http://thecookbookkitchen.substack.com/, https://linktr.ee/thecookbookkitchen

The Cookbook Kitchen, 90 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh (2026)

11/10/2026

Last up, something sweet! The final recipe I made for my Cook the Books review of Whole Food by Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains were these Fudgy Carlin Brownies.

And to finish off we’ll be using something I personally hadn’t heard of before… carlin peas.

Did you know, these little beauties can actually be used in place of almond or wheat flour in sweet baking! Which is pretty damn cool.

This is another stupidly easy recipe to make. Once you’ve drained and rinsed the peas and then melted the chocolate - everything gets thrown into a blender and blitzed until completely smooth. You then pour the mixture into a tin, pop it in the oven for around 25 minutes and... that’s basically it!

They’re rich, chocolatey, super fudgy and you would never guess that they’re made with peas! Sooo, practically one of your 5-a-day, right*?

(*I’m not a scientist, but it sounds right!)

You can find the recipe for this bake, along with the full review of Whole Food, in the top link of my Linktree in my bio. A little taste of Whole Food. An amuse-bouche, if you will…

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Cookbook: Whole Food
Authors: Josiah Meldrum and Nick Saltmarsh
Publisher: DK Living DK Books

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📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv
Made using my trusty KitchenAid UK blender

For the ingredients, I used:
Peas, oats: Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

10/10/2026

The next dish I tried from the new cookbook by Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains ‘Whole Food’ was this Black Bean & Spelt Jambalaya.

Now, I had never actually had jambalaya before, but I do know that it has a reputation for being packed full of flavour. So I was very keen to give this one a go.

This is a one-pan wonder, which always gets bonus brownie points from me. Everything is added to the pot at different stages, then left to bubble away until the spelt is tender and all those lovely flavours have had time to come together and develop.

(Pssst: I used a jar of Bold Bean Co black beans rather than dried, as I already had some in the cupboard)

Once it’s ready, you finish the whole thing with chopped parsley, spring onions, hot sauce and a really good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

And holy crap, you guys… My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

It’s smoky. It’s rich. It’s spicy. It’s fresh. It’s savoury. It’s everything you could imagine a jambalaya would taste like, but so much more. Then the hot sauce and lemon juice… chef’s kiss!

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS.

And you can! You can find the recipe for this dish, along with the full review of Whole Food, in the top link of my Linktree in my bio. A little taste of Whole Food. An amuse-bouche, if you will…

—

Cookbook: Whole Food
Authors: Josiah Meldrum and Nick Saltmarsh
Publisher: DK Living DK Books

—

📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv

For the ingredients, I used:
Pearl spelt: Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains
Black Beans: Bold Bean Co
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

09/10/2026

Gruel.

That grey, joyless, gloopy, lumpy, institutional thing. Slopped onto the plate and served up to miserable, snivelling children as a punishment for having the audacity of being hungry.

Something that belongs in workhouses. In orphanages (please sir, can I have some more?). And that sort of Roald Dahl universe where every adult is inexplicably cruel and dinner is always a hodgepodge of disgusting delights 😏

Or so the tales go…

This recipe for Barley & Oat Gruel with Brown Butter Leeks from Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains debut and highly anticipated cookbook ‘Whole Food’ is more ‘happily ever after’ than the things of kiddie’s nightmares.

This dish has a real savoury, creamy depth to it and goes so well with the sweetness of the caramelised leeks. It’s finished off with a good seasoning of salt and pepper, then showered with half a handful (or so) of thyme leaves. Which you all know by now is my favourite herb.

Something so simple - but tasted really, really good!

