Book review // Notes from my kitchen table
Hi friends, wow – how is it Friday already? What have you got planned for the weekend? We’ve a busy one preparing the furniture and studio for the photoshoot next week, and working on my styling ideas to ensure it all runs smoothly when the photographer arrives. I’m a little nervous to be honest, but ridiculously excited too. I really cannot wait any longer to share our collection with you!
So, do you love cookbooks as much as me? I try to keep my obsession in check with a modest collection of six, which I added to recently with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Notes from my kitchen table. I’ve always liked Gwyn – she’s an inspiring and talented woman and I enjoy her lifestyle blog Goop – so I’ve struggled to get my head around why so many people dislike her. It’s strange that she and her blog are the subject of so much contempt, and I can only put it down to jealously that someone seemingly so nice can also act, sing, dance, speak Spanish, cook and write about food, practice yoga, all while raising a family and looking amazingly hot. OK, so she seems to have it all, but that’s surely no reason to hate someone? 
Anyway, back to the book. I guess I bought it out of curiosity. I enjoy the flavoursome, simple and no-fuss recipes on Goop and wanted to see what else Paltrow had up her sleeve. The book is beautifully produced with lots of pictures (I haven’t got time for a cookbook without gorgeous photos!) and is firmly focused on family. Gwyneth fondly recalls life with her late father Bruce and how the two learned to cook together; she puts her passion for food and eating down to him, and is eager to involve her own children in kitchen life too. 
As you’d probably expect, the book revolves around wholesome healthy eating but a balanced approach that includes delicious meals like fish tacos (pictured above) and goodies like fudgy chocolate brownies, rather than any of the macrobiotic nonsense she has long been associated with. It won’t set the cookbook world on fire, but then I don’t think it intends to. If your cookbook collection is lacking in the basics area, such as recipes for stocks, soups and salad dressings for example, or you’re looking for easy accessible recipes with pretty short ingredient lists, it’s definitely worth a look. It focuses on simple ideas that work equally well for entertaining friends or busy weekday meals.
For me, it has a real American vibe, with recipes such as corn chowder, lobster rolls, pancakes and burgers. The sandwich and burger section is great though – particularly as we enter BBQ season – and I’m planning to try the tuna and ginger burgers (pictured above) at the weekend. I’ll definitely be trying out some of the delicious-sounding frittatas too, as well as the crispy potato and garlic cake (pictured below), and hot fudge sauce.
Overall, I’d say there’s a place for it in your kitchen if you’re in need of simple meals that aren’t particularly unique or exotic, but if you’re after more unusual addition to your cookbook collection, you could find it a little samey and uninspiring.
