This Book Makes Me Cook

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

2011-11-05T12:21:00.000+05:30

Author: Helen Simonson
Genre: Fiction - Romance/Humour
Picked by: Jaya

The setting is Edgecombe St. Mary, a sleepy little village in the English countryside. The unlikely hero is Major Pettigrew - old retired Major who sticks to tradition and honor above all else. When he decides to turn tradition on its head and falls in love with a Pakistani widow running the only store in the village, chaos ensues.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Simran made a caramel apple trifle.

The Beach Cafe

2011-10-01T14:48:00.000+05:30

Author: Lucy Diamond
Genre: Fiction - Romance/Humour
Picked by: Sweatha
Evie, our heroine happens to get a cafe set by a Cornwall beach as her aunt's legacy. The family's black sheep, Evie goes through a series of mishaps involving her trying to remotely run the cafe before moving to this little Cornish town to live. And to enjoy her legacy. The book is all about this ugly duckling turning into a swan.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Charis made a fudgy chocolate cake.

Roshni baked chocolate chip cookies.

Simran made vanilla cupcakes.

Siri made soft scrambled eggs.

Sweatha made cornish pasties.

Like Water for Chocolate

2011-09-03T21:54:00.005+05:30

Author: Laura Esquivel
Genre: Fiction - Romance
Picked by: Roshni
Laura Esquivels' first novel could have been a simple love story of two star crossed lovers. Instead, Tita and Pedro become characters in something that's part fable and part fantasy.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Charis made sausage and bacon rolls.

Roshni made a Mexican Lasagne.

Simran made Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Sweatha baked Aztec chocolate cookies.

Malory Towers

2011-08-06T21:16:00.003+05:30

Author : Enid Blyton
Genre : Fiction - Humour
Picked by : Gayathri

The six books in the Malory Towers series chronicle the life of Darrell Rivers, as she goes through six years of education at this Cornish boarding school.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Roshni made burgers.

Sarita, our newest member, baked an apricot jam tart.

Another jam tart comes your way from Sweatha.

Simran made a cherry crumb pie.

A Movable Feast

2011-07-02T22:33:00.000+05:30

Author : Don George (Editor)
Genre : Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Aparna

A Movable Feast is a wonderful book - something you should read even if you're not hunting for dinner inspiration. Its full of tales of travel laced with food, culture, interesting people and if you're super imaginative then perhaps even smells and sounds.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Roshni, our newest member, made two dishes - a za'atar chicken pizza and arborio rice vanilla pudding.

My Life from Scratch

2011-06-04T23:10:00.001+05:30

Author : Gesine Bullock-Prado
Genre : Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Adriane

Gesine led the high life in Hollywood. Then she left the glamour behind to restart her life as a small town baker.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Adriane made a cherry pie.

Gayathri, our newest member, baked a carrot cake.

Simran made a vanilla cake with cherries.

The Owl & Moon Cafe

2011-05-07T22:19:00.002+05:30

Author : Jo-Ann Mapson
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Judy

The story of a family of four generations of women. Their lives are intertwined by the cafe, the customers, and the life that breathes from the cafe itself.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Judy made Artichokes with a dipping sauce.

The Language of Baklava

2011-04-02T08:39:00.002+05:30

Author : Diana Abu-Jaber
Genre : Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Jessica

Diana Abu-Jaber’s vibrant, humorous memoir weaves together stories of the two cultures of Diana's childhood–American and Jordanian–while helping to paint a loving and complex portrait of her impractical, displaced immigrant father who, like many an immigrant before him, cooked to remember the place he came from and to pass that connection on to his children.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Adriane made spinach stuffed fetayer.

Judy made Mona Lisa Cream Puffs.

Sweatha baked Sambusik Cookies.

Tender at the Bone

2011-03-05T22:28:00.002+05:30

Author : Ruth Reichl
Genre : Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Siri

Tender at the Bone chronicles Ruth's growing up years and the people in her life who made her what she is today. Hilarious in parts and hugely entertaining, the book is as enjoyable for Ruth's storytelling as it is for the recipes she scatters through the book.

Recipes that Tender at the Bone Inspired:

Adriane, our newest member, baked devil's food cupcakes.

Jessica made deviled eggs.

