Book Review - "Terrine" by Stephane Reynaud and "Piri Piri Starfish" by Tessa Kiros

Stephane Reynaud is a French bloke - to quote the 'blurb' in the front: "a celebrated French chef who comes from a family of butchers". He has focussed on giving us many traditional and regional recipes in this book.

Being entitled "Terrines", it is indeed a celebration of terrines - of a variety I would never have imagined! He starts off with Vegetable Terrines - like Ratatouille Terrine, and Artichoke and Porcini Terrine, then moves on to your traditional terrines like Veal Terrine with Muscat, and Duck and Juniper Terrine, then he completes the meal with the likes of Strawberry and Fresh Mint Terrine or Coffee Terrine.

I think we need to take our blinkers off in regard to what we classify as a 'terrine'. Prior to reading this book, I would have generalised a terrine by calling a 'meatloaf' a terrine of sorts. Having read this book, I think it looks like you can call many things a terrine - like a pate, or a loaf of something, or even a 'pile' (Haddock and Puy Lentil Terrine) of something edible in a glass.
I read this book in tandem with his previous book entitled "Pork and Sons" - which obviously contains squillions of pork and related recipes.

I can see a guy like our Lee Christmas absolutely drooling over the recipes in both books, as Stephane is obviously passionate about his subject. And I know the French love to use everything in their cookery, and abhor waste, so the recipes I rapidly shut the book on (the Pigs Ears, or the Parfait of Pigs Liver and Muscatel) would fill a Frenchperson with pure glee.

I myself tend to veer more on the side of seafood and vegetables so unfortunately it was pretty wasted on me. Having said that though, I know my dad would love either book like Lee would, so I would tend to buy it as a present for Dad's Day or a birthday.

It retails for $45.

The other book I read was a Tessa Kiros book entitled "Piri Piri Starfish" ($59.95) - which is a compilation of recipes Tessa picked up while living and travelling in Portugal.

Tessa's previous books were "Twelve", "Falling Cloudberries" and "Apples for Jam". I only know the "Apples for Jam" book as my Nellie has a copy, and I have previously read it through trying to gain inspiration for meal time.

A lot of the recipes in "Piri Piri Starfish" contain that ubiquitous ingredient salt cod. It is used in many ways in lots of recipes here. The seafood thread continues with many recipes comprising various seafood ingredients, like prawns, octopus, clams etc. There are some excellent recipes in this book, and great suggestions for alternative seafood options other than the traditional ways we usually deal with seafood here in Tassie.

There are also some great desserts, like Churros, which I've eaten recently courtesy of Luke at Pecora - and which I absolutely LOVED.

So - this is a recipe book which I highly recommend for your collection. Either this one or the other I spied in the doorway display - the fabulous Maggie Beer's "Maggie's Harvest" - on special for $99.95.

Thanks so much to Dymocks for trusting me with these beautiful books, and allowing me to wade through them at my leisure, and even to try a recipe or two from them!