Orchards in the Oasis

For me Christmas shopping is an indulgent pleasure and inevitably I am tempted to buy things for myself at the same time as carefully selected gifts for my family and friends.  My pre-Christmas present this year is the wonderful book "Orchards in the Oasis" Recipes, Travels and Memories by Josceline Dimbleby.   Reading this delightful culinary treat you feel as if Josceline is taking you by the hand through the places and food of her life.  From an exotic start with the privileged experiences of her Ambassador's childhood, Josceline writes in a very down to earth and engaging way.  Her story reminded me of another much smaller but equally charming book: "Apricots on the Nile" a memoir with recipes by Colette Rossant.

Josceline talks about the special bond with her Granny which brought back fond memories of my paternal grandmother who used to make crunchy ginger biscuits with me and peppermint creams which seemed great fun to create in the kitchen.  From Josceline's budget driven cooking from her basement flat in London through adventures in Turkey, New York as a new bride (and a favourite delicatessan of mine - Zabar's), Marrakech, India, Burma and Vietnam there are many delicious recipes that are easy to recreate at home.  I agree with Josceline that Meat Loaf deserves a revival  - her version is definitely one to try, as is her baked cheesecake with a ginger crust and the Iranian smoky aubergine with tomatoes is ideal as an appetiser.  Her happy times at Blackberry Cottage in Devon sounded idyllic and I particularly enjoyed her recounting her first class voyage on the Queen Mary. 

At the end of her book Josceline writes: "... I realised that it is only when I travel that I start the day with the same feeling of simple excitement that I used to get as a child, my head clear of any mundane worries or responsibilities.  To me it is more rejuvenating than anything else, and I hope I can experience a wide variety of places, food, people and surprises for many more years'.  I hope you do too Josceline and please write about your adventures for us all to enjoy.

Orchards in the Oasis is a wonderful, very enjoyable book and the perfect festive gift for foodie friends. Merry Christmas!