thank Bridget Morton in due course.

I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

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Deliciously Vegan Everyday Kitchen (Deliciously Vegan Kitchen Book 2) - Sibel Hodge

Whether you're already following a plant-based diet or you just want to add more meat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free dishes into your life, Deliciously Vegan Everyday Kitchen is for you!

Low on fussy preparation and high on flavour, this everyday meal bible uses budget-friendly ingredients and has tasty vegan ideas for everyone. All dishes are packed with plant power and are easily made gluten-free.

Taking inspiration from her Mediterranean roots, Sibel takes you on a culinary journey through the Med, Asia, India, and around the world. With over 80 recipes, broken down into meze and dips, sides and sundries, sumptuous salads, and light bites and main meals, Deliciously Vegan Everyday Kitchen is full of twists on old favourites and tasty new dishes, all easily prepared, including: vegan "egg" mayonnaise, Southern fried tofu nuggets, mango and sweet potato masala, spicy buffalo cauliflower bites, caramelised roast vegetables, salt-and-pepper tofu, cauliflower and broccoli cheese, onion bhaji, no-fuss paella, Greek-style shepherd's pie, Middle Eastern potatoes, sweet and sour tofu, sexy cabbage, Indian mushroom rice, potato-crust pizza, moussaka, rich spaghetti Bolognese, kung pao tofu, hummus, creamy stroganoff, coriander roasted carrots, Turkish potato salad, Spanish frittata, cheesy potato bake, Sicilian aubergine pasta, sticky BBQ tofu, Turkish pizza, maple sprouts, Chinese curry, Moroccan cauliflower steaks, braised mince bourguignonne, onion gravy, plus much, much more!

Crammed with wholesome, satisfying, healthy, and nutritious ingredients, cooking vegan never tasted so good!

What did I think?

I had no idea that Sibel Hodge, an author whose amazing thrillers I have previously read, had also published not just one but two vegan cookbooks.  I admit to having a bit of an addiction to buying cookbooks but then never cooking anything from them so I was determined to actually try my hand in the kitchen in order to review Deliciously Vegan Everyday Kitchen.

I had a good flick through first to see what caught my eye and selected a few recipes I wanted to try.  Then the virus that shall not be named hit the UK; food stockpiling left supermarket shelves empty and I couldn't get a single green pepper for love nor money.  So I ended up only making two of the dishes but not only would I make them both again, the spaghetti bolognese has already been made again and has become a firm favourite.

I've been a pescatarian for more than half of my life so I'm no stranger to a meat-free diet and with more people turning to a plant based diet, veganism is no longer something to be scared of.  For anyone new to a vegan diet, Sibel Hodge includes an absolutely invaluable 'Quick Tips' section at the start of the book.  Hands up if you're afraid of tofu?  <Raises hand>  I never had any idea how to prepare or cook these little white chunks that so many people rave on about and although I haven't yet worked up the courage to try it, thanks to Sibel Hodge's quick tips, I will definitely give it a go in the future.  The tip about buying fresh root ginger is absolute genius too!

The recipes are split into four sections: Meze and dips, Sumptuous Salads, Sides & Sundries and Light Bites & Main Meals.  I made two recipes from the Light Bites & Main Meals section: Quick Pita Pizza and Rich Spaghetti Bolognese.  The recipes are so clear and simple, perfect for the novice cook (i.e. me) and they don't have any weird and wonderful ingredients for which you have to search high and low, unless you're looking for a simple green pepper during lockdown of course.

My Quick Pita Pizza attempt almost fell at the first hurdle: cutting a wafer thin pita bread in half.  Not one to give up easily, I stuck it in the toaster for a minute so that it filled with air and gave me a fighting chance.  I was concerned that this might make it too crispy, so I found that you can also put it in the microwave for a few seconds.  So with pita bread successfully separated into two halves, I then made my pizza as per the recipe INCLUDING green peppers (painstakingly picked out of a bag of frozen mixed peppers with frost bitten fingers).  They taste delicious and really are very simple to make; the hardest part is halving the pita bread!

My Quick Pita Pizza

The Rich Spaghetti Bolognese is DELICIOUS!  I may have misinterpreted the recipe at the first attempt as 200g of spaghetti was a lot of pasta for two people.  I think it maybe refers to cooked rather than dry pasta so I amended this when I made it again.  There is a huge quantity of bolognese to share between two people so I think this would easily stretch to three.  I also made a slight adjustment as we like our meals with a bit of heat, so I added 2 teaspoons of chilli powder and it was AMAZING!  I was very pleased with my effort, thank you Sibel Hodge.

