Cookbook addiction

It's a bit of a cop-out I know, taking a photo of another photo! But I'm so pleased with my cookbook purchases at the Christmas fair on Saturday. What bargains! This is the book simply called Spanish, by Pepita Aris, which cost me all of 3.50 euros. I already have several Spanish cookbooks, so all the Spanish classics are familiar to me, but this book still managed to keep me happily entertained for a (long) evening on the sofa. Yes, I read cookbooks for pleasure, and have a large collection.

This one has an introductory section covering all the regions of Spain and their classic dishes and fiestas, followed by a section on ingredients -- including a surprisingly comprehensive list of Spanish cheeses, which, apart from Manchego, are little-known outside Spain. And an overview of Spanish wine appelations for good measure. It told me things I didn't know and/or hadn't really thought about ... for example, the Spanish don't cook with cheese, they only eat it raw.

The recipes themselves are by and large simple and easy to follow, with tempting photos. The recipe on this page is for a Basque dish of bacalao (salt cod) and potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce -- a one-pot meal that was delicious and easy to do. It will definitely be repeated with the wonderful salt cod we can get here -- expensive, but there is zero waste. On the facing page is the classic recipe for sea bass baked in a crust of salt.

My other purchase was Nigella Lawson's Feast. I've never picked up one of her books before, and I enjoyed this one -- it's pleasingly discursive, culturally eclectic, and an appropriate purchase at this festive time of year. I'd lost my cooking mojo over the last few months, as witness the sorry state of my blog, and both these books made me enthusiastic about getting back into the kitchen. Just as well, as I need to cater for six people for a week over Christmas :)