Cooking the Books is our bi-monthly cookbook bookclub. This fun evening is all about encouraging you to try something different with your cooking. There are 8 spaces available each month and we will pick a theme, cuisine or food writer each time. Everyone is invited to cook a dish under this theme and bring it along to the shop. We’ll gather around the bookshop tables to share food and recipes, talk about food and get to know each other a little better.
Pick the club events that you fancy most as this will be an evolving and revolving community and we don’t expect it to be the same people each time. Do, please, commit to it if you book though as it’s no fun if only half the people turn up.
Dates and themes for 2025:
June 4th – Korean cookery - time to get your kimchi and gochujang on. Also save the date for Friday 6th if you'd like to come to Korean cookery demo that evening and learn more about this fascinating food culture.
August 6th – outdoor food - let's picnic! What's your favourite outdoor dish? Who do you turn to for picnic food?
October 1st – Eastern European - there's a real flury of beautiful cookbooks coming out of this region right now. Let's explore!
December 3rd – Christmas gathering with wine and nibbles
Cooking the Books FAQ
How do I know what to cook? Take the theme and interpret it however you like. You can share a dish you love or be inspired to try something new. Think of the evening as a bit of a potluck supper – we don’t know what we’re going to get but we know it will be fun.
I’m nervous about cooking for people I don’t know. Don’t be, this isn’t about perfection or judging who has the best dish. It’s about meeting new people, sharing food and trying new things. If the dish doesn’t work out as you hoped then that’s part of the conversation.
How many am I cooking for? Just cook whatever the recipe says, you don’t need to scale it up as we’re all bringing food to share on the evening. In fact, bring Tupperware as if there’s leftovers perhaps we can all take a bit home.
What sort of dish should I choose? Choose something that you can transport, that can be mostly cooked at home. At the shop we have a microwave and a single induction hob so things can be reheated or finished off in basic ways but most of the cooking needs to be done at home.
What should I bring?
· your own pre-cooked dish and any serving spoons needed for it
· Your own plate, bowl and cutlery and tupperware to take home any leftovers
· Water and glasses will be available at the shop, bring wine or anything else you’d like to drink
Do I need to buy the book to take part? No, this is about community and exploring different dishes that we might not usually cook. There is no pressure to buy a book, I’m happy to photograph recipes for anyone that needs them.
Please note:
I'm making this a free event. Please do commit if you book a space. Places are limited and it's most fun if there's a full group of us for the evening.
