Newsletter: 📚🥕 Pay a visit to Gjelina + Take a culinary tour with Fiona Dunlop

Our favorite samphire recipes

California dreaming at Gjelina

Celebrated LA restaurant Gjelina was founded in 2008 to be a neighbourhood kind of place, putting locally sourced produce at the heart of simple delicious food, served in a place that felt like it had always been at the heart of the community. Gjelina has grown to include a New York restaurant, and at its home in Venice, a bakery, guest house, grocer, flower shop and more. The Gjelina Group Foundation is a non-profit organisation working to support community programmes around food, farming, the arts and environmental sustainability.

We are thrilled to bring you Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California. New to ckbk, the book is written by Gjelina’s chef Travis Lett. Filled with great photography of their Venice Beach location, the Gjelina team, and the amazing produce the chefs work with.

The 169 recipes in the book reflect an all-day menu that caters to the modern, health conscious, and food savvy crowd they are so popular with.

Try Braised Sweet Corn, Chile, Cilantro, Feta & Lime, or Pizza with Mushrooms & Truffle-Studded Goat’s Cheese, one of several pizza recipes to make the most of the Gjelina Pizza Dough. Of course the Venice Beach location means a proliferation of great seafood – try Grilled Octopus with Braised Black-Eyed Peas. Or create your own at-home Gjelina coffee break with a slice of Kabocha, Olive Oil & Bittersweet Chocolate Cake.

Find all 169 recipes from Gjelina

Pictured above: Cioppino from Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California by Travis Lett

Travels with Fiona Dunlop

Food and travel writer Fiona Dunlop goes beneath the surface on her extensive travels, unearthing the culinary heart of a place, then bringing the flavors and recipes to her writing. The author of 15 books, including 4 travel cookbooks, we are delighted to have two of her cookbooks newly added to ckbk.

Andalucia in Spain is Fiona’s second home, and her book New Tapas: Today’s Best Bar Food from Spain displays all her love and knowledge of the country. In choosing tapas she is able to explore and describe the Spanish food scene altogether. The tradition of the bar, and the foods that are served there, encompasses Spanish ingredients and flavors, the traditional – try Ham Croquettes – and the modern – try Red Pepper, Leek, Anchovy and Cream Cheese Tarts.

There are regional variations, which are represented here by the different sections of the book. She includes recipes that are inherently Spanish – try this Cod, Spinach and Tomato Paella. And those with outside influences – Duck’s Liver with Sweet Pears and Sichuan Pepper. This book, gathered from some of Spain’s finest chefs, is a collection of the very best.

The North African Kitchen results from Fiona’s long held fascination with the food and culture of the region.

Bringing food from Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, and charting both the origins and modern evolution of these cuisines, this book brings place and its food to life, and is both informative and very tempting.

While the introduction writes about the similarities and differences between the cuisines, about ingredients and location, the recipes are arranged in sections titled by town or city. And in each of these locations, an individual cook or chef serves as Fiona’s, and our, guide.

Try a Pastilla – that sweet pigeon pie that is much-prized in Morocco – which can also be made with guinea fowl or chicken. Try this orange zest, orange-blossom scented, and almond topped Rice Pudding with Raisins. There are several standout tagine recipes – try this Saffron Fish Tagine, with Shallots and Sultanas.

Let’s bake for International Cake Day

If I knew you were coming I’d have baked a cake... As the classic song suggests, there are few nicer ways to greet someone than with a home baked cake. International Cake Day is July 20, so why not explore our Baking Bookshelf or discover our most popular cakes and whip up a recipe or two. From the Victoria Sponge to the Sachertorte and every cake in between, we have every recipe you could want. So, don that apron, grab that wooden spoon. Let’s bake!

Ingredient focus: samphire

Samphire, or more specifically rock samphire, is a small woody shrub that grows among the rocks and shingle sea coasts and cliffs. Its long, thin, fleshy leaves have a strong, salted taste, and are best lightly boiled or steamed – look at this recipe for how to prepare Boiled Samphire.

The robust texture and flavor of samphire works particularly well with fish, its usual culinary partner. Pickling is a traditional method of preparation, try this Pickled Rock Samphire.

For a range of recipe ideas explore these 12 Ways with Samphire. Why not bake some into a Crab & Brown Shrimp Tart, or serve a Ginger and Lime Dover Sole with Samphire.

6 of the best ice creams

National Ice Cream Day is July 21. You could combine it with International Cake Day for a classic cake and ice cream combo. However you choose to eat your ice cream, here are six stunning recipes.