Review: My Grandma's Kitchen

What an absolute treat to open a book bubbling over with the secrets of Australian culinary doyenne – Margaret Fulton – via her granddaughter, Louise Fulton Keats.

In a market saturated with cookbooks for kids, Keats has created a unique, charming and utterly beautiful book in My Grandma’s Kitchen. Sure, the Fulton association may ‘help’ but honestly, this book needs no association – it is totally and utterly stand-alone.

A cross between a divine picture book and cookbook, we’re introduced to a rhyming storyline featuring little Lulu and her brother Harry who regularly share the delights of their grandma’s kitchen.

The two kids take readers through an eye-boggling line-up of superbly crafted pages – featuring photographs, illustrations, graphics and cleverly structured backgrounds – from a cartoon dog in a stack of photographed teacups to a brown paper lunchbag and picnic basket over a whimsically-illustrated picnic scene.

From breakfast through lunch, afternoon tea and dinner – the reader will not only be entranced by visuals . . .  the recipes have been thoughtfully chosen; perfect for kids but also deliciously tempting.

Breakfast features such scrumptiousness as croque monsieur, apple bircher muesli and quick strawberry jam. Lunch features mouth-watering minestrone, margherita pizza and fresh lemonade. Afternoon tea seriously tempts with banana cake, scones and oatmeal/raisin cookies. And dinner is drool-worthy with best pumpkin soup, roast chicken with lemon herb stuffing and saucy choc pudding.

The recipes may be ‘easy’ enough for kids to make but they certainly don’t skimp on gastronomique style. You won’t make eggs in a ring – you’ll make eggs in ramekins with parsley and bacon. You won’t make vegemite sandwiches – they’ll be chicken and herb. The recipes are nonetheless totally doable and most importantly – tempting for children to eat as well as make.

Immaculately illustrated, styled and designed by Michelle Mackintosh, this brilliant book is a feast for the eyes as much as the belly. It’s a book with such superb crossover appeal, too – tempting adults as much as children – and children of a wide age range.

Yum yum yum. One of my absolute favourite books so far this year.

Title: My Grandma’s Kitchen

Author: Louise Fulton Keats

Illustrator: Michelle Mackintosh

Publisher: Hardie Grant, $29.95

Publication Date: 1 April 2011

ISBN: 9781742701141

Format: Hardcover

For ages: 5 - 12

Type: Cookbook

You can buy this book online now at The Nile!