Cooking our Books

We welcome our sister-in-law Maria as she guides us through the art of making Involtini, a versatile dish that can be prepared in various ways, whether with meat or as a vegetarian option. Maria reminisces about her mother's culinary legacy and talks a bit about her extensive cooking experience.Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1Theme music is Josie has the Up

It's back to the late 1960s to make Brandy Snaps, a dessert which packs a sugary punch. Despite appearing to be a complicated recipe the only real challenge lies in mastering the rolling required to make them look the part.Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

As Christmas approaches, we're embracing the festive spirit by baking a Light Christmas Cake from a vintage 1980s magazine recipe. It's a true gem! We also discuss how the holiday season can sometimes bring a bit of stress. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

Our sister Wendy joins us for a nostalgic journey back to the 80s, to her Year 9 home science class where she first baked this cake. We reminisce about teen idols, the challenges of adolescence, and the way our food choices have broadened over time. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

Neither of us has ever cooked or eaten a soufflé before; how challenging could it be? As it turns out, not very. We'll tackle this classic French dish and explore other inventive soufflés in the cookbooks. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

We make a swiss roll and reflect on the challenges of getting this one right. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

We bake a 1960s recipe for Orange Butterflies, an orange-flavoured cupcake that delights kids and adults alike. Helen's hack meant her cupcakes were the hit of her party, while we investigate why there are so few references to cupcakes in the cookbooks. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

With Christmas around the corner it's the perfect time to make this Christmas Cake from Queen Elizabeth II's former cook Mrs McKee. We take a look at her life and get some insights from her time cooking for multiple royal households. The cake itself is light and packed with dried fruit - and was ultimately a huge task to assemble and bake. We also discuss the myriad of othe

Helen's culinary skills are on show with this impressive looking apple tart - combining a apple puree filling with a lattice pastry construction. The real lesson is, try not to make pastry dishes in Spring/Summer! Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme music is Josie has the Upper hand by Josh Woodward CC by 4.0

With Cornish Pasties on the menu we invited our friend Deb, who is from Cornwall, to tell us all about this delicious comfort food and where it comes from. She also gives us a lesson in how to pronounce 'pasties' which we manage not to get quite right! We agreed this recipe was pretty spot on and easy to make. Recipe and pictures are on Instagram cookingourbooks1 Theme musi