Judy made Wiener Scnitzel.

Simran just wrote a review because her brownies flopped.

Sweatha made apple dumplings.

A Homemade Life

2011-01-27T22:49:00.009+05:30

Author : Molly Wizenberg
Genre : Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Unnati

Part memoir, part recipe book, A Homemade Life takes you on a journey through every phase of Molly's life. Her days in France, her time spent growing up with her dad. And finally, Brandon, her husband she met through her blog!

Recipes that A Homemade Life Inspired:

Adele baked Molly's chocolate cake.

Aparna baked a cake too. She has Molly's French Lemon-Yogurt Cake with Blueberries.

Jaya made banana bread.

Jessica made Dutch Baby Pancakes.

Judy baked a banana bread too, complete with chocolate and crystallized ginger.

Another banana bread, this time with caramel, from Marisa.

Simran made Coeur A La Creme.

Siri made Buckwheat Pancakes.

Sweatha baked a fresh ginger cake and topped it with citrusy prunes.

It Must've Been Something I Ate

2010-12-04T10:43:00.002+05:30

Author: Jeffrey Steingarten
Genre: Non-Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by: Janki

Jeffrey Steingarten is a man obsessed with food. In this collection of brilliant, witty essays, we see him sashying through the world looking for that perfect sushi, the best sausage and best of breads, pizzas and chocolatate.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Simran made Pierre Herme's Chocolate Chaud.

Sweatha made hot chocolate too!

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

2010-11-06T10:30:00.001+05:30

Author : Giulia Melucci
Genre : Non Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Marisa

A food lover's search for the true love of her life. An average story, but the recipes are worth a read.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Here's a review from Sheba.

Simran made macaroni with cherry tomatoes and basil.

The Caliph's House

2010-10-02T10:13:00.010+05:30

Author : Tahir Shah
Genre : Non Fiction - Travel
Picked by : Adele

Home renovation projects seem to be a common theme among travel writers but Tahir Shah takes you deep into the local Moroccan life as he tackles a crumbling house.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Adele made Chicken Tagine with dates and honey.

Ann made Kefta Tagine.

Aparna made Moroccan style chickpea soup and flatbread.

Unnati made a couscous salad.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2010-09-04T22:35:00.004+05:30

Author : Mary Ann Shaffer
Genre : Fiction - Humor/Romance
Picked by : Pamela

Set in post-war Guernsey Island, this is the story of a country torn by German Occupation and its' residents friendship with an English writer.

Recipes that the book inspired:

Ann made Duchess Potatoes.

More potatoes from Aparna, who made Pommes Anna.

Janki, our newest member, made Gazpacho Soup.

Jaya made a cilantro-mint chutney.

Pamela made pan fried potatoes.

Simran made Eggless Mayonnaise.

And finally, Sweatha has a real Potato Pie.

Tales of a Female Nomad

2010-08-07T23:14:00.003+05:30

Author : Rita Golden Gelman
Genre : Non Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Jayasri

Rita Golden Gelman is a writer who sold everything she owned after the shock of a divorce and became a nomad. Not a tourist, because Rita stays away from everything that a tourist does and instead, tries to live the lives of people she visits.

Recipes that the Female Nomad inspired:

Aqua made a mango salsa.

Then, go read a fabulous review by Jaya.

Simran made Nasi Goreng

Garlic and Sapphires

2010-07-03T09:36:00.004+05:30

Author : Ruth Reichl
Genre : Non Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : PJ

The story of Ruth Reichl, back when she was the food critic for New York Times, is funny yet poignant and touching. With the power to make or break a restaurant, Ruth resorts to disguises to remain anonymous and get her readers an objective review. But her ability to get into a character also affects her view of the world.

Recipes that Ruth Reichl Inspired:

Adele made roast pumpkin with cheese fondue.

Aqua made asparagus, mushroom and peas risotto.

Jaya baked a chocolate cake.

Marisa made that New York classic; Pastrami on Rye.

Simran made Risotto Primavera.

Siri made Hash Browns.

