Seasonal is Best
“The more we utilise seasonal produce the more convinced we become that it’s one of the keys to great cooking.”
Allan Campion and Michele Curtis, authors of The Foodies' Diary 2010
The Foodies’ Diary is the diary for all food lovers. The 2010 edition continues the tradition of encouraging readers to use produce at its peak for best quality and fullest flavour.
Choosing fresh produce when it’s at its best in terms of flavour, quality and availability is without a doubt one of the best skills any cook can learn. Ingredients at their peak can easily be transformed into dishes appropriate for that time of year.
The challenge for most people is knowing exactly when to buy certain ingredients. The Foodies’ Diary aims to provide all the information, recipes and inspiration needed to become a seasonal aficionado.
Each month begins with a list of the best in-season produce from cherries and berries in January to pumpkins in July. Delicious, handpicked, seasonal recipes, such as the wintry Gingerbread and pear pudding with butterscotch sauce and the summer chickpea, feta and coriander salad, sit alongside handy cooking tips and wine suggestions. The Foodies’ Diary includes all the features of a good diary as well as beautiful colour photography, over 60 delicious recipes, wine tips and a guide to produce markets and food festivals around Australia.
So what to look for in summer 2010? Apricots, cherries, currants, berries, lychees, mangoes and passionfruit should be a regular part of your shopping and cooking over the warmer months. As should pineapple, melons and Valencia oranges. On the savoury side don’t miss asparagus, avocado, capsicums, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, peas, radish, squash and sweet corn. Not forgetting sun ripened tomatoes and fragrant herbs too.
Full in-season lists and recipes are available online at the Campion and Curtis website www.campionandcurtis.com
The Foodies' Diary 2010 is now available - RRP $29.95 - published by Hardie Grant Books.
