My Favourite Ingredients

Written by (Skye Gyngell)

Skye Gyngell’s first book ‘A Year in my Kitchen’, received a decent helping of praise from critics, winning The Guild of Food Writers ‘Cookery Book of the Year’ award in 2007. It’s no surprise then that Gyngell’s follow up is just as engrossing. ‘My Favourite Ingredients’ takes a look at some of Gyngell’s best-loved ingredients, and shapes a book full of recipes around them.

Head chef at Petersham Nurseries, Gyngell is known for her love and respect of the seasons and you really get a sense of this with her latest book. Her modesty and gentle tone fleck every page too, which draws you in to find out more. ‘My Favourite Ingredients’ is broken down into sixteen sections, each focusing on a particular ingredient, be it asparagus, cherries, honey or chocolate. The photography in the book is stunning so be prepared to drool, the recipes meanwhile are understated and sophisticated, but for the most part, simple to conjure up onto a plate.

Warm pheasant salad with pickled cherries and blood oranges with honey and rosemary do their best to get your saliva glands going. Whilst Gyngell’s nectarine and tomato salad with Parma ham and mozzarella makes you wish it was summer all year round, just so you could bite into the juicy, succulent fruit.

This is a wonderful book, which will probably bag a few awards itself. More importantly, it serves as a seasonal companion in the kitchen, that offers up plenty of inspiration for every month of the year.

Published by Quadrille, priced at £25.00.