06 Apr Book Review: Around the Kitchen Table

Around the Kitchen Table

by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron, pub. Murdoch Books, pb. RRP$39.99

Written by food writer Sophie Hansen and her mum, art teacher Annie Herron, it celebrates the joy and sense of satisfaction that comes with preparing a simple meal to share, pencilling a sketch or making a jar of jam to give as a gift.

Organised into seasons, each chapter is packed with inspiration and encouragement, including bright spring lunches and easy preserves, how to start and finish a watercolour painting at the beach (or anywhere!), generous picnics for summer days, the joy of Christmas baking and craft, cosy suppers, autumn sketching adventures and slow cooking and drawing games for cold winter afternoons.

Looking for a suggestion for an Autumn menu? Sophie has some great ideas for when you are asked to ‘Bring a Plate’! Interested in preserves for the winter months? There is nothing as tasty or as useful as Sophie’s Lemon Curd recipe.

All the way through the book Annie has fabulous ‘Create and Do’ ideas as well as whimsical illustrations and thoughtful craft ‘How to do’s’.

This is a beautifully designed book for browsing through, creating menus, designing garden corners and you can learn how to paint along the way! Links to their website gives the reader added benefits with videos and downloads to guide them.

Around The Kitchen Table is an invitation to pause our busy lives -even for half an hour -and cook, create or make something good every day.