Turns out Oliver Twist might have been onto something after all…

You can find the full review of Whole Food, along with 2 free recipes to download in top link of my my Linktree

—

Cookbook: Whole Food
Authors: Josiah Meldrum and Nick Saltmarsh
Publisher: DK Living DK Books

—

📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv

For the ingredients, I used:
Pearl barley, oats: Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains
Butter: Yeo Valley Organic
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

08/10/2026

Happy Publication Day to Hodmedod's UK Pulses & Grains 🎉📚

In today’s edtion of Cook the Books, we’re digging into the pages of Whole Food, the highly anticipated cookbook from Hodmedod’s co-founders Josiah Meldrum Nick Saltmarsh

The great thing about Whole Food is that it’s not just a collection of recipes designed to persuade us to eat more beans. (Although they do do that very well!) It also tells the story of how our food is grown, why diversity in our fields matters and why making space for some of these crops on our plates could be good news for both us and the farmers growing them.

Inside you’ll find:
* Full review of the book
* Over view of 3 recipes I cooked
* Lots of food photography
* 2 FREE downloadable recipes

Come and take a read - Link in bio!

-

And a huge thank you to the team DK Living DK Books for sending me out a copy of Whole Food.

05/10/2026

Happy Monday, you beauts ✌️ It’s Week 2 in the The Great British Bake Off tent, it’s Biscuit Week and I happened to make 2 batches of cookies!

[This year, rather than tackling the challenges head on, I’ll be taking each week’s theme and choosing something from a cookbook to bake instead.]

The Signature Challenge this week was American style cookies and I’ve had my eye on these Rinkoffs Bakery cookies ever since the book arrived on my doorstep. (Any excuse to make a batch of cookies, guys!)

These are the Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Jewish Bakery, by . Crispy on the outside, fudgy in the middle and lots of chunks of milk chocolate throughout.

Did I scruffle 3 of these today with a brew? Maybe.
Did I regret it? Absolutely bloody not!

As a wise woman once said “We have to take our pleasures where we can in life.” (😉 Nigella)

—

Cookbook: The Jewish Bakery
Author: / Rinkoffs Bakery
Publisher: Quadrille

—

📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv
Made using KitchenAid UK

For the ingredients, I used:
Flour: Doves Farm
Butter: Yeo Valley Organic
Sugar: Tate and Lyle Sugars
Eggs: The Happy Egg Co
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

04/10/2026

Happy Sunday, folks ✌️ It’s Week 2 in the The Great British Bake Off tent - and it’s Biscuit Week!

[This year, rather than tackling the challenges head on, I’ll be taking each week’s theme and choosing something from a cookbook to bake instead.]

The Signature Challenge this week was American style cookies. Which feels considerably kinder than last year’s challenge?? (I’m not complaining!)

So, for my Biscuit Week bake, I’ve decided to return to the pages of ‘From Scratch’ by the lovely Alice Kelly to make these dangerously delicious Peanut Butter and Chocolate Swirl Cookies 🍪

Mine are a smidge chunkier than Alice’s… but they’ve still got a lovely crunch on the outside, they’re soft and gooey in the middle AND they taste bloody lovely!

Peanut butter and chocolate is already an elite combination in my book - and I mean, just look at them!

Yep… these aren’t going to last long at all! 🤣

—

Cookbook: From Scratch
Author: Alice Kelly
Publisher: Nine Bean Rows

—

📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv
Made using KitchenAid UK

For the ingredients, I used:
Flour: Doves Farm
Butter: Yeo Valley Organic
Sugar: Tate and Lyle Sugars
Eggs: The Happy Egg Co
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

27/09/2026

Good morning you awesome bunch and happy Sunday!

This Wednesday (September 30th) at 6pm, I’m hosting the very first Cook the Book Club live author Q&A - and the wonderful human that is M A R K D I A C O N O will joining us.

In our cookbook club chat we’ve spent the past month cooking from and chatting about Abundance.And now we get to have a natter with the author himself!

This isn’t going to be a formal interview or meetup... It’s a chance to come along (on Zoom), have a chat, ask Mark any questions you have about the book, the recipes, seasonality, writing, growing, cooking… whatever you fancy really. He is a master of many!

