The view from Random House offices

How to Write a Cookbook

Gavin Wren Cookbook Reviews, Writing

I was recently invited to a blogger morning hosted by The Happy Foodie, a unique event held at the headquarters of Penguin Random House, home to the work of some of food writing’s greatest names including my personal hero, Mr Ottolenghi. The November sun shone across the rooftops of London, showcasing the spectacular view from the Penguin Random House offices, but there were greater treats in store for us shortly afterwards. The highlight of the …

Cooking in provence by Alex Mackay book cover

Book Review: Cooking in Provence by Alex Mackay with Peter Knab

Gavin Wren Cookbook Reviews, Writing

Today I’m looking at the not-so-recent book “Cooking in Provence” by Alex Mackay and Peter Knab, seven years since it’s release, yet it’s a book that could have been published yesterday for all it matters, it’s content being of such timeless quality that a date is largely irrelevant. I originally bought it for a self catering holiday to, well, you’ve probably guessed it, Provence. We did a road trip through France with short stays in …

Edouard de Pomiane cooking in ten minutes

Book Review – Edouard de Pomiane; Cooking in Ten Minutes

Gavin Wren Cookbook Reviews, Writing

Ahead of the game Edouard de Pomiane was a man ahead of his time. Born in 1875 in Paris, making him almost precisely 100 years the senior to modern chefs like Jamie Oliver, he was a scientist, lecturuer, broadcaster and writer who recognised the underlying simplicity and joy that can be found in cooking and eating. In his day, there was a commonly held belief that life had developed a rushed and frenetic pace, that …