Two top foodies head for Chorleywood this month
CHETNA
Bakeoff fans should recall ‘flavour queen’ Chetna Makan who earned the nickname for her love of adding Indian spices to conventional British dishes. Her new book follows this same theme.
‘It’s very different from conventional cookery books” says Chetna, “it’s full of traditional English bakes with an added twist.. I have taken inspiration from what I enjoyed eating when I was a child and went back to India. Every recipe sparks off a memory.”
The book is entitiled The Cardamom Trail. “…because it’s the first cake I made where I tried to mix Indian flavours into the baking.
But it’s not all about cardamom!
There are 10 chapters concentrating on ten spices, what they taste like and what they go well with – lots of ideas for experimenting with cinnamon, tamarind, fenugreek.. – as well as cardamon “
As for her most loved dish Chetna is reluctant to name one
“It’s like asking which child is your favourite, it’s not fair on the others! .. But I absolutely love Mango Mousse cake, it’s a good one!”
Chetna will be inspiring keen cooks in person when she comes to Chorleywood on 3 May.
“ There are a few recipes in the book that need a specific way of shaping such as sweet samosas – I’m going to show people how to fold and twist them – and Chorleywood Bookshop team and I will be bringing some bakes for tasting.”
Photos: Nassima Rothacker.
The Cardamom Trail, Chetna Makan, publ Mitchell Beazley (£20).
Tea and Cake with Chetna Makan
Tues 3 May, 2pm, Talk, Q&A and Book Signing
£6, book £15 on the day with voucher
LIVIA
It all started with nutritional crumbles. In spring 2014 Olivia Wollenberg was diagnosed with food intolerances which inevitably led to diet changes
“I was in a dark, sad place and struggling to cut out the sweet snacks I loved. Fed up with date nut bars. I started making alternative crumbles and eating more healthily”
Inspired by this Olivia decided to leave the world of academia to launch into a cookery based business.
“I saw a gap in the market, launched Livia’s Kitchen specialising in nutritious sweet treats then approached retailers with some ideas.”
There was immediate interest in Olivia’s healthy desserts and products are now sold in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Planet Organic with the business rapidly expanding.
A book was the natural next step and Livia’s Kitchen is published next month with 100 treats made without gluten, dairy and refined sugar, Instead typical recipe ingredients are oat, coconut, almond and buckwheat products, flaxseeds and quinoa.
“ I use fruit, maple syrup or dates and cinnamon as sweeteners.
This style of baking with no eggs or butter can be scary at first but it’s easier – it uses simple stripped back ingredients and it doesn’t matter as much if you add too much or too little of anything.
The recipes are achievable and the book is deliberately inviting – sometimes recipe book photos are so manicured you worry about spoiling the pages, mine looks at home with chocolate marks!.
I love cooking and still get really excited when a cake comes out of the oven – the smell really lures you and you go headfirst into it!”
Livia’s Kitchen, publ Ebury Press, £20
An Evening with Livia’s Kitchen
Talk, Q&A and Book signing Wed 4 May
7.30pm (Doors 7pm), £6, Book £15 on day with voucher
Both events held at The Junction, Christ Church, WD3 5SG
Tickets Chorleywood Bookshop 01923 283566