KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — For your next holiday, throw away the guidebook and pick up a cookbook for a snapshot of what your food adventure is going to be.
As you flick through each page, it opens up the country’s rich culinary offerings. Each author has a different approach; some relate their childhood memories or experiences coupled with intense research and most contain images that depict what goes on in the streets.
You learn what the locals are tucking into throughout the day. The best part is once you return from your adventure, you can hit the kitchen to recreate your favourites.
Note: You can pick up the books at Kinokuniya at Suria KLCC or order via Amazon.
Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey & Lebanon
Claudia Roden
Be entertained by Roden’s stories of each country’s rich history, the origins of their cuisine together with her own childhood memories. It’s easy to recreate Roden’s recipes as they’re simple and completely approachable. She only includes recipes of traditional dishes collected from home cooks and not chefs from these places. Roden also tests the recipes to make them perfect.
Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook
Mark Robinson
The gaijin (Japanese for Westerner) gives us a glimpse into the boisterous izakayas frequented by Japanese salarymen. He documents 8 izakayas, each with their own unique characteristics (I’ll go for Yamariki with its family recipe for beef intestines!). Recipes are also simple to follow. Novices can also follow his useful etiquette and drinking guide so they won’t stick out like a sore thumb.
Little French Kitchen
Rachel Khoo
Fresh from the success of her first book, Little Paris Kitchen, Khoo goes on a jaunt around France to uncover long forgotten family recipes. Each place is depicted by Khoo with illustrations and her travel notes eg. discovering local producers or where to get the best caneles in Bordeaux. She covers Brittany, Bordeaux, Basque, Provence, Lyon and Alsace.
Gastronomy of Italy
Anna Del Conte
Serious Italian food lovers will love this encyclopedia cum cookbook that pays tribute to their favourite cuisine. Del Conte is regarded by many, including Nigella Lawson, as the best writer on Italian food. Delve into Italian cooking terms and ingredients organised by A-Z with useful recipes. She offers a useful food snapshot of regional Italy. For eg. rice trumps pasta in Piedmont.
Thai Street Food
David Thompson
An authority of Thai cuisine with his award winning restaurant Nahm, Thompson gives you a detailed snapshot of the vibrant streets where food rules. You will be enthralled by the beautiful images of the street life and the food. Thompson also keeps you well informed on the history of street food and relates in detail how to recreate the dish at home.
The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen
Marja Vongerichten
The book traces a journey back to find Marja’s roots in South Korea. She’s accompanied by husband Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the famous French chef who also throws in his interpretation of Korean dishes. It gives a detailed snapshot of Korean cuisine. There was also a television series based on the book.
The Songs of Sapa: Stories & Recipes from Vietnam
Luke Nguyen
Discover the beauty and simplicity of Vietnamese cuisine with this travelogue cum cookbook. Nguyen’s visit to his homeland (he’s an Australian migrant who owns Red Lantern restaurant in Sydney) is vivid with beautiful pictures and his observations. As he tracks from North and South Vietnam, he highlights the differences in each region.
Myanmar: Cuisine, Culture & Customs
Mohana Gill
Peppered with images of Myanmar, this serves as a beautiful guide to the various towns in Myanmar. Mohana who grew up in Myanmar shares her collection of family recipes. Each dish has a headnote with her own childhood memories. Be assured that you can get the ingredients here since Mohana lives in Petaling Jaya.
