For the month of September, Exclusive Books focused on the “Local is Lekker” theme. However, they have turned the popular phrase on its head by expanding on the many things “local” is beyond just lekker. They have curated a selection of Tasty Reads to fit the theme featuring cookbooks by well-known authors and foodies.
Here is a selection of the books.
An African Bite by Chef Mbombi
This book is a must-have for Heritage Month. It is a celebration of the multiplicity of African cuisines. Like the masterful chef he is, Chef Mbombi combined his connection to his cultural food with his modern take on things. The book is a celebration of the food he was raised on. It is also a tribute to the women who taught him how to cook. The book is filled with delicious recipes for curried tripe, chicken gizzards, goat meat stew, amathambo umleqwa, shisanyama, and traditional drinks like umqombothi and amahewu.
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Simply Seven Colours by Zola Nene
Award-winning cookbook author, Zola Nene is back with her third book and it’s all about sharing meals. It’s the perfect Heritage Month addition. The book celebrates the unique colours of South African cuisines with a “seven-colour” menu. There are foods to match any colours you would like to set your menu and theme around. All of the recipes are taking it back with a focus on the basics.
“From green, yellow, orange, brown, white, red, a rainbow of colours and, of course, desserts to round off your seven-colour meal, this book is sure to continue bringing you simply delicious joy.”
Cooking with Zanele by Zanele van Zyl
Regardless of your cuisine preference, this book covers it all. Zanele van Zyl has a recipe for every kind of appetite. There are vegan, vegetarian, roasts, and more. The second volume in her series of cookbooks covers all the fun and flavour of her classes within the pages of the book. This book will make cooking and entertaining easy and more than that fun.
Sifo The Cooking Husband by Sinoyolo Sifo
This book is one for everyone who subscribes to archaic ideas that only certain people belong in the kitchen. In his book, Sinoyolo Sifo invites everyone to share in ‘the universal language of food’. With almost 70 recipes in the book – each of them easy, accessible and delicious – this book is a must have. There’s everything from breakfast, desert, lunch and everything in between including some childhood favourites.
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Conscious Eating
As climate change and environmental changes become more and more prevalent, changes need to be made to people’s lifestyles. One of those ways to achieve this is through eating habits and more conscious eating habits. Two of the books provide just that.
Living the Ultimate Keto Lifestyle by Hendrik Marais
This book sets out the basic principles and practices for following a keto diet. This can be in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle or just to achieve weight-loss goals. The author, Hendrik Marais started Keto Lifestyle South Africa with the aim of providing the information needed to build a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. The book is filled with over 80 recipes that are easy and simple to prepare with still providing loads of flavour and enjoyment for everyone.
Veggie Licious by Mokgadi Itsweng
Veggie Licious is a must have. Mokgadi Itsweng makes moving to a more plant-based lifestyle easy and fun. During a demonstration at the Kingsmead Book Festival earlier in 2022, Itsweng whipped up a delicious millet risotto dish in about half an hour. It is dishes like this and much more which can be found in her book: easy, delicious and almost entirely plant-based. Her debut cookbook celebrates using seasonal vegetables to create masterpieces which are flavourful and healthy.
Baking by Christine Capendale
If you are more of a baker than a cook, this is the book for you. Christine Capendale has put together a collection of over 80 recipes for the experienced or beginner bakers. The book is filled with everything from advice on what equipment to buy to how to achieve that perfect cake. The book will have you baking up cakes and savoury platters, to traybakes and traditional fare and more in no time. Capendale also shows that there is to way to bake your cake and eat even if you are striving to be more healthy. There are plenty of recipes for gluten-free, vegan and low-sugar bakes.
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