Comfort Food by Julia Chen

Comfort Food
by Julia Chen

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon | BookExcerpt

Just released: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Genre: Cookbook, Recipes
Paperback: 122
Rating: 4

There's nothing quite like Comfort Food to put a smile on your face and a feeling of contentment in your stomach.

Chef Julia Bettelheim is passionate about feeding people; from the students in her university kitchen to guests and family at home.

From recipes that are as simple as a sandwich to as technical as a fruit cake, she knows the importance of creating delicious meals that are full of flavour and which always have budget in mind.

Her recipes include easy to make classics and mouth-watering family favourites, using easy to find products that are fresh and economical.

Fun, fast, indulgent and nurturing, there's a time and a place for Comfort Food in every kitchen.

My two-bits:

As the title suggests, this cookbook is filled with comfort food recipes which were collected while the author lived in both Melbourne and London. There are recipes for soups, light and main meals, tray bakes and desserts. There is also a section with recipes specifically from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Not all recipes have pictures, but each starts out with a short personal note.

While standard Nana's Old Fashioned Casserole, Meat Loaf and Roast Vegetable Lasagne are listed, there were several unfamiliar dishes to my taste buds including Vegetable Cottage Pie, Victory Fish Pie and Parsnip and Maple Syrup Cake.

This is a book that brings about a hygge moment in the kitchen with hearty meals and plenty of sweet treats.

PeekAbook:

I tried the Chicken Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts without the red pepper which turned out yummy (recipe is here). This was an easy and quick fix.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of book tour

Lovely Books and Things - 2.10.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Visiting with relatives

2. Cricket filled cookies (pictured below) - got this Chocolate Chirps Cricket Cookie Mix from the film screening of Bugs which I attended last week. It was yummy.

3. Finished crocheting an infinity scarf (pictured below) and grabbed The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry from my tbr shelf for the pic ;-)

~*~
Freebie: for kindle

Stranded with the Cyborg
by Cara Bristol
-SciFi, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads
THANKS to Sophia Rose at the Delighted Reader for the review of this one.

Marrying Well for Fun & Profit:
Persuasion's Sir Walter Elliot advises the Upwardly Mobile Miss
by Laura Hile
-Romance, Jane Austen related
Amazon | Goodreads
ANOTHER tip from Sophia Rose -thanks!

For Review:

Comfort Food
by Julia Chen
-Food, Recipes
courtesy of tour -Thanks!
Amazon
GOOD cookbook to sample for the winter season.

Health And Fitness Tips That Will Change Your Life:
Create a healthy lifestyle from beginner to winner with mind-set, diet and exercise habits
by James Atkinson
-Health
Amazon | Goodreads
ANOTHER good review copy for the start of the year.

Friends Without Benefits
(Knitting in the City #2)
by Penny Reid
-ChickLit, Humor, Romance
courtesy of Romance Read-of-the-Month Club -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads
CURIOUS to see how knitting plays a part.


OTHER things (kinda book-related):

Good Society
A Jane Austen role playing game
(details)
Good Society is a collaborative roleplaying game that seeks to capture the heart, and the countenance, of Jane Austen's work.


AND watched: on Netflix

On Body and Soul (2017)
Teströl és lélekröl (original title)
Director/Writer: Ildikó Enyedi
Stars: Géza Morcsányi, Alexandra Borbély
-Drama, Romance, Hungary | imdb | my rating: 5
Oscar 2018 nominee
When slaughterhouse workers Endre and Mária discover they share the same dreams - where they meet in a forest as deer and fall in love - they decide to make their dreams come true but it's difficult in real life.

LOVED this story of two people who meet each other through dreams.

Strong Island (2017)
Director: Yance Ford
Stars: Yance Ford, Harvey Walker, Kevin Myers
-Documentary | imdb | my rating: 5
Oscar 2018 nominee
Examining the violent death of the filmmaker's brother and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free, this documentary interrogates murderous fear and racialized perception, and re-imagines the wreckage in catastrophe's wake, challenging us to change.

THOUGHT provoking with interesting history of Long Island and its racial mix.


AND watched: in theatre

The Radical Story of Patty Hearst (2018)
Episodes 1 and 2
Director: Pat Kondelis
-Documentary | details | my rating: 5
The transformation of Patty Hearst from kidnapped heiress to terrorist is a saga of privilege, celebrity and violence that gripped the nation. Over forty years later, firsthand accounts shed light on one of the most bizarre stories in modern American history. This six-part documentary series includes unprecedented access to Patty’s comrades and confidants and explores who Patty Hearst really is: victim or villain? The Radical Story of Patty Hearst premieres Sunday, February 11th at 9p/et.

THIS screening included a Q&A with author/executive producer Jeffrey Toobin, director Pat Kondelis, and journalist Carol Pogash, moderated by CNN national and international correspondent Sara Sidner.

INTERESTING to note that Patty refused to participate in the making of this series. However, the filmmakers were able to portray her based on past interviews and memoir.

After watching the first two episodes, I am excited to watch the rest of the series. The story is presented well with engaging interviews and archival footage.

