Newsletter: Global cooking with Mark Bittman + Remember, remember the 5th of November

Mark Bittman’s global recipe selection

When bestselling cookbook author and former New York Times columnist Mark Bittman presents you with The Best Recipes in the World: More than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home, you sit up and pay attention. Newly added to ckbk, this book is the gathering of a lifetime of knowledge from one of the best in the business. With many books to his name, Bittman had long wanted to write one bringing together the very best food from around the world.

While acknowledging that there are unfamiliar ingredients and knowledge needed to successfully cook dishes from cuisines other than your own, he seeks to familiarise those ingredients and distil that knowledge, to make international cooking accessible.

Try Congee, or Rice Porridge from China. Fried Chicken, Caribbean Style, with a side of Asian style Pickled Cabbage. And how about Swedish Pancakes for dessert.

Expert holiday cookie planning from Nick Malgieri

There is little Nick Malgieri doesn’t know about baking and patisserie. And while the former Executive Pastry Chef of Windows on the World may be a master of the art, he also has decades of experience, on TV and in his best-selling books, guiding the home cook. So, when it comes to advice on making your holiday cookies, you know Malgieri will prepare you for success.

Nick Malgieri’s Foolproof Holiday Cookie Checklist is an invaluable tool, he has thought of everything, so you don’t have to. From ingredient and equipment preparation, to managing your space, time and energy, here is advice that will turn you from a nervous baker into a happy home-cookie-baking machine.

As the icing on the cake (cookie), he has included a collection of his Top Holiday Cookie Recipes. So you can whip up a batch of Gingerbread People, or Swiss Bulls Eyes, with Malgieri at your side.

We can even bring you a short video from Nick Maglieri who had just made some shortbread cookies and enjoys seeing how ckbk has given his books a whole new life.

Nick Maglieri's Top Holiday Cookie Collection

Bonfire Night Feasting

‘Remember, remember, the 5^th of November. Gunpowder, treason and plot.’

Bonfire night, November 5, might be the anniversary of Guy Fawkes’ failed 1605 plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. But although almost anyone British can complete the first line of the rhyme from the words ‘remember, remember’ alone, the date doesn’t fill them with fear. The Gunpowder Plot was foiled, and in remembering we happily gaze at firework displays, and throw a ‘guy’ on the biggest bonfire of the year.

Bonfire night food is also a joy, smoke-infused and warming. Whether you are eating around the bonfire, or round the dining table, we’ve got plenty of recipes to warm up your celebrations.

Hot dogs are an outdoor eating staple – try these extra-loaded Fat Dogs.

Baked potatoes also fit the bill – to bring some fresh flavours to the table try these Jacket Potatoes w/ Shaved Vegetable Salad and Tuna Mayo.

Gentle spice suits the mood – bake Aunty Betty’s Gingerbread, or how about a hot mug of Aromatic Spiced Tea. And don’t forget the important, and sticky, Toffee Apples.

For these recipes and more, take a look at our Warming Recipes for Bonfire Night collection.

Ingredient spotlight: parsnips

The parsnip is a relative of the carrot, celeriac and parsley-root. A root vegetable that has been cultivated in Europe since ancient times. Sweet, and starchy, with a complex earthy flavor, parsnips are delicious roast, fried, in stews, soups, or mashed.

Try Roast Parsnips with Orzo and Dukkah, or a vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Parsnip & Potato Mash. Deep-fried parsnip chips are a traditional accompaniment for game.

The parsnip’s sweetness also makes them useful in the pastry kitchen. A parsnip cake might sound unusual but works well, much like a carrot cake. Try this Parsnip, Apple & Hazelnut Cake, or bake a Parsnip Brownie with Chocolate Mousse Topping.

Our 16 Ways with Parsnips collection includes all these great recipes, and more.

6 of the best chilli recipes

One of the most satisfying and popular dishes to cook at this time of year is a chilli con carne, or if you are catering for vegans and veggies, a chilli ‘non’ carne. Spicy, filling, nourishing, here are 6 great recipes to try.