Continental breakfast

In a similar vein to saying there is no such thing as ‘Italian food’ as each region produces such varying local cuisine, one could say the same of Spanish food. Although many of us think of seafood paella and tapas, there is so, so much more…

I had no idea a chef could have 200,000 followers on Twitter.

The thing that really sets this book apart though, is not the popularity of TV chef Gino D’Acampo, but how it looks. Even if one did no cooking, it is divine to look through and could be a travel tome as much as a cookbook, with its beautiful photos set on location in Italy. I can pretty much smell the bread baking.

Italian Home Baking is the latest book from Gino D’Acampo, the Ready Steady Cook chef whose book The I Diet sold through 14 printings in 11 languages.

At first glance, I imagined Italian home baking would be of the sweet variety – biscotti and so on – but this is baking of the savoury and sweet, with pasta and pizza included as well.

The book is very much about Gino; it opens with his own family photographs, and is infused with his personality. I like this a lot, and respond to it, as it has a lot of heart.

Here are some top picks from the recipes and photographs within:

It starts with how to knead bread dough.

Gorgonzola and walnut rolls. My cheese sandwiches never look like this.

Easy apricot and kirsch flan.

Spaghetti tart with pine kernels and rocket leaves; you’ve never seen spaghetti done like this before!

The chapter page heading on biscuits.

Italian Home Baking by Gino D’Acampo is out now for $49.99 in hardback, from New Holland Publishers.

In a similar vein to saying there is no such thing as ‘Italian food’ – as each region produces such varying local cuisine – one could say the same of Spanish food. Although many of us think of seafood paella and tapas when they hear of Spanish food, there is so, so much more! Every region has its own specialties.

Below: I personally think of chorizo when I hear the words, Spanish cooking. Here’s a divine looking example from the book.

To combat the difficulty of buying ingredients pivotal to the dishes outside the Mediterranean, chef Miguel Maestre has produced this beautiful, hardcover book, Spanish Cooking, with authentic Spanish recipes using ingredients readily available in Australia, and presumably, also in New Zealand.

It is really strong on seafood. The langosta below also features on the cover.

Spanish Cooking by Miguel Maestre is out now for $59.99 in hardback, from New Holland Publishers.

By Megan Robinson
20 December 2011