OKs

Deana
caster

Counter
Culture

TEN days to go, and
I’ve hardly even start-
ed.

According to some of my
male colleagues in the News
offices, my late-to-the-shops
version of Christmas shop-
ping means I can now call
myself “one of the guys.”

It’s not avoidance, really.

[ love spending frosty
winter evenings fighting over
parking spaces with crafty
senior citizens; searching out
gifts that will convey my love,
sense of humour, and high
1Q to their recipients; and
then lining up with equally
cheerful and patient shoppers
» to buy them.

“Tf, like me, you’re down
_ to the wire and looking fora

A Rogue Folk Club co preventation

for the

few good gift ideas, allow me
to offer a few suggestions for
any gourmands on your list.

@ Mrs. Cook’s Kitchen: Basics
and Beyond, by Gay Cook.
Published by Whitecap
Books. $24.95.

Author Gay Cook has had
a lifetime love affair with
food — from working in her
family’s bakery, catering and
restaurant business; cooking
in private homes; running her
own catering business, open-
ing a cooking school; to the
present — writing about food
for various publications,
including the Ottawa
Citisen.

Mrs. Cook’s Kitchen is a
culmination of all that experi-
ence, and her love for good
cooking; and fresh, seasonal
ingredients shines through.

The book is billed as
being perfect for the kitchen
novice, since the recipes and
tips are fun and easy. But
even the experienced cook
will be inspired to wrap on an
apron and spend some easy
time in the Kitchen whipping
up dishes like Roast Herb

Chicken, Spinach Frittata,
and an incredible, made-
from-scratch Tomato Soup
with Herbs.

fake, | Cap has it all!
HOLIDAY SPECIALS

P CAP FOLK ’N’ ROOTS SER.LES

@ Jamie Kennedy’s Seasons,
by Jamie Kennedy.
Published by Whitecap
Books. $29.95.

Jamie Kennedy is the
much-lauded executive chef
and owner of JK ROM
(Royal Ontario Museum) in
Toronto. In the forward to
his book, Elizabeth Baird,
food editor for Canadian
Living magazine calls him a
leading chef of the new
brigade of young Canadians
in the field — “he under-
stands the fundamentals of
what makes a cuisine. It’s
about ingredients, in their
place and in their time.”

Which is why Kennedy
chose to divide the book t up
by the seasons: dishing up
Wild Leek Tartlets and

Navarin of Lamb in spring;
Barbecued Salmon in sum-
mer; Roasted Vegetable
Broth with Arugula Pesto in
fall; and hearty, savoury dish-
es like Roast and Braise of
Venison in winter.

@ Gordon Ramsey: A Chef
For All Seasens, by Gordon
Ramsey, with Roz Denny.
Published by Whitecap
Books. $49.95.

It seems great minds think
alike. Gurdon Ramsey,
known equally as as a genius
and a quick-tempered tyrant,
is also regularly referred to as
the U.K.’s hottest chef. And
his latest book is along the -
same lines as Kennedy's.

Again, the focus is on
cooking food in its season,
and the book’s pages (divid-
ed into chapters based on
what else? ... the four sea-
sons) are packed full of rich
and appetizing recipes from
the footballer-turned-chef,:
plus hundreds of gorgeous
full-colour photos.

B In the Sweet Kitchen: The
Definitive Guide ta the
Baker’s Pantry, by Regan
Daley. Published dy
Random House Canada.
$45.

It never fails. My mother
spots one of the cookbooks I
have in my possession to
review and she claims it for
her own. It’s a struggle to
get it back even for a day so

that our photography depart-

ment can scan the cover in
for publication. This time,
she nabbed Is the Sweet
Kitchen: The Definitive Guide
to the Baker’s Pantry, by
Toronto pastry chef Regan -
Daley. - .

Tt’s an encyclopedia of
baking, but don’t be put off /
by that description.
Underneath the molasses and
butter stains left by my
mother, the book is full of
helpful and interesting infor-
mation designed to take the
mystery out of baking.

Better than half the book
deals with tools, techniques,
ingredients and flavourings;
while the latter 290 pages
contain “The Recipes.”

To date, Mom’s tried her
hand at Black Sticky
Gingerbyead, and Sticky
Spiked Double-Apple Cake
with a Brown Sugar Brandy
Sauce, which is just as rich
and boozy as it sounds,

An ideal gift for a mom
who likes to bake for her
grateful offspring, wouldn’ t
you agree?

Ml Flavosrs, by D Donna Hay. «;
Published by Whitecap:.
Books. $29. 95. ;
She’s done it again:
Donna Hay, dubbed the.

hottest young cookbook

See Book page 22

' Festive jazz with oo woe
Karin Plato ine new Eco-Drive Perpetual”
Calendar advances you into the.
‘futere with industry-leading tech on
“nology and ‘style. Date pro- « ]
_ rammed uniit the year 2100

~ this collection never needs a.

» Roots'iausician who
. sings like ithurtsi. ~- . Featuring special

se guest Brad Turner
Oh Sitsanna a Dec 15 @ Spm

oe Dec 16.0 Spm

: ‘battery and ruris forever ui
“any light. Choose from’ ‘all %

Give the aift of music * stainless. steel, two-tone. OF,

, this Season.
Forever Plaid, Jan 9 & 10
‘An Arts Club Theatre presentation

Peters Drury Trio, Jan'26 -
Swing in the new year -

‘Mad Pudding, ! Jan 27°.

Celtic funk’:

Kurt Elling, Feb 9

Gramm; ‘nominated jazz vocalist
Plus many more great
upcoming events! ,

The Magic of
; Christmas
Featuring Angela Kelman

(of Farmer’s Daughter),
Megan Metcalfe, Gordon
Maxwell (of One Horse
Blue), Monique and:
Michael Creber, plus

many more.

Dec 17 @ 7pm

Capilano College Performing Arts Theatre

~ 2055, Purcell Way, North Vancouver

"Box Office: 990- 7810 oH Capilano
ait : So College