As a self-proclaimed cookbook addict, I’m always excited to get my hands on a newly released book (even more so if it is by a South African author), and even more importantly, to try out some recipes featured therein! Yes, read and cook!
So, let me tell you a bit more about “It’s All About The Food” by Estelle Sachrowitz.
Here’s some background information, as featured on the Penguin Random House SA website:
“Author Estelle Sacharowitz reveals that she thinks about food all the time. ‘And as I wonder what it’s all about, and why I do what I do, I realise that it’s all about us. It’s about you, it’s about me, it’s about people. It’s about our complexities, memories and sweetness. It’s about trying to capture time in a form that is familiar, comforting and definite … It’s about creativity and curiosity. It’s about needs, primal and necessary, and also emotional.’
https://www.tiktok.com/@roelia_reads/video/7139495609223957766?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7112798763933222405
Just paging through the book, you will be tempted by the beautiful and enticing photography and the variety of recipes.
Here’s the content summary, to give you an idea what to expect:
- It’s All About: The Bowls of Bowls, Soup (including cold and warm soups – cold cucumber soup, pasta fagioli, spicy vegetable soup, comforting lentil and barley soup, etc.)
- It’s All About: Make it Easy, Every Day (greens and goats cheese salad, meatballs with a rustic napolitana sauce, fillet of beef with salsa verde, etc.)
- It’s All About: Nostalgia – The Classics (the quintessential Caesar Salad, chicken pie with mushrooms and wine, easy cheese scones, etc.)
- It’s All About: Elegance (ceviche, rainbow trout with cucumber and chive crème fraîche, whole-roasted white fish with exotic Moroccan paste, etc.)
- It’s All About: Sharing Platters (including Portuguese platter, taco platter, deconstructed burger platter)
- It’s All About: Bowls, Just for Me (sesame-crusted tuna bowl, burrito bowl, zesty chicken breast bowl, and more)
- It’s All About: Things to Go with Things (crunchy cauliflower pilaf with roasted almonds, spiced roasted chickpeas, roasted butternut with balsamic feta crumble, etc)
- It’s All About: Joyous Love, Baked Treats (including carrot cake slices with toasted pecans, salted caramel shortbread squares, spiced ginger chiffon cake and more)
- It’s All About: The Sweet, Sweet Stuff (mini baklava, filled medjool dates, The all-time flawless cheesecake, etc).
So, as you can see – there’s something for everyone! What I like about Estelle’s recipes is that she doesn’t use hard-to-find or “exotic” ingredients, and flavour is at the top of mind – without making it too complicated. Her passion and love for food is contagious!
I tried Estelle’s “Cold Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Chili Salsa”. This is perfect for those balmy spring (and summer coming) days!
It is perfect as a light lunch or an elegant starter at dinner with friends – I will definitely make this again!
The details:
PRHSA (Penguin Random House South Africa) website
- ISBN 9781485900788
- Format Hardback
- Recommended Price R430.00
- Published September 2022
Available where good books are sold, including Takealot, Loot, Exclusive Books, Wordsworth Books and Graffiti Books
With thanks to PRHSA for my review copy!