Moving Parts (2017)
Director: Emilie Upczak
Writers: Nicholas Emery , Emilie Upczak , Jay White
Stars: Kandyse McClure, Valerie Tian, Jacqueline Chan
-Drama, Trinidad and Tobago, Mandarin | imdb | my rating: 4
After being smuggled into Trinidad and Tobago, Zhenzhen discovers the true cost of her arrival.

THIS screening included a Q&A with producer, John Otterbacher who told us that the movie is based on the director's experience living in Trinidad and Tobago with a social justice message.


AND watched: on DVD

Logan (2017)
Director/Writer/Screenplay: James Mangold
Screenplay: Scott Frank, Michael Green
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
-Action, Drama, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 4
Oscar 2018 nominee
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X, somewhere on the Mexican border. However, Logan's attempts to hide from the world, and his legacy, are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

ALTHOUGH I have not watched the previous Wolverine films, this story does well as a standalone.

Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Screenplay: Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, Derek Connolly
Based on story by: John Gatins
Based on characters by: Merian C. Cooper, Edgar Wallace
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson
-Action, Adventure, Fantasy | imdb | my rating: 4
Oscar 2018 nominee
A team of scientists explore an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong, and must fight to escape a primal Eden.

NOT what I expected. Enjoyed it as it was not campy. Make sure to watch all the way past the end credits for a little extra.


~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

:-)

Excerpt: Comfort Food by Julia Chen

Comfort Food
by Julia Chen
-Food, Recipes
Release date: February 13, 2018
Amazon
There's nothing quite like Comfort Food to put a smile on your face and a feeling of contentment in your stomach.

Chef Julia Chen is passionate about feeding people; from the students in her university kitchen to guests and family at home.

From recipes that are as simple as a sandwich to as technical as a fruit cake, she knows the importance of creating delicious meals that are full of flavour and which always have budget in mind.

Her recipes include easy to make classics and mouth-watering family favourites, using easy to find products that are fresh and economical.

Fun, fast, indulgent and nurturing, there's a time and a place for Comfort Food in every kitchen.


Excerpt:

Chicken Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts
I got this idea simply from seeing an advert of children asking their father for a takeaway dinner. Instead the father cooks up a dish similar to this recipe but pretends it’s takeaway food by slamming the front door and presenting it in take away containers. The children are fooled, saying: “Thanks for the takeaways, Dad.” But he tells them, “Actually I cooked it myself.” This is simple, quick, delicious and cheap to make.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast fillets
150g button mushrooms
150g young corn
100g sugar snap peas
1 red pepper
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
½ cup roasted cashews
Serves 4 to 6.

In a wok or a deep fry pan place about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Dice the chicken into small cubes or strips, thinly slice the mushrooms and also slice the pepper into thin strips. Heat the oil and add the chicken. Cook the chicken until it is a golden colour. Then add the mushrooms and the peppers. Add the sauces. Then stir in together until the mushrooms are cooked and the pepper is al dente. Then add the sugar snap peas and the corn and stir until they are warmed through but still retain their colour. Finally add the cashews just before serving.
Serve with steamed rice.


Caramel Cookies
I am a devil for punishment when it comes to caramel-flavoured things. So when I came across the idea of caramel-flavoured cookies I went weak at the knees. These cookies are just delicious and one is just not enough in a sitting.

Ingredients:

4oz butter
4oz sugar
1 dessertspoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8oz plain flour
½ cup sultanas or raisins
Pinch salt
½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Melt the butter over a low heat, with sugar, syrup and milk. Once butter has melted and sugar dissolved, add the soda. Do not boil but allow to fizz.
In a bowl place the flour, fruit, salt and vanilla, and add to cooled wet mixture.
Place in small teaspoonfuls on a tray on top of baking paper. Press lightly with a fork and bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

About the author:

Growing up in Wellington, New Zealand, British born Julia Bettelheim enjoyed an early start in the catering industry and as a teenager took lessons from a private chef. Her family then moved to Melbourne, Australia where she lived for the next twenty-two years and worked as a tupperware sales representative travelling the city providing cookery demonstrations and sharing recipes that were suitable for storing. After her divorce in 2008, Julia moved back to England where she now lives in Chatham, Kent and works as a chef in the kitchen of the cafe at UCL in London.

~*~
* courtesy of book tour

Happy Release: Comfort Food by Julia Chen

Comfort Food
by Julia Chen
-Food, Recipes
Release date: February 13, 2018
Amazon
There's nothing quite like Comfort Food to put a smile on your face and a feeling of contentment in your stomach.

Chef Julia Chen is passionate about feeding people; from the students in her university kitchen to guests and family at home.

From recipes that are as simple as a sandwich to as technical as a fruit cake, she knows the importance of creating delicious meals that are full of flavour and which always have budget in mind.

Her recipes include easy to make classics and mouth-watering family favourites, using easy to find products that are fresh and economical.

Fun, fast, indulgent and nurturing, there's a time and a place for Comfort Food in every kitchen.