TASTE THE
INFOGR A PH I C L A UR A
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O F F T H E FA R M
LAMB: SHEEPISH Whether minced, gently seasoned
of a sheep under 12 months old, and
(and much of the Middle East,
with cinnamon and layered with
China, Australia and New Zealand are
actually) like theirs minced and
aubergine and a rich béchamel in a
the biggest producers in the world,
spiced in a kofta kebab.
Greek moussaká or roasted, sliced
closely followed by India and the UK.
and blushing, and swimming in
It’s loved in Europe in various guises.
to cope with spice (that’s why I’ll
mint sauce for a Sunday lunch,
The Italians celebrate Easter with
always opt for a lamb curry on a
lamb is a meat that is as versatile as
abbacchio, a milk-fed lamb barely
Friday night) and pairs well with
it is widely loved. Favoured for its
a month old, its meat tender and
dried fruits (in slow-cooked tagines).
distinctive flavour and sweet fat, lamb
pale, similar to veal. In northern
Lamb gets even better with flavour
is a meat that is as versatile as it is
Spain they roast their suckling
the older it is and benefits from
widely loved. Classified as the meat
lechazo whole; while the Turkish
hanging after slaughter, like its mate
It’s a meat that’s strong enough
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BUTCHER’S CUTS KEY
CHEEK
O F FA L
TONGUE
BREAST
NECK/SCRAG
LOIN
SHOULDER
LEG
RACK
REAR SHANK
FORE SHANK
TA I L
Braise
Devil, breadcrumb, haggis
Poach, breadcrumb, slice, salad
Roll, slow roast, stuffed, breadcrumb, Sainte Ménehould, park railings
Stew, braise, casserole, hotpot, tagine
Whole joint, slow roast, mince
Chops, fast grill, whole saddle, roasted
Whole joint, slow roast, steaks, fast fry, butterfly, barbecue
Whole joint, slow roast, mince
Slow roast, braise
Slow roast, braise
Stew
A SHEEP’S LIFE
SUCKLING LAMB
LAMB
HOGGET
MUTTON
1
12
1 2 –1 8
18+
MONTHS
beef. It also takes on the flavour of its
but it’s mutton that gets really
cheaper-to-produce lamb has now
natural environment. Grass-fed lamb
interesting. After 18 months the meat
taken its place – such as North
is always preferable over grain, but
darkens and strengthens in flavour.
Africa’s rich, spiced merguez sausage,
if you can try salt-marsh lamb from
Yes, it might get tougher, but that
Irish stew, Welsh cawl, Icelandic
the UK that dines on a combination
allows for long and slow cooking.
smoked and boiled hangikjöt
of samphire, sorrel and sea lavender,
Britain’s Prince Charles loves the
(traditionally served with béchamel
or saltbush lamb from Oz, with its
stuff – so much so, in fact, that he’s
at Christmas) and English hotpot
penchant for old man saltbush, do.
been campaigning for a ‘mutton
from Lancashire, which originally
renaissance’ since 2004. Indeed, it’s
was joined by kidneys and
find hogget (when the sheep is
a traditional ingredient for many of
oysters underneath its famous
slaughtered around 12–18 months)
our favourite dishes today – even if
buttery sliced potato topping.
In some countries, you’ll
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S PA G H E T T I
BLUE h me!
FROM THE PLOT
e!
Mas
HUBBARD
ke
m
PUMPKIN: PAT C H T O P I E St
The symbol of a season on the turn,
ea
m
m
e!
B
a
a tool to ward off evil spirits and the fodder of fairytales – pumpkins are s!
Ba
ke
me
! Sh re d m e i nto
o no
dl
e
probably the most famous of all the winter squash but are they the most delicious? Related to cucumbers, courgettes
C A R N I VA L
and melons – and technically a fruit – these hardy squash come in a spectrum of shapes, sizes
ACORN
and colours, from dusky blues and creamy yellows to egg-yolk orange and moss green. Pumpkins, which are native to America, are
Stuff me!
Sli
ce me! Ro ast me!
Sl
ic
e m e
! Ro a s t m e ! G rate m e i
c nto
ak
es
!
best known for their part in the Thanksgiving tradition of the same continent (puréed with warming winter spices, as the filling for a sweet pie) or disemboweled and
o ! M a ke sou p
!
carved for Halloween. They can be
risott
eaten. But would you recognize the
Peel me! Roast
me
!M
ake
right squash for the job?
BUTTERNUT
To a s t s e e d s w i t h s a l t o r soy sauce and spice for a tasty snack!
D E L I C ATA
k Roast me! Ma
or simply mashed with butter – even the leaves and seeds can be
p ! M a ke sa lad ! e sou
brewed into beer, grated into cakes,
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PUMPKIN
KABOCHA TURBAN
ly
I’
m
!
ice me! R Stuff me! Sl oast me!
be
ry
m
!
