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⚽ The 2026 World Cup kicks off + Pasta Therapy - the ultimate comfort food 🍝

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Cooking the globe for The World Cup

 

Happy World Cup kick off day to football fans around the globe! The FIFA World Cup runs from June 11–July 19, and is this time hosted by sixteen cities across the US, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first World Cup to be hosted by three nations, and the first to include 48 teams, rather than the previous 32. A truly global event, we anticipate viewing parties far and wide, and many an for a sport-fuelled feast.

Nowhere is football held closer to a nation’s collective heart than Brazil, where football is a true intergenerational obsession. So for kick off day we bring you Braza: Tastes from a Brazilian Barbecue, by Brazilian-born chef Andre Felicio, newly added to ckbk in time to feed the football mad crowds. In Andre’s words:

“In Brazil, there is no barbecue without a little game of football. We Brazilians believe that we have a population of 200 million football coaches and barbecue cooks (churrasqueiros).
 
The love for both football and barbecue in Brazil is so immense that everybody basically knows everything there is to know about both topics. Healthy arguments are pretty normal over a Brazilian barbecue. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the Brazilian barbecue has evolved to what it is nowadays.”

Based in Australia since moving there to learn English at 27, Andre opened his first Brazilian barbecue restaurant in 2007. His book reflects his love of Brazilian culinary traditions, especially barbecue. Braza means ember, and the country's name itself derives from the ember-like red colour of a local tree. Charcoal has always played a key role in Brazilian cooking. So don that apron and try Beef Ribs in Beer, Traditional Brazilian Chicken Pie with Catupiry, these Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Braza Butter, and more.

For a culinary visit to one of the three World Cup host nations explore our Mexico bookshelf
Pictured above: Feijoada “Completa” from Braza: Tastes From A Brazilian Barbecue by Andre Felicio

The simple goodness of pho

Southeast Asian cuisines are some of the most technical and nuanced in the world, with chefs often spending a lifetime mastering the art of one particular dish. Dishes that nonetheless grace home kitchens across Asia—core dishes that are familiar to all, classics with infinite variations, combining texture, complex flavor, comfort and culinary excellence. This week we are pleased to add a classic to ckbk's shelves.

Simply Pho: A Complete Course in Preparing Authentic Vietnamese Meals at Home, by online cooking sensation Helen Le, starts with instructions on How to Make a Perfect Bowl of Pho, then uses this as a springboard to explore something of the great variety of dishes found across Vietnam. As Helen says:

“The fact is, Vietnamese food differs a lot from region to region and every small town has its own delicacies, which is what makes the cuisine so special. The recipes in this cookbook not only include Western favorites such as pho, spring rolls, and sandwiches, but also lots of soups and dishes made with a variety of noodles, as well as coffee drinks, sweets, and condiments—in other words, a large and delicious sampling of Vietnamese cuisine.”
Find guidance on specialist ingredients and techniques, and recipes to tempt—try Pho Noodle Soup with Seafood, this Pho Salad with Char Siu (pictured above), or this loaded Traditional Vietnamese Sandwich.
Find all the recipes in Simply Pho

Taking comfort from pasta

“This book is how I come home. Every recipe is a memory. A gesture of return. A way to say, I remember. A way to feel their hands still guiding mine, even when the signs are silent. This is how I keep them with me: by writing it all down.

It’s just a cookbook. But it’s also the most sacred thing I’ve ever made.

If you’ve ever felt grief that words can’t hold, or lost someone who was your compass, I hope this book makes you feel a little less alone.

Because this is more than pasta. It’s therapy.”  Isabella Barbuto

Inspired by her own experiences of illness and grief, cook and food writer Isabella Barbuto takes us on a journey via the healing powers of pasta. In her newly published book Pasta Therapy (the latest addition to our extensive Pasta bookshelf) you will find anecdotes and understanding about the therapeutic powers of tradition, and practical guidance aplenty.

With over 100 nourishing recipes each one is of the type to calm the soul. Find Broccoli Rabe with Broccoli Rabe & Zesty Pangrattato, Ricotta & Spinach Gnudi with Butter & Sage, and Wholewheat Fettucine with Mushroom, Taleggio & Thyme.

Find over 120 recipes from Pasta Therapy

Ingredient focus: raspberries

The raspberry plant is a member of the rose family, and belongs to the same group of plants as the blackberry and cloudberry. While called a ‘berry’ a single raspberry is in fact a cluster of tiny juicy seeded fruits around a central core. When the raspberry is picked it comes away from that core, creating a soft mouthfeel. Raspberries come in a range of colors, though dark pink is the most commonly cultivated.

At their best they are deliciously tart and sweet, with a fresh fruity taste. Wonderful raw and unadulterated, they are also good in a range of dishes, particularly in the pastry kitchen.
Explore our collection of recipes for Radiant Raspberries. Find Raspberry Swirl Yoghurt Lollies, Raspberry Jelly, and a super decadent Raspberry Tart with Crème Pâtissière & Rosemary

6 of the best falafel recipes

Crispy on the outside, fluffy and full of flavor and goodness on the inside, we love these chickpea treats! It is International Falafel Day on June 12, so here are a half dozen recipes for you.

Falafel with Lemon Tahini & Pickled Cabbage

from My Street Food Kitchen by Jennifer Joyce

Spinach Falafel with Minted Soy Yogurt

from Vegan Everything by Jörg Mayer and Nadine Horn

Curried Falafel with Kale Salad

from Whole Bowls by Allison Day

Falafel Grain Bowl with Beetroot Tahini

from Brunch with Brother Marcus by Tasos Gaitanos and Alex Large

Fresh Falafel & Tzatziki Bowl

from The Plant-Based Cookbook by Ashley Madden

Falafel

from The Cook's Book of Everything by Lulu Grimes