As August nods towards September, the US looks towards the Labor Day weekend, the UK prepares for a Bank Holiday, and summer holidays draw to a close. A time for eking the most from those remaining days of leisure, and hopefully of sunshine. We want good things to eat, that donât take too much effort, and that make the most of the late summer harvest.
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A search for summer on ckbk will unearth a wealth of great recipes that hit the spot. Newly added to the site, Yvette van Bovenâs Home Made Summer is a one-stop shop for summery goodness. With sections for different mealtimes, the book is packed with fresh, approachable recipes â with the guiding principle that the plethora of fresh fruit, salads and vegetables on offer require little kitchen time, nor are holidays improved by hours slaving over a stove.
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If you are in the Southern Hemisphere (or if the weather outside is just not as summery as youâd like), there are equally many delights to be found in the companion volume, Home Made Winter, which is also now available on ckbk. Inspired by a childhood in âcold, wet Irelandâ it holds everything you need to keep cosy and very well fed. Try a traditional Irish Stew, or if the weather is on the fence, perhaps A Winter âSalade de ChĂšvre Chaudâ with Boudin Noir.
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Pictured above: Scallop Ceviche from Home Made Summer by Yvette van Boven
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The late, great Michel Guérard
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It was with sadness, and great appreciation for his towering contribution to the modern culinary canon, that we learnt of the passing of Michel Guérard on August 19 at the age of 91.
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Working as head pastry chef at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris, Guérard won the honour of Meuilleur Ouvrier de France at just 25 years of age, and went on to work at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Paris. He gained a Michelin star in 1967 with his first independent restaurant, Pot-au-Feu, located in an industrial suburb of Paris, which rapidly attracted customers from far and wide with its high end bistro cooking.
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By the early 1970s he was at the vanguard of French cooking, spearheading Nouvelle Cuisine â a precise and pared back style of fine cuisine â Paul Bocuse, Roger VergĂ©, Alain Chapel and the Troisgros brothers.
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Driven by an interest in reconciling good health with gourmet living, Guerard went on to develop his most celebrated and ground-breaking contribution to French cuisine; Cuisine Minceur. He opened his restaurant Le PrĂ©s DâEugĂ©nie in spa town EugĂ©nie-les-Bains, in the Landes region, which won its first Michelin star in 1974, had gained three stars by 1977, and saw a roster of exceptional future culinary stars pass through its doors, all eager to learn from the great man.
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Le PrĂ©s DâEugĂ©nie has retained three stars for over 45 years. Its chef-patron has held his position as one of the most important founding influences on modern French cooking, and in particular in changing perceptions of healthy cuisine, for all of his long and illustrious career. His significant legacy lives on at his restaurant, through the countless chefs he has influenced, and in his books. Thank you M. GuĂ©rard.
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Ingredient focus: blackberries
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Blackberries are a small dark fruit, formed of a pithy core and a cluster of juicy drupelets. Rather than being one species, there are two dozen, native to America, Europe and Asia.
They are to be found growing wild and ready to harvest from late July into September, and a hedgerow walk to gather fruit is a great late summer joy.
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6 of the best waffle recipes
The waffle is a homely indulgence worth celebrating â it is National Waffle Day on August 24. Here are six wonderful waffles, so dig out that waffle iron!
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from Encyclopedia of Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques by
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from Happy Vegan Food: Fast, Fresh, Simple Vegan by Bettina Campolucci Bordi
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from Williams Sonoma at Home Favorites by Williams Sonoma
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from But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It's Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over for Dinner by Kristy Turner
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from Brown Sugar Kitchen: New-Style, Down-Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland by Tanya Holland
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from Dark Rye and Honey Cake: Festival baking from the heart of the Low Countries by Regula Ysewijn
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