clever gretel
Fabienne Granier, 64 from Paris, crafted a cookbook for her daughter for Christmas 2019, including all members of the family’s favourite and personal recipes. More than being about food, the book is about keeping traditions alive. When my daughter asked me for a cookbook for Christmas 2019, I thought I would surprise her with a […]
Welcome to Gretel’s Bookshelf, where we spotlight interesting cookbooks from around the world, speak to experts about their history, and pick out the best recipes. Not many people remember Tadeusz Żakiej, a post-war Polish musicologist and composer who is at most a footnote in the history of Polish theatre and performance. Meanwhile, Żakiej’s contemporaries, a […]
Two London based friends discuss producing their cookbook Recipes Against Racism, and the meaning of food in their cultures Claire Sachiko Fourel and Lex Shu Chan, like many Londoners, are “third culture kids.” Chan was born in Canada and raised in Hong Kong before they completed their education in Britain, while Fourel was born in […]
Cookbooks can be like windows into people’s lives. Caterina Biondi explores her own memories of her Grandmother Nevina through a handmade recipe book passed down to her through her Italian family. On my desk is a bright orange moleskine. There is no title, no engravings on the cover; nothing to indicate how valuable it is. […]
Stews have been staple, filling meals for centuries on end now. While some sources claim the first one was produced shortly after fire was discovered in prehistoric times, others say Japan created the dish before anyone else in the Jōmon period. Our warming bowl of vitamin-packed goodness takes influences from Ireland and the Mediterranean with […]