Tropical Cuisine by Clare Richards is a revelation. It is obviously the work of a lifetime spent travelling and cooking and asking questions. It is encyclopaedic without being daunting; innovative without being ridiculous; beautifully photographed by Alison George and very well laid-out. It is, surprisingly, self-published, without the design faults usually accompanying such projects – the mark of an author who is open to good advice. All round, Tropical Cuisine is an investment worth making, no matter where you live in the world. It ranges across the Antipodes, Asia and the Middle East, and is up-to-the-minute in terms of food trends in our changing culture (brilliant recipes for goat and a good grip on the bounty of Asian herbs vegetables, which we don’t use enough of in Australia). Clare Richards is good at research and documentation, and it shows. If you are buying just one cookbook this year, make it this one. – AMS.
To purchase a copy go to any good bookstore or Clare’s website
Tropical Cuisine: Cooking in Clare’s Kitchen by Clare Richards, Wet Season Press, Australia 2010 $59.95
