There are no pictures. Not even many words. Just a lot of numbers. But this little book is an indispensable guide for anyone who likes to cook.
I have to declare an interest. Shirley Bond, is a colleague in the Guild of Food Writers. She lives in Yorkshire so we meet up from time to time for Guild get togethers. When she told me her book was about weights and measures, I had to stifle a yawn. I’m only just getting to grips with ounces to grams. How could anyone write a whole book about them?
Well thankfully Shirley did and what a blessing. First of all it’s more than a conversion table. She’s saved me any amount of head clutching when I’ve got a recipe that asks for an 8-inch square cake tin and I’ve only got a round one. She’s worked out how much almond paste and royal icing I need for every size of Christmas cake and how much pastry for an 8-inch flan ring. She knows how hot a moderate oven is and the difference between a medium egg and a large egg: answer 10g.
You may never need American measures, or to know how much butter you need for 20 slices of bread (100g) or how a kilojoule compares with a kilocalorie but I can guarantee there will be something in this book to make your cooking day.
HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP? Is available from www.ypdbooks.com £7.99 + £2.75 postage. Visit Shirley’s website: www.woodlandspublishing.co.uk