My Rich Spaghetti Bolognese

With over 80 recipes to choose from, each one with a colour photograph, you're sure to find a new favourite dish among this great selection.  I loved that a lot of the recipes are for 2 people so I didn't have to amend the quantities or make the full amount and freeze any leftovers.  Simple, quick and tasty, Deliciously Vegan Everyday Kitchen is THE vegan cookbook to have on your shelf (or even your virtual shelf as it transfers perfectly to ebook).

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello (Tuscan Dreams Book 3) - Daisy James

I was delighted to be offered a spot on the Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources as I love supporting local North East authors.  There are no local landmarks to look out for in Daisy's books as she whisks us away to foreign climes so read on to find out all about my virtual trip to Italy.

Escape to Villa Limoncello... where dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

With Christmas around the corner, Izzie Jenkins is ready to kickstart the new ‘Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes’ course at Villa Limoncello with chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti.

However, secrets are stirring with their latest guests and when nasty accidents keep befalling the group it looks like Izzie will have to turn detective once more to protect the Villa’s fledgling reputation. On top of all this, Izzie’s been offered the job of a lifetime – back home in Cornwall. Will she be coming home for Christmas, or will Tuscany work its magic to keep her at Villa Limoncello with Luca?

What did I think?

Firstly I have to say that I haven't read the first two books in the Tuscan Dreams series, but now I definitely want to.  Having enjoyed it immensely, I can most definitely say that you can read Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello as a standalone as Daisy James covers enough of Izzie's back story in this instalment.  What it did for me though, is made me want to find out more about Izzie and Luca.  I usually don't like jumping in mid-series but I might not have found the Tuscan Dreams series otherwise; reading book 3 has definitely made me more intrigued to go back to the start of the story.

Daisy James has an uncanny knack of bringing her locations to life in her books with sights, sounds and smells.  There is plenty of opportunity to get the reader's senses buzzing with Izzie running a fabulously named 'Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes' course at Villa Limoncello.  I think I had a few smell and taste hallucinations while reading this book; I could certainly not get the smell of lemons and the taste of limoncello out of my mind, that's for sure.

Izzie's guests are a community choir from York who have come to Tuscany to rehearse for a singing competition.  With such a colourful array of guests, there are quite a few secrets and whispering in corners as passions run high and tempers fray.  Izzie tries to keep everyone's spirits up but she has enough to contend with as she tries to work out how villa owner, Luca, feels about her.  Izzie has been offered a job back home in Cornwall, which holds both happy and sad memories for her, but she really wants to stay in Italy.  If only she could pin Luca down and talk to him; it seems like they are passing like ships in the night but Izzie might be setting sail for the horizon if Luca doesn't open up to her.

I was a bit worried about reading a Christmas book in October but it's not overly festive at all, which is great!  With gorgeous blue skies and the glorious scent of lemons, it got me in the mood for limoncello rather than egg nog.  You always get a bit more than you bargained for in a Daisy James book as she does like to add a bit of mystery, intrigue and skullduggery to her romantic fiction.  You just never know what to expect and that's what makes the book such a good read.  

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello was the perfect book to be reading as the temperature dropped in October; it warmed my heart, left me with a smile on my face and an unmistakable thirst for limoncello.  Speaking of which, I also have to say that Daisy James includes several recipes at the end of the book, including a recipe to make your own limoncello - I almost dropped my kindle in excitement!!  I have to try this although I'm sure I'll have difficulty leaving it for 30 days without having sneaky little tasters.

You don't need a passport to escape to Tuscany this winter, pick up a copy of Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello and let Daisy James transport you to Italy from the comfort of your favourite chair with her fabulous sparkly (and mouthwatering) new book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase Links

Amazon UK 

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

Twitter @daisyjamesbooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisyjamesstories/

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BLOG TOUR: Confetti & Confusion (Paradise Cookery School Book 2) - Daisy James

The Paradise Cookery School is officially open!

Stepping in for a celebrity chef, Millie Harper is feeling the pressure to make the first ever Paradise Cookery School classes a dazzling success and ensure that bride-to-be Imogen and friends have an unforgettable experience.

Meanwhile, Millie is trying to play it cool around handsome estate manager Zach Barker. But whenever he is near Millie cannot fail to notice the chemistry between them – until someone from Zach’s past arrives and any potential romance seems out of the question.