A Fannie Flagg Special

2010-06-05T13:13:00.005+05:30

Author : Fannie Flagg
Genre : Fiction - Drama/Humour
Picked by : Simran

A remarkable story teller who's built a world of eccentric old world charm in her books, all set in Southern USA. You would think she is a time traveler, the way she moves effortlessly between memories that span several decades. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is her most famous book but equally charming is the world in Elmwood Springs, Missouri that she has built in Welcome to the World, Baby Girl.

Recipes that Fannie Flagg Inspired:

Aqua read the Redbird Christmas but was inspired by Fried Green Tomatoes to bake butter cookies.

Jaya read the Redbird Christmas and made Cornbread.

PJ picked Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and was inspired to make polenta and spring vegetable ratatouille.

Simran read all of Fannie Flagg's works (but not all this month!) and made Naankhattai.

Julie and Julia

2010-05-01T10:12:00.005+05:30

Author : Julie Powell
Genre : Non Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Srimathi

Government drone by day, renegade foodie by night, Julie Powell sets herself a challenge to cook every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" within a year. She then sets up the Julie/Julia Project, one of the earliest food blogs. Julie and Julia is the story of the blog, the challenge that changes Julie's life.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Adele made Martha Stewart's Cornmeal Cookies (but yes, they were in Julie/Julia book).

Aparna made an Apple Tarte Tatin.

Bhagyashri made Gratin Dauphinoise.

Janaki made Brioche.

Jayasri made Reine De Saba cake.

PJ makes the first recipe that Julie tries, the Potato and Leek Soup.

Rachel made Tomato Bruschetta.

Sheba writes a review.

Simran also wrote a review but was too busy to cook from the book this month.

Sweatha makes Baked Cucumbers.

Can You Keep A Secret

2010-04-03T23:05:00.001+05:30

Author : Sophie Kinsella
Genre : Fiction - Romance/Humour
Picked by : Bhagyashri

Have you ever had the urge to start blabbering to the person sitting next to you on a plane, knowing you will never meet them again and can say what you want. That's what Emma, heroine of Can You Keep A Secret, did. Only her blabbering came to haunt her the next day when the possessor of all her secrets turned out to be her big-shot boss.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aparna made a 5 minute chocolate cake.

Aqua made Healthy Muesli Bars.

Bhagyashri made Shortbread Triangles.

Janaki makes Panther Bars.

Jayasri made Mango Smoothie.

Pamela made a No Knead M&M Brioche.

PJ made Suralichi Wadi.

Simran made Pink Pina Colada.

Sweatha made Cheddar Cheese Crisps.

Under the Tuscan Sun

2010-03-06T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Frances Mayes
Genre : Non Fiction - Travel
Picked by : Sheba

There are tourists and there are wanderers. And then there are people who make another country their own. Like Frances Mayes did when, after years of spending summers in Italy as a tourist, she bought an abandoned villa in Tuscany. Under the Tuscan Sun is her funny account of a tourist who decided to stay and discover the country's little quibbles.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Ann made a pizza with onion confit, grilled sausage and peppers.

Aparna made Schiacciata Con L'Uva, a grape stuffed focaccia.

Aqua made Pears in Red Wine.

Janaki made a Pizza.

Rachel made pappa al pomodoro.

Simran made zucchini caponata.

Srimathi made eggplant rolls.

Sweatha made Basil Mint Sorbet.

Climbing the Mango Trees

2010-01-31T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Madhur Jaffrey
Genre : Non Fiction - Memoirs
Picked by : Janaki

Madhur Jaffrey's memoirs talk less of her childhood in an affluent joint family, and more of the foods she ate. There's daulat ki chaat and paranthey wali gali. There's kulfi and achaar and chaat from the streets. But all these poigant Delhi memories are also spiked with picnic lunches, and dinners with western influence far ahead of it's times.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Read Ann's very interesting story about the book!

Aqua made Tahiri.

Janaki made Palak Gosht.

Jaya made bazar jaisey aloo.

Sheba made Cauliflower with Cheese.

Simran made Phirni.

Sweatha made Roz Ki Gobhi.

Ladies Coupe

2009-12-27T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Anita Nair
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Sweatha

Anita Nair's story is about journeys - a train journey for Akhila, our middle-aged heroine who's on a quest to discover some answers for her life. But also a journey through her past, and through the lives of her other co-travelers. Through the life stories of the women in her Ladies Coupe, Akhila seeks to find answers to her dilemmas.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Ann made counterfeit appams. Also read her review here.

