food for thought. through a well written book is a way to spark creativity without the distraction of flashing screens and Do we still need attention-grabbing alerts. As Cowan notes, books give you time and space away from the pressure and immediacy of computer screens. COOKERY BOOKS? THE CASE AGAINST: The ease of digital dinners What’s the point in splashing out on a cookbook when there’s an untold wealth of Sadly, we don’t always have the time recipes available to us in seconds at the click of a mouse? Restaurant critic, book to sit idyllically in a window seat lover and cookbook author Yasmin Fahr argues the case in defence of print leafing through cookbooks. Digital recipe collections fill a need for immediacy and accessibility. And it’s helpful to be able to sort out n a flight recently, EXHIBIT A: Cookbooks are from a recipe book, we form dinner from your desk, especially I was scrolling through a sensory experience a bond with the author. when you don’t feel like working, Ocover options for my They’re something to hold in your so you can pick up the ingredients forthcoming cookbook. I could hands while you’re curled up on EXHIBIT B: Cookbooks are on the way home or order online. feel my seatmate staring at my the sofa with a cup of tea or at the a source of inspiration Even ardent cookbook lovers, screen, itching for a chat. Finally kitchen table with a glass of wine, When coming home with fresh like the founders of Eat Your Books she said, “What do you do for and a way to slow down and step produce from the market, Katie website, recognise that being able a living?” When I told her, she into the world of the author. It’s Cowan, the former publishing to search online makes finding replied with, “Do people still buy partly the tactility of cookbooks in director of Pavilion Books, often recipes so much easier – which is cookbooks? Everything is online… our digital age that makes them so looks to a ‘trusted friend’ from why they created an online index of You should do an e-book.” special, believes Zoe Ross of United her bookshelf for ideas on what cookery books, enabling members Ignoring the fact that not all Agents, who represents authors to cook with it. Stephanie Jackson, to search for their favourite recipes recipes are online (thankfully), her such as Olivia Potts, Ed Smith and publishing director of Octopus quickly and from anywhere, rather comment left me a bit saddened: Ravinder Bhogal. “A lived-in Books, believes there’s nothing than leafing through their book not only because I’ve written a cookbook is splattered and dog- better than poring over old Do people still buy collection page-by-page. cookbook, but also because I’m a deep lover of them. eared, not pristine pixels on a favourites when she’s deciding what cookbooks? Everything The cookbook versus online debate is like screen,” she says. to serve guests, or just reading A PLATFORM FOR comparing a bicycle to a car: both will get you Personally, I read cookbooks like for interest. “My favourites are well is online… You should NEW VOICES to the same destination, but they’ll provide a very novels and believe that a good one, thumbed, bookmarked, slightly do an e-book. The internet has also provided a different experience on the way. We buy cookbooks whether written by a chef or food stained and full of handwritten platform for voices that we might for their inspiration and in-depth knowledge. The writer, is a glimpse into the author’s notes such as ‘everybody loved’ never have discovered otherwise, intimacy and engagement involved in reading from life and relationship with food. or ‘double the quantity’.” including some of the authors on a cookbook is a world away from searching websites It’s meant to be enjoyed – slowly Good books become a way to the bestseller lists (see below), online, even though both methods have a valid digested rather than scrolled over merge your world with the author’s such as Joe Wicks and Pinch of Nom place. Here’s my argument in defence of print. or clicked through. When we cook and, in this tech-loaded era, leafing GETTY IMAGES. PHOTOGRAPHS: SISK. ANDREW YASMIN: OF PORTRAIT UK DATA BOOK NIELSEN SALES: BOOK FOR SOURCE – the latter’s debut book climbed → THE 10 TOP SELLERS OF THE PAST 20 YEARS Publishing JAMIE’S LEAN IN 15: FIVE INGREDIENTS: JAMIE’S JAMIE’S ITALY JAMIE’S MINISTRY THE HAIRY NIGELLA EXPRESS PINCH OF NOM: JAMIE AT phenomenon 1 30-MINUTE 2 15 Minute Meals 3 Quick & Easy 4 15-MINUTE MEALS 5 by Jamie Oliver 6 OF FOOD: Anyone 7 DIETERS: How to 8 by Nigella 9 100 Slimming, 10 HOME: Cook Jamie Oliver MEALS by and