When disaster strikes and the wedding is in jeopardy, Millie realises she may have to go above and beyond to make sure the school is a success. Can Millie manage to create a day that dreams are made of, and will she find a way to tell Zach how she feels?

Allow yourself to be transported to the balmy St Lucian sunshine by his uplifting summer read – perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver and Sarah Morgan

What did I think?

Sunshine and Secrets was my first Daisy James book and I enjoyed it so much that I couldn’t wait to slap on my factor 50 and head back to St Lucia for another instalment of the Paradise Cookery School.  Although Confetti & Confusion is the second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone as Daisy James makes sure to include superb colourful introductions to all of her fabulous characters.  As I have read the first book, Sunshine and Secrets, I greeted these warm and friendly characters like old friends.

Confetti & Confusion picks up right where Sunshine and Secrets left off as the shiny new kitchen of the Paradise Cookery School opens for business.  Amelia (Millie) Harper and St Lucian native, Ella, worked so hard to get the kitchen ready and now the fun can begin.  The first customer is a bridal party, and while Imogen and the hens are cooking up chocolatey creations in the kitchen, Alex and the stags partake in some testosterone fuelled events like quad-biking.  Anything can happen, and often does, with Mishap Millie around but luckily hunky estate manager Zach is around to pick Millie up when she falls (literally).

Millie’s feelings for Zach have become more intense in Confetti & Confusion and every day she spends with him mends her broken heart a little more.  Millie’s stay on the island is only temporary and she is adamant that she doesn’t want a holiday romance but maybe Zach doesn’t either, only Millie is too insecure to find out.  As they spend more time together it is clear to the reader, if not to Millie, that Zach has feelings for her too but just when you think ‘the moment’ is approaching, Zach’s ex appears on the scene.  Millie retreats at the speed of light when it appears that Zach is back with Chloe and my heart sank for her but sometimes appearances can be deceptive.

When a fire in the hotel kitchen destroys the wedding cake and the wedding planner is nowhere to be found, Millie is determined to make sure that Imogen and Alex’s dream wedding goes as planned.  Well I say dream wedding, but it’s more Imogen’s mum’s dream wedding as Imogen and Alex would have been happy to get married at home in their local parish church.  As more things go wrong for the couple it looks like someone is out to sabotage their wedding…but why? 

Although I would have liked a bit more scheming and intrigue around the mystery of the wedding sabotage, this unexpected addition does manage to add more depth and drama to the story and sets Confetti & Confusion apart from a twee hearts and flowers chick-lit book.  It’s testament to the way that Daisy James writes a book so full of heart without leaving an overly saccharine taste in your mouth and that’s no easy feat when there are delicious recipes being described so beautifully that I could almost smell the chocolate!  Thankfully, Millie's story is far from over so I can't wait to jet off to St Lucia again soon. 

Confetti & Confusion is a mouth-watering, sunny delight; definitely a book to pack in your suitcase for your summer holiday this year!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy links:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)




About the author:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Twitter: @daisyjamesbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

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BLOG TOUR: A Family Recipe - Veronica Henry

I adore Veronica Henry books; they are filled with family drama but ultimately envelop the reader in such a huge hug that I always find a smile on my face at the end.  I was thrilled to get a spot on the blog tour for A Family Recipe and I am delighted to share an extract along with my review to bring the tour to a close.  Do make sure you visit the other blogs on this delicious tour.

Click here to read an extract from Chapter 2 where Laura is preparing to send her youngest daughter, Willow, off to university in York.  Then come back and read my review below.

What's the secret ingredient to your happiness?

Laura Griffin is preparing for an empty nest. The thought of Number 11 Lark Hill falling silent - a home usually bustling with noise, people and the fragrant smells of something cooking on the Aga - seems impossible. Laura hopes it will mean more time for herself, and more time with her husband, Dom.

But when an exposed secret shakes their marriage, Laura suddenly feels as though her family is shrinking around her. Feeling lost, she turns to her greatest comfort: her grandmother's recipe box, a treasured collection dating back to the Second World War. Everyone has always adored Laura's jams and chutneys, piled their sandwiches high with her pickles . . . Inspired by a bit of the old Blitz spirit, Laura has an idea that gives her a fresh sense of purpose.

Full of fierce determination, Laura starts carving her own path. But even the bravest woman needs the people who love her. And now, they need her in return . . .