Cu
me
ke ! Ma ke s tew ! M a
c
ur
ild
n a n d f l o u r y ! B e s t f o r d e c o rat i o
on
u
ff
m
Ba e!
e ! M a ke a g ra tin! ke m
CHEESE (CINDERELLA PUMPKIN)
St
Ingredients that taste great with pumpkin:
Pork/bacon
Mushrooms
Nutmeg
Chilli
Sage
Rosemary
Ginger
Blue Cheese
Lime
Chestnuts
Pecans
Cinnamon
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FROM THE PLOT
A S PA R A G U S : BRIT SPEARS The ancient Greeks first cottoned on to just how ace asparagus really is. Fast and easy to cook, and packed with goodies (from vitamins A, C and E, to fibre and folic acid), it’s little surprise that festivals dedicated to the spears are celebrated around the world. China is the biggest producer (and consumer) of the stuff (some 20x more than the next grower, Peru) but it is perhaps most revered in Europe. Grown in sandy soil from a ‘crown’, it can take three years to produce the first harvest and, once it reaches delicious maturity, needs to be hand cut, so precious are those delicate stalks.
GREEN
An example of that most mystical of taste sensations ‘umami’, the
A favourite of the Brits and
singular flavour of asparagus (green,
widely eaten across the US,
purple, white or wild) is best treated
Australasia and China, these
simply. Eat in season (it usually
thick, tall stems should have
straddles spring and summer) and
tight tips and need only be
fresh (it doesn’t store well after being
prepared by gently bending
picked), ideally with some sort of
PURPLE
tasty fat – whether that be a buttery
The clever Italians
point to remove the tough base.
hollandaise, a clean olive oil dressing
created this variety. These
Steam, boil, blanch or grill;
and sharp, aged hard cheese, or a
spears have less fibre and
barbecue, roast, stir-fry or sauté.
creamy pasta sauce punctuated with
tend to be sweeter. Snap
Whatever you do, keep it quick.
smoky lardons of bacon and topped
and peel raw into pretty
Overcook and you’ll lose the
with a rubble of golden breadcrumbs.
edible ribbons for salads
natural sweetness
to find the natural snapping
W H AT PA I R S WELL WITH A S PA R A G U S ? Hazelnuts
Cheese
Soy sauce
Anchovies
Eggs
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2
4
S
25CM
HO UR
HOW BIG? Asparagus spears can grow 25cm in 24 hours in the right conditions
WHITE Prized in Germany and across much of central Europe, these stalks are the same as green asparagus but have been deprived of light (either by burying them in soil or using modern black polyhouses).
WILD
They’re the problem child of the
Where the wild asparagus
family – tougher, so will need
grows is a closely guarded
snapping and peeling before
secret amongst greedy
cooking, and bland – and are
foodies. Thin and delicious
prone to getting pickled
eaten raw or blanched
Shallots
Peas
Smoked salmon
Lemon
Broad beans
Oyster sauce 15
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O N T H E TA B L E
BURGERS: THE O R I G I N A L FA S T F O O D
There can be few foods around the world that are so significant that they inspire international franchises, TV shows, science experiments and global economy indexes; but, then again, there are few foods as deeply satisfying as a good burger. In the last decade the humble burger – essentially, glorified beef and bread – has had something of a renaissance. It’s gone gourmet, dirty (in a good way). No longer is any ol’ bit of cow acceptable: the fat to meat ratio is crucial. The bun needs to be as good as the meat, and then there’s the fillings – what about the cheese, bacon, pickles and salad? Chefs started getting creative, adding more meat to the stack – pulled pork, chilli con carne, foie gras and even lobster. Sauces made the leap from mustard and ketchup to truffled mayonnaise. Gherkins morphed into Korean kimchi. It all got rather complicated. But what actually makes the perfect burger? Here’s our guide…
THE ANTIPODEAN BURGER: Make like the Australians do and fill your stack with pickled beetroot, sliced pineapple, a fried egg and chilli. Really
BURGERNOMICS: The Big Mac Index has been used since 1986 by The Economist to show global purchasing power
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The perfect bap for a burger needs to be strong enough
B
to hold its generous filling and should be slightly sweet.
