An Ode to Living and Gathering in Nature A picnic on the beach. Cocktails and a snack at sunset. Sharing a potluck meal around the fire, and letting the night drift lazily along in the pleasures of roasting marshmallows and swapping stories. Getting together in nature, with food and drink, is among the most restorative rituals we can experience, fostering a kind of intimacy and ease that’s rare in any other setting. Al Fresco, with its fresh, delicious recipes and unexpected ideas, its tips for exploring new ways to get outdoors, its interviews with dozens of kindred spirits, is an inspiring and beautiful playbook for anyone who wants to spend more time outside with friends and family. The credo is simple: Nature opens us up to ourselves, and the food we share opens us up to each other.
When we eat al fresco – outside, beyond the confines of four walls – everyday meals become a heady combination of fresh air and flavours, of outdoor sounds and natural views. Whether that ‘outside’ is our own backyard, garden, patio or stoep, seaside caravan park, bushveld or the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains, it makes little difference because we come away energised, nurtured and deeply satisfied. And if preparing those meals doesn’t require conventional electricity during the dreaded loadshedding, well, that’s just the cherry on the top! In Easy Al Fresco , Ilse van der Merwe offers a simple and inspiring guide for fabulous, easy and scrumptious dishes that can all be prepared with a limited range of basic utensils, and a fire or kettle braai. As Ilse says, this should be the only book you pack for your next trail hike, fishing weekend, game reserve trip or seaside holiday. So what are you waiting for? Light the fire, grab a whisk and turn the pages of Easy Al Fresco – you’ll never look back.
In spring and summer, there's nothing better than enjoying a meal outdoors with friends and family; today, al fresco dining has never been more popular, given the rise in popularity of gourmet takeout and prepared picnic baskets. For those who eschew all animal products, though, outdoor vegan meals usually consist of mundane veggie sandwiches and a fruit salad. But no more! Carla Kelly is an accomplished vegan cook and baker with two previous cookbooks under her belt; she also loves to prepare delicious, casually elegant vegan meals for backyard barbecues, picnics in the park, or a party at the beach. Vegan al Fresco is loaded with beautiful appetizers such as Peanut Potato Salad and Tomato & Olive Tarts, inventive sandwiches including the Pita Po'Boys, and amazing grilled dishes like Sweet Chipotle Tempeh with Berries, and Cedar Planked Rosemary & Lemon Tofu; finish off your meal with Strawberry & Basil Scones, Maple & Walnut Cheesecake, or some crazy good vegan ice creams. The book includes prep and cooking times for each recipe, as well as advice on portability, food safety issues, and menu suggestions for special occasions. For those with allergies, recipes that contain known allergens such as soy, nuts, and gluten are clearly marked. Full-colour throughout, Vegan al Fresco offers delectable and sophisticated ways for vegans to enjoy the great outdoors.
Nothing tastes better than a meal eaten outside. Genevieve Taylor's brilliant new book is packed with recipes, inspiration and practical advice for pain-free delicious cooking, eating and having fun in the big outdoors: Pack up a picnic BBQ feasts Wilderness Eats Bonfires Camp cook outs
A beautiful, minimalist cookbook that invites you to take a more mindful approach to every meal. CONSIDER A SLOWER, MORE MINDFUL APPROACH TO COOKING and eating together. A way to disconnect from the outside world's distractions and truly connect to each other and yourself. A moment to take the time to enjoy and elevate the experience of every day cooking. For Philip and Mystique (the co-creators and couple behind the blog Chef Sous Chef), this approach in the kitchen is a way of life. Mystique is the "sous" to Philip's "chef," and through her elegant, authentic touches, his delicious dishes come to life. In their debut cookbook, they share their simple, stunning recipes, and the stories and memories behind them. Eat with Us's recipes are inspired by Philip and Mystique's family favorites growing up and the multicultural city they live in. The chapters are organized by occasion to reflect the way we truly eat today: Simple (weekday meals), Comfort (food for the soul), Lavish (special occasions), Al Fresco (dining outdoors), and Feasts (larger parties). From breakfast (Baked Eggs in Tomatillo Sauce with Bacon) to dinner (Channa Curry with Coconut Milk), and salads (Fig Panzanella with Ricotta and Basil) to sweets (Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies), these recipes celebrate and elevate home cooking. In Eat with Us, Philip and Mystique invite you to read, cook, eat, savor, connect and unwind.