What did I think?

I think this is the best Veronica Henry book I have read to date.  With a dual timeline of 2017 and 1942, it's like two books in one and as I discovered the history behind 11 Lark Hill, my heart was warmed by the heat from the Aga, sitting in pride of place in the busy kitchen.

Laura has always been overprotective of her youngest daughter as Willow suffers from chronic asthma.  The thought of Willow going off to university in York is absolutely terrifying for Laura as she won't be able to keep such a close eye on her anymore.  When Laura and her husband, Dom, are driving back from dropping Willow off in York, Laura discovers a secret that Dom has been keeping from her.  Not only is her marriage under threat but also the home that has been in her family for generations.

Number 11 Lark Hill was a very different place in 1942 as the bombs fell on Bath and everyone had to keep up a stiff upper lip.  Jilly fell in love the night the bombs fell but, with Harry off to fly in the airforce and suddenly finding herself alone in her home, the future isn't quite what she dreamed of as she takes in a family whose home was destroyed in the blitz.  With the help of her exuberant friend, Ivy, Jilly is the perfect embodiment of wartime spirit, especially when the household is set to get a new addition.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved A Family Recipe.  The female characters are so strong that you can't help but admire them and the whole family unit brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.  The friendship between Jilly and Ivy is so heartwarming as they have been inseparable for decades.  Despite it being 2017, I felt Laura showed her wartime spirit as she kept calm and carried on.  Family is so important to both main characters as we discover the tears and laughter both in their past and present.

Filled with family drama across several decades, A Family Recipe is so deliciously moreish that I could have quite easily devoured it in one day, but instead I savoured every single exquisite page that I read.  A Family Recipe is a mouth-watering feast for the eyes and there's even a yummy recipe for apple and date chutney that I just have to try for myself.  A highly recommended read from the delectable pen of Veronica Henry.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



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BLOG TOUR: Sunshine and Secrets - Daisy James

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Release Date: 19th March 2018

Publisher: Canelo 

When newly heartbroken, michelin-starred chef Millie Harper is offered a job overseeing the setup of The Paradise Cookery School she jumps at the opportunity. Leaving London and her memories of heartbreak behind she hops on a plane to the hilltop cocoa plantation in St Lucia.

But this beautiful island break might be more work than she’d expected…. With only two weeks to have the kitchen installed, cocoa pods going missing from the plantation and the notoriously relaxed island workmen to contend with, she’s going to need some help. Gruff but charming estate manager Zach Baxter, is only too happy to offer his opinions. As the two clash heads can they remain focussed on the job in hand and get the cookery school finished in time?

Pack your bags and jump right into the sun and secrets of The Paradise Cookery School. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jenny Oliver and Kat French.

What did I think?

At long last, I've read my first (but definitely not last) Daisy James book.  If ever a book should be read on holiday, it is Sunshine and Secrets but for those of us who don't have sun-friendly skin it's a perfect getaway to distant lands we can only dream of from the comfort of our favourite armchair.

Amelia (known as Millie) Harper has just the right thing to take her mind off her broken heart: an opportunity to set up The Paradise Cookery School on the Caribbean island of St Lucia.  As if Millie's wet welcome to St Lucia wasn't funny enough, her drenching leaves her with big hair akin to Monica Geller when the Friends go to Barbados.  Picturing Millie like that was enough to get me sniggering like a schoolgirl.

As well as trying out gorgeous recipes, Millie has to try to get the local laid-back workmen to stick to their schedule, which is easier said than done with the sun blazing down and the ripples of the swimming pool causing a temptation that's impossible to resist.  Local cook, Ella, and Estate Manager, Zach, are on hand to help Millie and, after a stand-offish start with Zach, Millie finds her pulse racing - Zach could be the perfect cure for her broken heart.

What really surprised me about Sunshine and Secrets was the added mystery of the disappearing cocoa pods.  Rather than succumb to the easy-going pace of the Caribbean vibe, it made me look at the characters a little more closely as I tried to gather clues.

Sunshine and Secrets is so full of sunshine that I needed my Factor 50 on just to read it.  I felt as if I was on St Lucia with Millie, sitting drinking an Andy's Blast cocktail in the beachside Purple Parrot cocktail bar.  Naturally, I didn't want to leave, although in real life I would have been burnt to a crisp!  

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy links:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)

About the author:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England.  She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines.  When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter.  She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must. 

Twitter: @daisyjamesbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/.

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