Workouts to Food by Jamie by Jamie Oliver (2005; Michael Can Learn to Cook Love Food & Lose Lawson (2007; Home-style Your Way to the has dominated Jamie Oliver Keep You Lean Oliver (2017; (2012; Michael Joseph) in 24 Hours by Weight by Dave Chatto & Windus) Recipes by Kate Good Life by cookbook sales, (2010; Michael and Healthy by Michael Joseph) Joseph) Jamie Oliver (2008; Myers and Si King Allinson and Jamie Oliver (2007; with books for Joseph) Joe Wicks (2015; Michael Joseph) (2012; Weidenfeld Kay Featherstone Michael Joseph) healthy eating Bluebird) & Nicolson) (2019; Bluebird) making their mark, too… 1.87m 1.36m 1.12m 1.1m 846,617 832,043 831,140 787,331 776,165 750,657 deliciousmagazine.co.uk <#R#> food for thought. the charts to number one in 2019, see which authors they’ve brought becoming the fastest-selling into their home. Vicky Bennison, OUR CHOICE restaurant, also called Moro. When I became a vegetarian in my non-fiction title since records creator of Pasta Grannies (a The cookbooks Brilliant recipes and great writing student days, I fell in love with this began. Carole Tonkinson, the YouTube success story which in the delicious. – a killer combination. book. Handwritten and illustrated, founder of Bluebird, which turn launched a cookbook), echoes team couldn’t full of simple recipes and useful published the book Pinch of Nom, a similar sentiment. “The line of do without… JEN BEDLOE, FOOD EDITOR pictures of how to chop vegetables believes its success comes down books on your kitchen bookshelf KAREN BARNES, EDITOR The River Cottage Meat Book by and put together a menu, it was as to authors Kate Allinson and Kay says something about how you The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall much about what lifestyle I wanted Featherstone listening carefully live your life, your interests and Beranbaum (William Morrow) (Hodder & Stoughton £35) as what I wanted to have for to their community when creating aspirations,” she says. An American classic. Every cake I keep this book in the kitchen and dinner. I’m older and wiser now, their recipes. Cookbooks are a way to catalogue you can imagine is included, but regularly flick through it for info on and so is my battered, splattered These authors had dedicated and preserve the past, whether it’s what I admire about this tome timings, technique, or simply for copy, which has travelled audiences online – the Pinch of Nom the recipes of Italian grannies, – and it is a tome – is the science inspiration on cuts of meat to try. thousands of miles by my side. website had a million-plus – before handwritten notes and memories underlying every page, as well they went on to create physical from our own lives or those of our as the scholarly, thorough HUGH THOMPSON, DEPUTY …and some top picks books. And the move makes sense: grandmothers before us. A good approach to testing, how to size CHIEF SUB EDITOR from book-loving much like finding a food critic cookbook brings to life the stories up cakes and more. You learn A Visual Feast by Arabella food writers whose taste aligns with yours, once behind the dish you’re making, the something on every page. When Boxer (Ebury Press, out of print) LUCAS HOLLWEG Roast Chicken readers have found an author who people who created it and the hands Ms Beranbaum did the British Each of the 12 chapters focuses and Other Stories by Simon speaks to them, there is a desire of those who have made it before edition, I believe she came to on a seasonal ingredient, with an Hopkinson and Lindsey to bring them into their home and you. If every recipe tells a story, live in London for a while so she essay on its history and various Bareham (Ebury Press £18.99) ‘cook’ with them. then a good cookbook speaks to could test every recipe again uses. Excellent recipes are matched Hopkinson’s collection of recipes you, in your own language. How was with British ingredients. with beautiful arty photographs. is full of his inspiring and I REST MY (BOOK)CASE that for an answer, dear seatmate? It felt ahead of its time for 1991. uncompromising views and reads bergamot roast chicken. When I go to someone’s home, Yasmin Fahr’s cookbook, Keeping SUSAN LOW, DEPUTY EDITOR like a menu of dreams – perfect Whenever I want to add I love browsing through their book It Simple: Easy One-pot Weeknight Moro: The Cookbook PHOEBE STONE, FEATURES renditions of classic flavours: roast zest to my food this is collection, running my fingers along Recipes (Hardie Grant £16.99) is by Sam and Sam Clark AND EDITORIAL ASSISTANT lamb with anchovy, garlic and the book I reach for.