Newsletter: Let’s do brunch with Brother Marcus + a warm welcome to Valentine Warner on ckbk

Brunch with Brother Marcus – our publication day launch!

Brunch with Brother Marcus, the debut cookbook from the hot London restaurant group, is published today, and the whole book (including 113 recipes) is immediately available to ckbk Premium Members.

Brother Marcus co-owners Tas Gaitanos and Alex Large met at school, and their friendship strengthened in the kitchen during holidays at Gaitanos’ Creten home, and around the tables of his family restaurant on Crete.

The friends’ food is heavily inspired by what they ate and helped prepare at that time; their book’s subtitle is ‘Recipes from the Eastern Med.’

We caught up with them to chat all things brunch and get the recipe for Gaintanos’ crowd-pleasing Pork Belly Pita for publication day.

As to brunch, as Gaitanos states “it’s all about the balance of sweet and salty, and the combination of different textures,” such as this Rosti with Fried Chicken and Eggs.

There are no end of tempting options in this exciting new publication. Try Smoky Shakshuka or Menemen, or Cinnamon Babka if you are looking for something sweet.

Explore 110+ brunch recipes from Brunch with Brother Marcus

Pictured above: Turkish Eggs from Brunch With Brother Marcus by Tas Gaitanos and Alex Large

**New to ckbk - What to Eat Now (Spring & Summer) by Valentine Warner**

Valentine Warner may have originally trained as a portrait painter, but since picking up a wooden spoon he has become a prolific and greatly loved TV chef and food writer.

We are happy that What to Eat Now (Spring & Summer), the first of a series of Warner’s books that we have lined up for you, is now live on ckbk.

A lover of the outdoors and serious fisherman, Warner is well placed to focus here on the fresh and seasonal. Make a healthy, green lunch of Baby Courgettes and Chanterelles with Basil, Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce or a Greek Salad.

Or serve up your catch as Trout Aïoli Garni with Cherry Pie for dessert.

Access more than 100 recipes from What to Eat Now

Ingredient spotlight: Globe artichokes

Globe artichokes come in a range of sizes, from tiny purple ones to large green varieties, and are at their peak in early summer in the Northern Hemisphere. They can take a bit of time to prepare but their distinctive nutty flavor makes them well worth the effort.

They respond to many different cooking methods, and can also be eaten raw. But this certainly depends on the age of the artichoke, and whether it has yet developed that prickly indigestible choke. For full size green globe artichokes, boil until fully tender, when the base yields to a small sharp knife. Then pull the leaves off one by one and savor their soft bases dipped in vinaigrette or melted butter.

Take a look at these 12 Ways with Artichokes for other ideas of how to enjoy artichokes large and small.

Try Stuffed Artichokes Sicillian Style, use the stem roughly sliced in Rigatoni with Artichokes and Pancetta, or puree chargrilled hearts to make this Artichoke, Almond and Parmesan Dip.

6 of the best veggie suppers

From May 15 to 21 it is Vegetarian Week in the UK. Wherever you are it is always a good idea to make the most of all the delicious plants are our disposal. So here are six great veg-centred suppers