I find cookbooks fascinating! Yesterday I read a blog about cookbookaholic’s. Do such people actually exist?

I must admit that I occasionally take a cookbook to bed as late night reading material. A great penne arabiatta is not a bad thought to entering REM state.

So, last night I gathered up a few classics, and began reading Simon Hopkinson’s and Lindsay Barens, Roast chicken and other stories. A well-written book with fascinating stories and recipes. All ingredients are sorted alphabetically. Each recipe is described in full, and then analyzed as to whether it worked, or not, and why.

Then I got my hands on Giorgio Locatelli’s book on Italian cooking, with stories of his life - his family, his grandmother, and photos of him as a kid on a bike - reflections on why and how he became a chef.

I love Italian people - their mentality, their ability to be chic and fashionable at all times, and of course…their food! Sure it sounds cliche to say, “I love Italian food and culture!” But what I love most is the tradition - the importance of a meal in bringing friends and family together. The comfort of a warm and familiar minestrone soup with a fresh baked loaf of bread reminds me of when I was a kid. My entire family would gather around the table for lunch - we ate, conversed and connected.

Eating together is like building bridges; emotional liaisons (comparable to an emulsion in culinary terms) where an egg yolk and oil whipped up together become mayonnaise. However, if not carefully combined, they can end up as a strange liquid of oil with flakes of egg.

Oh yes, and then there is…garlic! That wonderful, healthy and powerful substance which can transform any blase’ dish into a masterpiece. Should I ever develop and allergy to it, surely the world would come to an abrupt halt. Garlic adds zest to food, and to life. What would cooking be without it? What would Italy be without it???

I would love to hear about your favourite cookbook, and what flames your passion for cooking?

The CBC will be featuring a selected cookbook each month. Recipes will be tried and tested by our very own Chefs, and their favorite dishes then will be served up at the CBC, along with regional and seasonal selections. CBC has a specialty cookbook shop with an extensive selection of both classic and newly released books. Please stop by for a browse. We would also appreciate hearing about your favorite cookbooks and any exceptional recipes we should be whipping up over the holidays.

Next week as of Monday the 27th we will feature the best dishes of our first cookbook featured at the CBC, the new launched Feast, by chef, food writer, and personality Silvena Rowe. Join us on the evening of the 29th of November, for the launch of Silvena Rowe’s newly released book: “Feasts, food for sharing from central and eastern Europe.” Silvena will be present for the featured event, and copies of her book will be available for purchase.