Basically, it will be a good old cookbook natter with one of your favourite cookbook authors. Or perhaps someone who’s about to become a new favourite… 😉

These monthly Cook the Book Club meet-ups and author Q&As are one of the extras I’ve created for paid subscribers.

But.

If becoming a paid subscriber feels like a bit of a leap at the moment (who is this guy I’m giving £5 to, and what exactly am I getting for it?!) I completely get it. So, I’ve set up a 30-day free trial.

Take a look: I’ve added it as the top link in my Linktree

Come and have a look around. Join us on Wednesday. Meet Mark. Have a natter. Explore all the other bits and pieces we’re building here… And then decide whether you fancy sticking around.

I’ll start sending the Zoom invitations out tomorrow and we’d love to have you! So, if you’d like to join us - sign up for the free trial and come along ❤️

Image credit: Cristian Barnett

26/09/2026

Well folks, The Great British Bake Off is back!! It’s Week 1 in the tent and it’s Cake Week! 🎂

If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that I normally attempt the challenges each week. But this year, I’m changing things up a little…

Rather than tackling the challenges head on, I’ll be taking each week’s theme and choosing something from a cookbook to bake instead. It feels like the perfect way to still join in the fun, while sharing even more great cookbooks with you. And perhaps you might just discover a few new ones to add to your shelf too!

The Signature Challenge this week, set by our fabulous new host Nigella, was Stout Cake. There was absolutely no hunting for a recipe required, because I immediately knew which one I wanted to make…

This Guinness Cake with Frothy Icing from Cherie Denham’s The Irish Bakery has been calling my name ever since I reviewed the cookbook earlier this year. (You can read all about the book over on my Substack, linktree in bio!)

Now, not to blow my own trumpet too loud, but I think this is the best sponge I’ve ever baked! Ha!

And get that bloody cream cheese icing away from me!! Oopf 😮‍💨 that is DANGEROUSLY good Cherie!

Not a bad first week 🙌

—

📸: Sony | Alpha Sony | Alpha Europe A7iv
Made using KitchenAid UK

For the ingredients, I used:
Flour: Wessex Mill
Butter: Yeo Valley Organic
Stout: Guinness GB
Sugar: Tate and Lyle Sugars
Eggs: The Happy Egg Co
All other bits: Waitrose Waitrose PR Team

—

24/09/2026

Happy publication day to Michael Taylor!! 🥡

The lovely team at Orion Books very kindly gave me a sneak preview of a few recipes from their new book ‘The Ultimate Chinese Takeaway Bible’ so, (me being me) I decided to set myself a challenge…

Could I make my own Chinese fakeaway at home?

Having never cooked Chinese food before, I could have started small. I did not. 200 takeaway boxes later (don’t ask), I’d made Salt & Pepper Tofu, Chicken Chow Mein and Boneless Salt & Chilli Chicken Wings.

And bloody hell you guys… SO good!

This was genuinely, genuinely some of the tastiest food I have ever made - but also that I think I’ve ever tasted too. I mean, talk about patting yourself on the back, but it really was!

The full Cook the Books: The Fakeaway Special is live now, with the chicken wing recipe and a little giveaway too ❤️

Come and take a read - Link in bio!

—

Author: Michael Taylor
Publisher: Seven Dials

20/09/2026

The next Cook the Books is now LIVE! 🎉📚

Passports at the ready, because this month we’re heading from Baku to Beijing with the wonderful Anna Ansari and her phenomenal debut cookbook, Silk Roads.

We’re wandering through bazaars and family kitchens, travelling backwards and forwards through centuries of food history and discovering dishes I’d never even heard of before.
Inside you’ll find out what I made, lots of food photography and a copy of Silk Roads to WIN! 🎉

Come and have a nosey » Link is in the bio!

The Cookbook Kitchen

11/10/2026

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09/10/2026

08/10/2026

05/10/2026

04/10/2026

27/09/2026

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20/09/2026

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