Bhagyashri made aubergine fritters.

Jaya makes Idlis.

Stop by at Sheba's for a lovely review.

Simran made Appams.

Sweatha made cutlets, one food that always reminds you of train journeys.

Bread Alone

2009-11-29T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Judith Ryan Hendricks
Genre : Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Ann

Bread makes you happy. Bread makes you friends. Fresh baked bread, in short, can set most things right. It certainly heals the broken heart of our heroine Wynter. The novel, at first glance, is a typical story of a trophy wife about to be divorced looking for solace in a job that involves baking bread. But there is depth of feeling here. And there is nuance that makes "Bread Alone" a little bit more than yet another romance.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Ann makes Cranberry Walnut Short Scones. Also read her review.

Aqua takes the "halve the yeast" message from the book and makes a white bread.

Bhagyashri makes cherry scones.

Janaki tries "halve the yeast" too for her whole wheat bread.

Sheba bakes Patty's Cake.

Simran bakes a sourdough loaf.

Sweatha makes Swirled Nutella Scones.

The Hindi Bindi Club

2009-10-25T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Monica Pradhan
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Aparna

The book trails the lives of three Indian women who emigrated to the US years ago as either trailing spouses, or in the pursuit of higher education. The book intertwines their lives and their constant sentimental pangs to go "home" with the lives of their adult daughters, who grew up in the USA and face the inevitable culture shock of being Indian, but also of not being Indian, but rather American.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Ann makes Uma's Bengali Grilled Salmon. Also check out her review.

Aparna also picked a recipe by Uma and makes chocolate sandesh truffles, complete with a chocolate drizzle.

Aqua made Saroj's Punjabi samosas.

Janaki read the book but didn't get around to cooking from it.

Jaya makes Meenal's kheer.

Simran also gets inspired by Uma and makes chocolate sandesh truffles.

Eat Cake

2009-09-27T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Jeanne Ray
Genre : Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Jaya

Cake can set most things right. At least for Ruth, heroine of "Eat Cake" by Jeanne Ray, the book our club is reading this month. She bakes when she's happy or sad or stressed. Basically, cakes are the ultimate comfort for Ruth. And then she uses these cakes to actually set things right with her life.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Ann makes the pistachio cake.

Aqua writes a review and recaps some gorgeous baking experiments.

Jaya reads the book and writes a fabulous review, although she did not have the patience to create one of the complicated cakes.

Simran bakes a Tropical Almond Cake.

Sweatha bakes an easy microwave version of the carrot cake.

Pomegrante Soup

2009-08-30T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Marsha Mehran
Genre : Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Rachel

Marsha Mehran's Pomegrante Soup is a story of three Iranian sisters who escape the revolution, flee to London, then land up in an Irish village where they set up a cafe. The book is replete with references to food, and has plenty of drama thrown in both as a clash of cultures and the memories haunting from the past.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aqua makes the refreshing dugh.

Jaya makes this gorgeous lentil soup.

Simran made Lavash.

Sweatha makes the Pomegranate Soup itself.

The Space Between Us

2009-07-26T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Thrity Umrigar
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Dee

Set in Mumbai, Thrity Umrigar's book is a story of ties that bind a widow and her household help of many years. The book draws you in with it's mature and sensitive portrayal of these two lives, the complex relationships that divide them and the events that bring this divide to fore.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aqua made Vegetable Dhansak.

Dee made Akuri, the traditional Parsi scrambled eggs breakfast.

Jaya made mint tea.

Simran made a trip to Juhu Beach to eat Bhelpuri.

Sweatha made Tofu Akuri.

The Shadow of the Wind

2009-06-28T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Genre : Fiction - Mystery/Thriller
Picked by : Aqua

Originally published in Spanish, this is a book about a book and it's troubled author. It's also a coming of age story for our protagonist who discovers the book as a child, on his first visit to the cemetery of forgotten books.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aqua came up with Spanish Omelette, inspired from a much-loved scene in the book.

Simran made a Sinful Hot Chocolate.

Sweatha made the very Spanish Patatas Bravas with Sangria.