UN
Look out for rolls with a hint of sourdough. Toast on the same pan/grill as your patty
LE
Keep it green and crisp. Add the freshest leaves of
E
C TTU
iceberg lettuce, straight from the fridge, at the last minute to ensure no wilting
R
ON ED
P
L ICK
IO
N
Sliced thinly, and quickly pickled in red wine vinegar and caster sugar, red onion hum will make your burger sing You need something sharp to cut through all
E
that delicious meat. Try crinkle-cut pickled gherkins (good for texture and sourness) or a homemade cucumber pickle
TO
T MA
O
Beef, plum or roma, whatever the variety of tomato, they must be ripe and sliced around 5mm at room temperature with a serrated knife Even the top chefs can’t resist the melt of ‘plastic’ sliced
CH
EES
E
cheese but for the same consistency with extra flavour choose a Gouda. Slice thin, larger than the size of your burger and be sure to add to the top of the cooked patty the second it is flipped over. In the time it takes to cook the other side you’ll have the perfect melt Beef. Always. Make it chuck steak (the shoulder of
M
T EA
the cow) and you’ll have the perfect meat to fat ratio (around 20–25% fat). Coarsely hand grind it, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Add just salt and pepper: no egg, breadcrumbs, beer, herbs or spices. Mix to combine but don’t overwork it. Shape into rough 250g patties (that’s a handful or ice-cream scoop) and make a dimple in the middle. Cover and chill for 30 minutes – burgers should always be cooked from cold. A skillet or barbecue grill should be your weapon of choice, over a hot heat. Cook for 2–3 minutes on the first side – don’t be tempted to move it or press down on the meat – and then flip it for a final 1 minute on the other side Don’t forget the burger to bun ratio! Lockjaw burgers are
B
UN
all well and good on paper but a sloppy mess in reality. A burger should always be a cutlery free affair
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O N T H E TA B L E
VICTORIA SPONGE: LET T H E M E AT
TS
P
KI
DER
O
U
R
+
1
BA
POW NG
FL
If you are to learn the principles of
G
one cake in your lifetime, Britain’s
SI
N
classic teatime treat, the Victoria
AI
sponge, is the one. So simple and
F–R
easily adapted, it is a must in any
SEL
keen cook’s culinary arsenal. Created in the mid-19th century, thanks to
220g
the invention of baking powder, and favoured by Queen Victoria, it is a creamed sponge sandwich cake and can be mastered by following a few simple tricks. Start by preheating the oven to 180°C – this cake is quick, so you’ll need it ready! Next, weigh out the ingredients. For two 20cm round tins, you need four eggs and the same weight (roughly 220g) of caster sugar, soft unsalted butter and self-raising
g)
flour. Melt a knob of butter leftover
2
0
from the pack and, using kitchen
(2
paper, lightly grease the tins and line
S
the bases with baking parchment.
risk the mix curdling.
4
G
temperature – any colder and you
EG
Make sure everything is at room
CHANGE IT UP:
White chocolate buttercream and fresh blackberries, topped with white chocolate swirls
Elderberry jam filling, topped with vanilla sugar
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DER 22
0g
C
A
S
T E R
S
U
Using an electric whisk or batter
G A
paddle, beat the sugar and softened
R
butter until pale and fluffy. With the motor still running, add 1 egg at a time. If the mix looks like it is beginning to curdle, add 1 tbsp of flour. Once all of the eggs are combined, turn off the whisk and sieve in the flour and 1 level tsp of baking powder. Gently fold using a large metal spoon, creating a figure of eight in the batter, until combined. The mix should just drop from the spoon; if it doesn’t, loosen slightly with (room temperature) milk. Pour into the prepared tins and bake immediately in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden,
22
well risen and springy to touch. A
0g
skewer inserted in the centre of each
U
cake should come out clean.
N S
Don’t be tempted to cheat – this
A
LT
recipe is simple and quick enough – as it will produce a denser sponge. You can add your own twists to the traditional jam filling though, I’ll allow that.
E
D
B
U
TT
ER
Chocolate orange buttercream
Lemon curd swirled through fresh cream
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Taste will explore the complex and colourful world of food, through a collection of thought-provoking, stimulating and beautifully-crafted graphics. Accessible and authoritative, it will cover everything you need to know about food – from its origins to its consumption, weird and wonderful traditions, mealtimes, trends and recipes – as well as startling, unusual and often delicious facts. Readers are now information hungry but time poor. They want to eat good food, they want to know good food, but they want it quickly and they want it now. They want to feel travelled without leaving home. It took love, care and attention to create but will ultimately be consumed in a matter of minutes by an eager foodie. Food is the one global language that always translates. With authority and wit, Laura Rowe charts history and predicts trends, all the while complemented by beautiful, naturally styled imagery and fact-packed illustrations by Vicki Turner. From mastering macarons and perfecting pizza toppings to concocting cocktails and delighting your dinner party guests. With tips on troubleshooting recipes as well as knowing your produce inside out Taste will inform and inspire. •
Innovative and creative illustrator making inspirational and original designs
•
Knowledgeable author with a fun take on the subject
•
Infographics have a strong appeal to the wider international market
Laura Rowe has been writing about food and drink in the UK for more than a decade. She’s written for the Guardian’s Word of Mouth food blog, Olive magazine, Lovefood.com, thewelshmenu.com and has edited the Guild of Food Writers Food Magazine of the Year (2013), Crumbs, in the South West for the past two years. When she’s not eating and drinking her way around the country, she works as a home economist for top celebrity chefs, making the ‘here’s one I made earlier’. Vicki Turner is a British designer, illustrator and maker with a passion for the natural world. She has recently returned from a few years of worldwide wandering, to work from her new studio in Devon. Published: October 2015 ISBN: 9781781314630 Format: Hardback RRP: £25.00 Size: 246 x 189 mm Extent: 224 pages Images: For more information please contact Publicity UK: jessica.axe@quartouk.com Publicity US: lisa.trudeau@quartous.com Sales: sales@aurumpress.com T - UK: 020 7284 9300 T - US: 978 282 3582 www.aurumpress.com facebook.com/aurumpressbooks @aurumpress
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