RECENTLY READ, ENJOYED, AND RECOMMENDED

COOKING TIMES - A culinary journey through Kiwi kitchens from the 1930s to the present day.
Kate Fraser – Harper Collins - $44.99

Author Fraser is an award-winning food writer and editor of Zest, the food and fashion section of The Press. She is known for drawing on her family heritage of cooking and creating uncomplicated but stylish recipes. In Cooking Times she takes us on the culinary journey of the subtitle and what a fascinating journey it is. Recipes along with kitchen tips and useful hints for daily life from each of the decades. Great fun.
Oh, I did enjoy the illustrations by Kathryn Lee. Here is one of her illustrations, Honeymoon Fish, and the recipe alongside it.

HONEYMOON FISH
So simple, but so good. May used butter to fry the fillets, but a mix of olive oil and a little butter is better. She used grated Cheddar, but a fine dust of Parmesan is lighter and tastier.

6–8 fillets of white fish (sole, gurnard or terakihi are good)
salt and pepper
2–3 egg yolks
3–4 tablespoons olive oil
15g unsalted butter
30g Parmesan cheese, grated

Remove any skin from the fillets, and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg yolks gently to break them up. Dip the fillets in the yolk. Have the oil and butter already heated in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the fillets — turning once — until golden-brown. Remove to a fireproof plate. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and, just before serving, put it under a grill for long enough to brown the cheese. Very good with steamed asparagus. Serves 4–6.

IS SHE STILL ALIVE
Tessa Duder – Harper Collins - $34.99

Scintillating stories for women of a certain age is the sub-title of Tessa Duder’s first book of adult fiction but I am pleased to say that this man of certain age also rated them scintillating, albeit finding some of them quite gritty.
Duder is of course best known for her Alex quartet of books which won her three Ester Glen medals and three New Zealand Children’s Book of the Year Awards. But she has also written non-fiction for children and maritime history for adults.
Is She Still Alive was launched at a wonderful party at the recent Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.

This is a great first work of adult fiction and I predict there will be more from this multi-talented author. I hope so.