Five Quarters of the Orange

2009-05-31T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Joanne Harris
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Siri

The last book in Joanne Harris' food trilogy, Five Quarters of the Orange is a book about the irreversibility of what wars bring. This is also a book about the most merciless and selfish of the human tribe : the children, whose world so focuses on what they want and need that they shut out the consequences. Some would say they don't know better. Maybe Framboise, our nine year old heroine, did not. But then she returns as a sixty year old to the village of her childhood, to a place scarred by what happened many, many years ago.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aqua made Chicken Stew.

Simran was too lazy this month and just posted a review.

Sweatha made Framboise's Buckwheat Orange Pancakes.

A Jane Austen Special

2009-04-26T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Jane Austen
Genre : Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Bhags

Jane Austen's six novels, romantic fiction set among the English gentry, have made one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature. This month, we picked our favorite Austen to read.

Recipes that Jane Austen Inspired:

Aparna chose to read Emma and made that English tea time favorite : Crumpets.

Aqua picked Pride & Prejudice and was inspired to make Butter Cake and Masala Chai.

Bhags, our hibernating founding member is back with a review post.

Emma inspired Rachel to bake an Apple Tart.

Simran read Emma and was inpired to bake a Tropical Fruit Tart.

Sweatha made Baked Apples, one of the few dishes actually mentioned in Emma.

Blackberry Wine

2009-03-29T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Joanne Harris
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Simran

Blackberry Wine is the second book of Joanne's food trilogy. The book flips back and forth in time. Between three summers in mid-seventies that a teenaged Jay Mackintosh spent with Jackapple Joe, ex-miner and amateur gardener/winemaker who brings a little of everyday magic to Jay's life. And a time in Jay's life some 20 years later as a has-been writer who is struggling to find himself. A time when Joe enters his life again, in form of six bottles of Joe's fruit wines.

Recipes that Blackberry Wine Inspired:

Simran made Strawberry Preserves.

Siri took the French route and made Savory French Breakfast Muffins.

Sweatha followed Jackapple Joe and made Crushed Potatoes.

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding

2009-02-22T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Agatha Christie
Genre : Fiction - Mystery/Thriller
Picked by : Harini

Adventures of a Christmas Pudding is a collection of six short stories. This is one of Christie's non-murder books. Well, murders do happen, but not in every story. Yet, each of the six stories is totally gripping. Five of six feature the quirky Hercule Poirot, whose passion for order and neatness borders on obsession. And for the final entree, we have Miss Marple, the entirely adorable old lady who is an equally great detective.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aparna made a cute Polka Dot Pudding.

Harini made a real Christmas Pudding.

Simran made a Chocolate Pecan Pudding.

Sweatha made a Quick Blackberry Tart.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2009-01-25T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Roald Dahl
Genre : Fiction - Fantasy
Picked by : Sweatha

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a fantasy story of young Charlie Bucket who wins a trip to Willy Wonka's extraordinary chocolate factory. Willy Wonka, the factory's owner, is quite a character and equally fabulous is the dream world that he has built. Dahl had concealed lots of morals in the book - what with all the other children who accompany Charlie on this trip falling prey to one of their faults and Charlie, the virtuous one, winning the factory as a grand prize. But what always fascinates is the world Willy Wonka created inside this factory - chocolate rivers, Oompa-Loompas and that most amazing glass elevator that moves all-ways.

Recipes that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Inspired:

Harini made Puffed Rice Balls.

Rachel made Chocolate Almond Bars.

Simran made Chocolate Truffles.

Sweatha made truffles too.

Anne of Green Gables

2008-12-28T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Lucy Maud Montgomery
Genre : Fiction - Humour
Picked by : Srimathi

Anne comes to the green gables house as a scrawny yet lively orphan girl. The brother-sister duo adopting her are at first shocked at getting a girl instead of a boy, but Anne's charm is hard to resist. With her unruly way, Anne commits several blunders but ends up becoming a favorite of whoever she comes in contact with.

Recipes that Anne Inspired:

Aparna made Baking Powder Biscuits.

Simran made Chocolate Cake.

Siri made Oatmeal Cocunut Cookies.

Sweatha made Chocolate Pudding.

