My Cookery Books

 

I was taking down the Christmas decorations today ... I've hung on a lot longer than I usually do with them as the days have been so dismal that having the various sets of sparkly lights has been a real mood lifter, but hey today was their last day ... their batteries told me so!!

Anyway while I was doing that I started playing around with my books and relocating some of them to their 'right' places.  Do books have right places?   I'm happy with books anywhere around me, but occasionally I guess it's nice to put like with like, so today was the turn of the cook books to gather together in the kitchen.  

Most of the ones I own are now here on the top kitchen shelf so I took a photo of them.  I apologise for the terrible lighting, but the day is dreary and the only sources of natural light in my hallway/kitchen are the panel by the front door, half hidden by the SMEG and the Velux window in the ceiling.  

I also apologise for the slight blurriness of the photos, the shelf is above my head height and I still have trouble reaching up.  I tried to balance on my little step stool, but then I was the wobbly one and much too close to the books to get more than a few of them at a time.

After photographing them I decided to count them ... there's 58 in total in the kitchen.  

There are a few others on the main bookshelf and one or two in the new bookshelf, and of course all my Nigel Slater books are stars of the main bookcase.  Nigel is for reading from not just for cooking from.

I tidied the shelf and tried to get each authors books stood together, it makes for easier looking through when I want a particular recipe.

I remembered these on my little wire shelves just before I sat down.

Then I remembered this new one by my chair in the living room.  I've only just started reading the 'kitchen must haves' bit at the moment ... but it looks promising.  I have one more cook book on pre-order from Waterstones by Ella Mills (Deliciously Ella) that should be arriving anytime now, it sounds like it's going to be a good read, I'm looking forward to it.

If you want a closer look at any of the books or an opinion about them just ask.

Time to put the kettle on and pick up a book I think, after all I need to read Madeleine's before Ella's arrives.  😃

What book are you reading at the moment?

Sue xx

A New Year, A New Blog, A New Way

 

A new year and one that I wanted to be even simpler, slightly different and to be able to blog in.  Due to work related issues I have had to find a new way to post about my doings, and my comings and goings, and what easier way to do this than to simply ... for now ... post about my two favourite activities in the world, eating good food and reading good books.

I chose the name for this blog simply because I do not think you have to spend lots of money to eat well.

  Good food is food mostly bought as ingredients, eaten in season and cooked simply.  Not necessarily from the cheapest shops but bought in the right amounts so that there is no wastage, so that every little bit of what you buy is used and enjoyed.

I'm no angel, and I won't pretend that a Pot Noodle never passes my lips, that a yellow stickered microwaveable ready-meal never enters the house.  But like many, I do my best to eat good food most of the time.  An 80/20 rule is a good one to follow in my humble opinion.

So this blog is going to be all about the food I buy, the food I cook and the food I eat and share.  For the first time in years I have set myself no Challenges, I can spend exactly what I want to each time I go to the shops.  But I will, as usual, be mindful of cost and try to keep the money I am handing over as small an amount as possible.  Each week I will try to remember to photograph the shopping as it is brought into the house and tell you how much it cost ... and if I remember to menu plan I will share that too.

I am not striving to empty cupboards in a rush, I am instead menu planning from them and the fridge/freezer and just buying any additional things I need to turn what I already own into tasty nutritious meals.  As always as I tumble into January and a brand new year, the cupboard is full, the freezer almost full ... but unusually for me the fridge is quite bare, well except for a plethora of dairy-free cheeses and spread that should keep me going for a few months.

As for the reading part of this brand new blog ... well I have a new bookcase to fill so as the Christmas decorations come down I will be re-organising my shelves and reacquainting myself with some old favourites.  If I go missing for longer than you expect I will most likely be found in a corner, surrounded by books reading ... and perhaps snacking on something tasty.

Thank you for joining me on this new adventure.

Sue xx

A Random Pug

 

The dark mornings, with just enough light to read by are my salve and my salvation at the moment.  

I whizzed through this little book in the space of a day, only putting it down to do the things I had to do.  It had a neat little twist two thirds of the way through and not the ending I expected at all, but it was a nice little read.

I went to take another photo of the cover for you, but a random Pug decided that she had to sit in that exact spot just as I clicked the button.  Oh well, time to put the kettle on and start on my next read.

If I don't read this now it will be waiting until next year. 🎄

Sue xx

Christmas Books - December 2023

 

As the long dark nights built up to this the shortest day of the year, and with the dark mornings being banished each day by the fairy lights twinkling on the tree, and the ones strung along the bookshelves highlighting my favourite books early each morning, and with my Christmas book reading pile calling to me, I thought what better day to launch a new blog all about eating and reading, reading and eating.

I do both so well at this magical time of year .

A close up of the books for all the fellow book lovers out there.

If you've followed the trail of crumbs that I have left leading to this blog, welcome.  You are very welcome.  I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

I will be back on 1st January to see in the New Year with this my new blog, in the meantime I am hunkering down with my Christmas books ... and maybe a film or three.  💖

Sue xx