Part 1: The story behind the cookbooks

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Books I love and use are spattered with food. I can’t keep them locked behind glass. They are living tools, part of my weekly and seasonal rountines. From left to right here are their stories:
1. The Organic Salad Garden reflects the fact that I have my own organic plot at the Vegout Community Garden in St Kilda (yes, I should have been at the working bee today). Stainfactor 2
2. The Alice B Toklas Cook Book, a present from my Mother. For some reason she thinks I’m some drugged out freak and this book is famous for its hash cookies. The truth is that weed makes me puke and no particular drug turns me on. Sorry, the truth is I’m a drunken freak. Yes, wine is my vice. Stainfactor 0
3. Madhur Jaffreys Indian Cookery. This must be near 20 years old but much older on the stainometer. Superb for vegetarian curries. In fact, this is the curry bible. Stainfactor 10
4. The Roux Brothers Cooking for Two. Favourites: garlic and Sorrel (it’s in my garden) soup and mango tarte tatin. Stainfactor 8
5. Alastair Little Keep it Simple. You can tell my English blood and that I spent a decade working in and around Soho. What a book should be; seasonal. Orvietto Chicken, Caesar Salad (without bacon or chicken bits), Fish Soup with Rouille, Sauternes and Olive Oil Cake. I’m only limited by the space. Stainfactor 10

6. Arabesque by Greg and Lucy Malouf. This book taught me to make a perfect Greek coffee spiked with spices. My ambitions for this beautifully designed book are greater than Stainfactor 5.
7. Moorish by Greg and Lucy Malouf. Or Arabesque light. Waxy Potato salad with chickpeas and chorizo, Rabbit Paella with chorizo and Hungarian peppers, Atlantic salmon grilled with fennel, lime and sumac, pumpkin and eggplant tagine with whole green chillis.Stainfactor 8.
8. Two Fat Ladies. Signed in Edinburgh by Clarissa Dickson Wright, “Keep it up Edward and happy cooking”, a present from home. My variation on fish pie inspired from here. Stainfactor 8.
9 My Gastronomy Nico Ladenis. Love the attitude on people who order gin & tonics and well done steak. Ice-cream, tartes fines aux pommes (that’s enough French, Ed), chocolate mouse. A bit fancy by today’s standards but has sentimental value making Stainfactor 6.
10. Nigella Bites, Nigella Lawson. Nice cleavage, shame about the recipes. Stainfactor: Book 0 Trousers 10.

Ed Charles is a journalist and digital consultant who spend the better part of the part two decades in Australia. He trained with IPC in London and has written for major international and national business and lifestyle titles. Establishing this blog in 2005, he was one of the first of a handful of food bloggers in Australia. He's spoken at the Melbourne Writers Festival and Emerging Writers Festival and has broadcasted regularly on food and digital media issues. He is currently writing a history of mankind told through food.

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