Alice in Wonderland

2008-11-30T00:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Lewis Carroll
Genre : Fiction - Fantasy
Picked by : Aparna

It's hard to say if Alice in Wonderland is a very popular fairytale written by Lewis Carroll, or the biggest piece of literally nonsense ever written. What's easy to say is that the book has the power to mesmerize all readers, irrespective of their age.

Recipes that Alice Inspired:

Aparna made Orange Marmalade Cake.

Harini made Vegan Cheesecake Brownies complete with "Eat Me" tags.

Rachel made Sandwiches for Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

Simran made Playing Cards Cake.

Siri made Veggie Finger Sandwiches.

Sweatha made Chocolate Pudding Cake.

The Naughtiest Girl in the School

2008-10-26T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Enid Blyton
Genre : Fiction - Humour
Picked by : Rachel

The Naughtiest Girl in the School is one of the several school series Enid Blyton wrote. With vivid descriptions, the book brings to life a quintessential English boaring school called Whyteleafe. Equally close to life is our heroine Elizabeth, the girl with a heart of gold who's pretending to be naughty.

Recipes that the Book Inspired:

Aparna made Scottish Shortbread.

Rachel made a Chocolate Cake for Elizabeth.

Simran made Shortbread too.

Sweatha made Chocolate Nut Shortbread with Stewed Apples

A Harry Potter Special

2008-09-28T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : J.K. Rowling
Genre : Fiction - Fantasy
Picked by : Siri

J.K. Rowling has created a magical world in her seven books. When a common little boy makes his first trip across the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, he enters a magical world that is Hogwarts. There in the magic castle, he meets the half-giant Hagrid, the old wizard Dumbledore and the sorting hat. Seven years of school; seven books - and you could pick any of the seven to read.

Recipes that Harry Potter Inspired:
Aparna made a Vegetarian Shepherds Pie.

Bhags isn't blogging at this time but she comes out of her exile to write about Harry Potter.

Rachel made Harry's favorite Treacle Tarts.

Simran was travelling to Harry Potter's London and found some magical candy stores.

Siri made the very English Crumpets.

Srimathi brings the christmas magic alive with her Christmas Pudding.

Anita and Me

2008-08-31T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Meera Syal
Genre : Fiction - Drama
Picked by : Dee

A beautiful story by Meera Syal, a story of a punjabi Indian family trying to make a living in west Midlands, England. The struggle of this migrant family to uphold tradition and culture and imbibe whatever little they can becomes more acute when a young 9 year old Meera, growing up with her color, her friends and her insecurities in a mining village in a predominantly white community comes to worship Anita, her neighbor.

Recipes that the book Inspired:

Dee made Gobi and Paneer Bhurji.

Simran made Rajma Chawal.

Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog

2008-07-27T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Jerome K. Jerome
Genre : Fiction - Humour
Picked by : Bhags

Lets meet the three Victorian young men who are on an expedition in a boat on the river Thames. J, Harris and George, the three musketeers along with a Fox terrier, set on a voyage to sail through the river accompanied by the idiosyncrasies of each other and always finding themselves in situations, not far from the reality. The book is full of anecdotes which on second thought seem to be real, and happened with us or witnessed by us sometime or the other. The characters, even though fictitious put in us a feeling of knowing someone somewhere who is exactly the way described.

Recipes that the book Inspired:

Bhags made Rhubarb Tart.

Dee made Spicy Orange and Fig Jam.

Rachel made a Spiced Apple Tart.

Simran made Scrambled Eggs.

Siri made Fried Eggs with Baked Beans.

Chocolat

2008-06-29T23:05:00.000+05:30

Author : Joanne Harris
Genre : Fiction - Romance
Picked by : Simran

Joanne Harris’ Chocolat is a book about alchemy of sin, about life’s temptations, about choices that make us what we are. The vividly colorful story of a gypsy mother and daughter who make their home in a sleepy french village. The relationships they form, their friends, their rivals, the memories that come back to haunt them - all of these come alive in Harris' telling.

Recipes that Chocolat Inspired:

Simran made Pain Au Chocolat.

So did Bhags. Well, great minds think alike!

The Story of This Book Makes Me Cook

2008-05-24T23:05:00.000+05:30

In May 2008, Bhags came up with an idea to celebrate her blog's first anniversary. Combining her twin passions of food and books, she invited her readers to try and cook, not from a cookbook, but from novels and books they read. For those who didn't read books, she asked to bring in a dish inspired from a movie.

