Food may be an absolute necessity of life but it’s also one of our
most enduring pleasures.
— Joan Bishop
It is this warm philosophy that shapes Joan Bishop’s recipes. Her
love of quality food, and of the pleasure that lies in its sharing, are
passions evident in her column for the Otago Daily Times, which she has
now been writing for twenty-five years, and in her bestselling cookbooks.
Now Joan has compiled a collection of her favourite recipes in a
gorgeous new collection, the name of which — A Southern Woman’s Kitchen:
Crockpot Cooking and More for the Family Table — refers to the region where
Joan was born, raised, educated, and still calls home. These are the recipes
she makes most often for her own family and friends, using fresh, in-season
produce such as the season’s first, tender asparagus or crisp new Braeburns,
whenever possible from the local farmer’s market.
“My cooking methods are easy and the equipment I use is fairly
basic. I cut the odd corner here and there. I cheat in the kitchen,” says Joan of her approach. “I want fast, fresh food with
strong, natural flavours for little effort. I’m all for simplifying, but not at
the cost of taste and quality.”
The recipes in this beautifully packaged collection are perfect
for the realistic, everyday cook — one that may be time-poor, but does not want
to sacrifice quality or taste. So while some of the recipes may have longer
cooking times (and the collection contains many recipes for the slow cooker)
but the preparation time is short, leaving you with more time to spend on what
really matters: the company around the table.
“Sharing
food with friends and family is the way we celebrate the events that mean the
most to us,” says Joan, “and not only the momentous occasions, but the small
everyday happenings that occur. Many of these, often small, moments are the
inspiration for my recipes.”
Joan’s long life in food means that she is a fountain of
knowledge on the provenance of recipes and on hints and tips. The detailed
header notes of many of her recipes are fascinating and instructive. This book
is a great celebration of her long career and her stellar reputation.
About Joan Bishop
Joan is a true southern woman. Born, raised
and educated in Dunedin, she has been school teacher, air hostess and more
recently until retirement, Southern Territory Manager for Sunbeam Appliances. A
very experienced cook and recipe developer with a talent for innovative
thinking, she has written a monthly food column for the Otago Daily Times for
the past 25 years.
Joan is best known as the author of Joan
Bishop’s New Zealand Crockpot & Slow Cooker Cookbook. Originally
published in 1985, it has been continuously revised and updated, with the
latest edition published in 2011; the total sales in New Zealand exceed 125,000
copies. She thoroughly deserves the title ‘Queen of the Crockpots.’
It is a bit mean of me to blog about this gorgeous book now as it is not available until 15 June but I received an advance copy and just can't help myself from bursting into print. I may be in trouble with the publishers! But cookbook lovers should put their name down for a copy now at their local bookseller or library. It is a wee gem.I am going to make a dinner dish from it over the weekend so will write about that once done, if the publishers agree!
A Southern Woman’s
Kitchen: Crockpot Cooking and More for the Family Table
Joan Bishop
RRP: $39.99
Released: 15 June 2012
Random House NZ - Longacre
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