Book review: Deliciously Yours - measuring happiness
Grab your copy of book of recipes written by none other than Lal Majid of Lal’s patisserie fame.
Book of recipes written by none other than Lal Majid of Lal’s patisserie fame.
What’s better than heading over to your favourite bakery to grab a warm crumbly chocolate chip cookie or a moist cupcake on a cold winter’s day? Well, bringing the bakery home, of course! And to help you do just that is a book of recipes written by none other than Lal Majid of Lal’s patisserie fame.
I consider myself something of a dessert connoisseur, and I often find myself (oddly enough) fantasising about the way a cake rises in an oven, or about mixing ingredients at various stages.
Having said that, I’ve never been a huge fan of Lal’s desserts, and I always felt there was something ‘off’ about them. This book, however, is full of marvellous and simple recipes. Personally, I believe that if something tastes good, it should be easy to make; nothing too complicated has ever tasted good to me, especially when it comes to dessert. What I loved about this book was the honesty with which the recipes were written, the simple methods and the convenient ingredients. What did turn me off a little were the pictures — no normal person can make a cupcake look that beautiful, or cinnamon rolls that perfect. I prefer pictures that can take you through the various stages of baking, like a picture of the batter at some stage for instance. But the truth is that presentation sells and our ‘yummy’ hormone kicks in at the sight of sumptuous-looking deserts.
Another thing that stands out is the way in which the book has been published: it’s no less in quality than any foreign recipe book. From the layout to the pictures, the font and finally the colour, it can easily be compared with a Martha Stewart or BBC Food cookbook.
So if you find this book on a shelf, do not hesitate to pick it up. I guarantee that it’s a great way for a beginner to learn the basics of baking.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, February 10th, 2013.
Like Express Tribune Magazine on Facebook to stay informed and join the conversation.
I consider myself something of a dessert connoisseur, and I often find myself (oddly enough) fantasising about the way a cake rises in an oven, or about mixing ingredients at various stages.
Having said that, I’ve never been a huge fan of Lal’s desserts, and I always felt there was something ‘off’ about them. This book, however, is full of marvellous and simple recipes. Personally, I believe that if something tastes good, it should be easy to make; nothing too complicated has ever tasted good to me, especially when it comes to dessert. What I loved about this book was the honesty with which the recipes were written, the simple methods and the convenient ingredients. What did turn me off a little were the pictures — no normal person can make a cupcake look that beautiful, or cinnamon rolls that perfect. I prefer pictures that can take you through the various stages of baking, like a picture of the batter at some stage for instance. But the truth is that presentation sells and our ‘yummy’ hormone kicks in at the sight of sumptuous-looking deserts.
Another thing that stands out is the way in which the book has been published: it’s no less in quality than any foreign recipe book. From the layout to the pictures, the font and finally the colour, it can easily be compared with a Martha Stewart or BBC Food cookbook.
So if you find this book on a shelf, do not hesitate to pick it up. I guarantee that it’s a great way for a beginner to learn the basics of baking.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, February 10th, 2013.
Like Express Tribune Magazine on Facebook to stay informed and join the conversation.