Foodies sent 12 entries for the first ever This Book Makes Me Cook, nine of them inspired by books. Not surprisingly, half the entries were inspired by food lovers' childhood memories of Enid Blytons. Also not surprising was the Agatha Christie insprired entry that Simran sent in (Bhags herself picked a more serious and contemporary Kite Runner).

Simran enjoyed this combination of reading and cooking so much she decided to do it every month, picking a new book each time. So did Bhags, all excited when Simran shared the idea with her. Simran picked the first book; her favorite Chocolat.

As the two of them wrote about the club, more book lovers asked to join. And then another, and yet one more...the rest, as they say, is history!

Know Our Members

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Bhags, the original brain behind This Book Makes Me Cook (and designer of that cool logo, incidentally) used to blog at Crazy Curry. She's taking a break from blogging at the moment.

Simran, a 30-something Punjabi girl has made Mumbai her home and blogs at Bombay Foodie. Combining her twin passions of cooking simple, yet flavorful food and reading A LOT of books, Simran came up with the idea of turning Bhags' event into a book club.

Rachel blogs at Tangerine's Kitchen.

Siri blogs at Siri's Corner.

Dee's currently on a break from Ammalu's Kitchen.

Aparna, a stay-at-home mom to a 14 year old, blogs at My Diverse Kitchen. They are a vegetarian family who love good food and good books! Cooking from the books ensures that she gets to do two of her favorite things, read and cook!!

Srimathi, the Foody Guru, is the brain behind Few Minute Wonders.

Harini, the Sunshine Mom, isn't reading much at the moment. But do check out her lovely space at Tongue Ticklers.

Sweatha, a bookworm who never wanted to cook, who hated curry leaf and always wasted it, finds herself experimenting with food at Tasty Curry Leaf

Aqua blogs at Served with Love.

Jaya blogs at Desi Soccer Mom.

Ann is the Split Pear-sonality on a cooking journey.

Janaki aka Bluespriite blogs at Let's Eat Healthy.

Sheba is the wandering soul of Fork Boots and Palette.

Bhagyashri blogs at Taste Buds.

PJ blogs at Ginger & Garlic.

Jayasri blogs at Samayal Arai Cooking.

Pamela is the Cooking Ninja.

Adele blogs at Will Work for Biltong.

Marisa blogs at The Creative Pot.

Janki, the Trade Joe fan, blogs at Oeufs Mayonnaise. She lives in Bombay and likes pumpkins and baking.

Unnati is the spirited nut.

Jessica is The Literary Foodie.

Jude blogs at Jude's Juice.

Adriane blogs at Local Foodie.

Gayathri blogs at My Pressure Cooker.

Roshni blogs at The Doux Project. She is an avid cake blogger, ogler, eater, admirer and self-confessed bookworm.

Sarita blogs at The Clean Toothpick.

FAQs

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Who can become a member?

Anyone who enjoys reading and cooking is welcome to join. Please send a mail to Simran at bombayfoodie(at)gmail(dot)com and she will sign you up.

What do I need to do if I am a member?

You have to read the book of the month, cook a dish inspired by the book and post your review and the recipe on your blog.

When can I sign up?

Anytime you like. If you have enough time left that month, you can start reading with us right away. If you become a member towards the end of the month, you can always read the next book.

When do I post the book review?

On the first Saturday of the following month. So, for the March book, you will post the review on the first Saturday in April.

How do you pick THE BOOK?

Every month, we call on one of the members to send in a list of their 3-4 favorite books. This list is then sent to the other members, who vote on what they would like to read the next month. The book with the highest votes goes on to become the book of the month.

What do I cook?

Whatever the book inspires you to. It could be an actual dish mentioned in the book, or something that's related to the theme or the story of the book. Just use your imagination.

Do I need to read a book every month?

We would certainly love that. However, we understand that life takes over sometime and it's perfectly all right to miss a month, or two. Just keep in touch - this book club is about friendships, not rules.

I don't have a blog. Can I still sign up?

Of course! You can post a picture of the dish on your flickr page too. Or just let Simran know and she will add your entry right here on this blog.