Great British Food Christmas 2024

Curl up in front of the fire, steamingmug in hand, and indulge in our pick of this year’s best book releases Many of us have dreams of feeling lighter and brighter, especially at the start of a new year, and the new recipe book by David and Stephen Flynn – The Happy Pear 20 (£23.99, Gill Books) – will help us do just that. This book is an inspirational collection of mouthwatering plant-based recipes plus stories and lessons learned in the two decades since The Happy Pear opened their first cafe. A happier and healthier life awaits. We’re a nation of cheese lovers, and Morgan McGlynn’s latest tome The Complete Cheese Pairing Cookbook (£26, White Lion Publishing) is the ultimate gift for those who love to cook with cheese. Packed with innovative pairing suggestions and sumptuous recipes, this book is a must-read for those who are intrigued about the wonders of cheese. It’s sure to be a go-to for hosts and is just perfect for party season! The new edition of Darina Allen’s Forgotten Skills of Cooking (£30, Kyle Books) is a beautiful celebration of time-honoured skills that all food lovers will relish. In this book, ancient culinary arts such as foraging for food and caring for chickens are expertly taught, while timeless skills are shared with home cooks looking to master life-changing recipes like sourdough and yogurt. The ultimate book for those wanting to live the good life. We all have dishes that we turn to for a moment of calm comfort, and food writer Grace Dent has given these the spotlight in her book Comfort Eating (£10.99, Faber) . In this soul-warming read, we journey through Grace’s take on the wonders of comfort food; covering everything from family and childhood to home and nostalgia by way of personal essays. The perfect book to relish on a cosy winter’s day. The world of wine might be beautifully complex, just like the very best tipples themselves, but star sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier has shared all the intel wine lovers need to know in her stunning book One Thousand Vines: A New Way to Understand Wine (£45, Octopus) . The book arms oenophiles with invaluable knowledge they will relish – dinner parties will never be the same again! For novice cooks or those who want to perfect their foundational skills, You Can Cook Everything: A Contemporary Guide to Perfect Cooking Every Time (£30, hardback, DK) is the ultimate gift. The ultimate at-home cookery course for anyone ready to level-up their kitchen skills, it covers everything from perfectly boiling an egg to cooking pasta from scratch. It’s sure to be an invaluable culinary aid. INSPIRING Books greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com 124 SHOPP ING | BOOKS