This is the cover of my new book due to be published on September 30th . I love it but can only take some of the praise for it as so much hard work was done by the photographer Diana Miller and the publishers Pavilion Books.
It took a while to write as I had to try and work out if there was truly a place for a larder in today's busy world where many of us can only dream of having a larder and the cool, calm feelings such thoughts evoke. The book was written in my home in central London where every cubic centimetre of space has been put to use, with no room left for what might seem an extravagance, a larder and I was pleased to find I was still was able to create and recreate the many virtues of this style of cooking
Writing made me remember so many things about my childhood, living without a fridge, the food we ate and my earliest food memories.
I hope I've brought such recipes up to date and so allowed you to experience some of the taste of foods that I love as well as many I've discovered more recently.
Planning ahead is very much what larder cooking is about. Thinking what will be needed tomorrow, next week, next month. Also thinking about how best to use the foods that scream out to you to be bought: the punnets of strawberries, the wonderful meat from a country butcher , the vegetables from a market stall or your own garden.
I am a compulsive food shopper. My cupboards are stacked high with both staples and treats so I know how difficult it is to pass by an opportunity to purchase a bumper batch of cod fillets from the beach or a whole belly of rare breed pork when it all looks just so good. My family despair of me but thrift can go hand in hand with greed as I hope this book shows.
I'm really pleased with it and hope you will be too.