Indulgent Twists on Your Favorite Sweets Elevate your go-to desserts from plain to outrageously gooey, creamy and chocolatey with Nico Norena, sweet treats connoisseur and creator of the hit blog The Succulent Bite. Dozens of delicious, drool-worthy recipes await you, each super-easy to make with only a few ingredients—perfect for satisfying any late-night craving. Take classic treats like Oreos®, Nutter Butters® and Snickers® and transform them into even more decadent desserts, including: • Nesquik® Ice Cream • Nutella® Oreo® Cheesecake • Marshmallow Fluff Mug Cake • Chips Ahoy!® Crêpe • Biscoff® Cookies Basque-Style Cheesecake • Banana S’mores Pop-Tarts® • Date Night Boozy Brownies • Kinder® Chocolate Latte Whether you’re looking to impress your friends or sate your own chocolate craze, this essential guide to extravagant sweets is guaranteed to revolutionize your dessert game.
Learn how to cook traditional Italian dishes as well as reinvented favorites, and bring Venice to life in your kitchen with these 100 Northern Italian recipes. Traveling by gondola, enjoying creamy risi e bisi for lunch, splashing through streets that flood when the tide is high—this is everyday life for Skye McAlpine. She has lived in Venice for most of her life, moving there from London when she was six years old, and she’s learned from years of sharing meals with family and neighbors how to cook the Venetian way. Try your hand at Bigoli with Creamy Walnut Sauce, Scallops on the Shell with Pistachio Gratin, Grilled Radicchio with Pomegranate, and Chocolate and Amaretto Custard.
We all look forward to spring and summer, when the sun returns, the blooms bud, and we feel the urge to reacquaint ourselves with the great outdoors. But camping and hiking trips, whether day treks or week-long journeys, beg an age-old question: what to bring along to eat? Chef in Your Backpack proves that camping and hiking meals don't always have to be about stale sandwiches and bagged veggies. With a little ingenuity and know-how, and a bit of advance planning, you can be dining in high style around the campfire. Nicole Bassett is an outdoors enthusiast who has been developing and preparing outdoor meal recipes for years. She believes in the notion that a great yet easy-to-make meal is not only more satisfying, but is more nutritious and energizing for your hikes and treks. She also offers great tips for keeping your food safe from spoilage and not-so-friendly creatures, as well as nifty ideas like using film canisters to store spices, and using your camping mug as a measuring cup. Nicole offers a wide-range of meal ideas, from power breakfasts to soul-nurturing dinners, all of which can either be prepared in its entirety outdoors, or with a little preparation at home before you go
Featured on the Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table “Elemental, fundamental, and delicious” is how Anthony Bourdain describes the trailblazing live-fire cooking of Francis Mallmann. The New York Times called Mallmann’s first book, Seven Fires, “captivating” and “inspiring.” And now, in Mallmann on Fire, the passionate master of the Argentine grill takes us grilling in magical places—in winter’s snow, on mountaintops, on the beach, on the crowded streets of Manhattan, on a deserted island in Patagonia, in Paris, Brooklyn, Bolinas, Brazil—each locale inspiring new discoveries as revealed in 100 recipes for meals both intimate and outsized. We encounter legs of lamb and chicken hung from strings, coal-roasted delicata squash, roasted herbs, a parrillada of many fish, and all sorts of griddled and charred meats, vegetables, and fruits, plus rustic desserts cooked on the chapa and baked in wood-fired ovens. At every stop along the way there is something delicious to eat and a lesson to be learned about slowing down and enjoying the process, not just the result.
From the founder of the eponymous party-planning website, a guide to creating exceptional celebrations that will inspire any host. Tablescapes, tips, DIY party crafts, beautiful color photos, and more than 50 never-before-seen recipes, in an easy-to-follow format. Beginner hosts will find tons of tips and how-tos, as they’re walked through practical steps to creating fabulous parties on a realistic budget. The seasoned host will discover unique details and new recipes to enhance their tablescapes all year long. Follow one party to a tee, or mix-and-match elements to create a unique affair all your own. Courtney Dial Whitmore provides instructions for more than a dozen occasions (from simple backyard gatherings to special celebrations), each complemented with full tablescape details; decor tips; and recipes for each party covering appetizers, desserts, and drinks. Ring in the new year with a glitzy New Year's Day Brunch; savor a bit of Parisian culture with a Crêpe Cake and Sparkling Raspberry Cocktails; enjoy Spinach Tea Sandwiches and Lavender Fizz Cocktails at a Jane Austen–inspired Book Club Gathering; celebrate your favorite guy with Bacon and Pecan S'mores and Sriracha and Bourbon Wings; and don your best black-and-white apparel to enjoy Red Velvet Brownie Truffle Cakes and White Chocolate Martinis at a Black and White Masquerade Party. These are just a few of the ideas you'll find in Pizzazzerie: Entertain in Style. “Courtney covers every detail, and breaks them down to make entertaining easy. With so many creative ideas, you’ll want to start celebrating half birthdays, too!” —Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, editor-at-large, Southern Living “Festive, bright, and cheerful…full of ideas and passionate about the details.” —Tara Guerard, owner/creative director, Soiree
