The London-Eating website and newsletter, which has 80,000 subscribers, has published a review of
Natural Ingredients and featured one of the recipes from the book. The site also provides 'Buy now' links to Amazon.
Please see the links below:
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/newsletter/2007/june/bookreviews.asp
When a cookbook called ‘Taste of the Falklands’ lands on your desk the temptation to make cheap jokes is irresistible. “First catch your penguin,” says our photographer as he ambles past. “150 ways with lamb and empty bullet cases,” offers another wag. It’s all rather unfair and uncalled for.
The fact that most of us of a certain age only remember the Falklands as part of our stamp collection, and then the location of a small war, doesn’t do these far-flung islands justice. The footage we saw on TV at the time made the place look as attractive as a wet weekend in Whitstable, but the glorious photos in this book reveal islands with stunning natural beauty and shimmering south Atlantic light. Far from being a place where the inhabitants huddle against piercing wind while eating corned beef out of tins, it’s a place of unspoilt beauty and abundant natural resources like beef, lamb, goose, shellfish, wild berries and dairy products. The lack of pollution means the islanders enjoy food that contains none of the toxins we’re so accustomed too.
As you enjoy the photographs, you can gorge on the food. Calamari and Scallops Etouffe, Seafood Cannelloni Pancakes, Calamari Patagonica, Stuffed shoulder of Lamb and Beef Ajiaco, a recipe clearly derived from nearby Argentina. A couple of things may be a trifle hard to source in our own islands, such as Kingclip and Toothfish, but they are easily replaced with other, similar, fish. In fact all the recipes are as simple but as packed with honest flavour as you would expect. This is a cookbook that is far more than a cookbook; it’s a colourful and fascinating look into the lives of the inhabitants of this far-flung corner of the UK and something to enjoy in the kitchen and in the sitting room alike.
Find this book on Amazon.co.uk
Penguin News 4th May 07
New book is a visual feast
The coffee table recipe book jointly produced by Alex Olmedo and Julie Bellhouse is set to fly off the shelves
when it goes on sale at the end of the month.
Over the past year, interest has steadily grown in Natural Ingredients: Taste of the Falklands and the
attention is justified. Not only is this publication a visual treat but it includes some of the most
mouth-watering recipes ever to come out of the Falklands. They all make wonderful use of local ingredients
and are guaranteed to inspire cuisiners throughout the world.
From the beginning, Alex and Julie were clear they wanted to promote the
clean, green and fresh ingredients the Falklands has to offer; this they have achieved - and more.
The 112 page book is a visual delight with scores of stunning scenes captured by photographic artist Julie's
talented eye, depicting life in the Falkland Islands today. New Zealander Julie has clearly fallen in love with
the Islands and she manages to convey the beauty in everyday scenes that so many of us fail to notice.
There are stunning nature and wildlife shots, capturing the Islands at their best, laced with leisure and
lifestyle images and, of course, the delectable dishes the recipes describe.
The man behind Falklands Brasserie, the restaurant which has arguably pushed the sophistication of the
Islands' cuisine to levels never seen before, Chilean-born Alex has taken traditional staples -
such as beef, lamb and trout, and transformed them into dishes of Michelin standard. The great thing
is that with all the ingredients readily available in the Falklands, we can all produce these magnificent
flavours in our own homes.
Talented Head Chef at the Brasserie, Sebastian Poll was instrumental in assisting Alex with writing and
developing the recipes and he prepared all the food featured in the book.
Among the recipes, particular favourites in the Penguin News office are the Teaberry and Raspberry
Crème Brulèe, Lamb Shanks Puchero and Crab and Smoked Trout Ravioli.
This book is a fitting addition to Falklands book shelves in 2007; as we mark 25 years since the conflict,
Alex and Julie manage to convey the vibrancy of the Islands and the quality products we have to offer.
It is the ideal gift to send overseas.
It is not just a cook book. As Baroness Margaret Thatcher says in the foreword, "Though we may not all be
fortunate enough to visit these very special Islands, I hope that through these pages, we gain a greater
appreciation of their unique beauty and the rich variety of all they have to offer."
. Natural Ingredients: Taste of the Falklands is officially launched in Stanley on May 9 and will be on sale for
£20.00 from May 30 at Studio 52, Falklands Brasserie, The Pink Shop, Capstan Gift Shop, Jetty Centre,
Harbour View Gift Shop and the Museum.
A limited, special boxed edition will be released on May 9; the box comes with Baroness Thatcher's foreword
printed on silver and a silver foil 25th Anniversary logo. Pre-release orders are now being taken at all the above
outlets, price per copy £30.00. Get in quick as demand for this edition is high.
