Friday Flashback – Feasting Karen Martini

Hello, my name is Jenny and I have a problem – when I find a cookbook author I enjoy, I must have all the books they have written. My obsession with Karen Martini made that feat quite expensive – those darn Australian books! I blame all of this on Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamini. Yes, that is correct, those two superstar chefs in this article from 2013 and these words written about their recipe for Roasted cauliflower and hazelnut salad, “This salad is inspired by a recipe from a brilliant Australian chef and food writer, Karen Martini”, sealed my fate.

Karen is the author of the following titles: Cooking at Home, Everyday, Feasting, Home, Karen Martini, New Kitchen, Salads & Vegetables and Where the Heart Is. All of her books are vibrant, beautiful and full of creative and innovative recipes but today, I will share some information on one of my favorites, Feasting.

A feast represents comfort, plentiful food and drink, and a gathering of people around the table of family and friends. I do think this need to comfort and feed people comes from my upbringing. We never had people to our home for any meals and I was often alone in an abusive situation. Sharing happiness and comfort in the form of feeding those we love are all things we all crave and for me is a form of healing.

Karen’s book Feasting is pure joy organized somewhat seasonally and by type of celebration. Starting with a Family Winter Dinner, to an Asian Banquet, to a Hot Summer Night feast, and ending with a Christmas Buffet Extravaganza with many more feasts sandwiched in between, makes this an ideal book for the entertainer. It is such a beautiful book chock full of comforting meals including  Orecchiette with parsley, almond paste, vongole and chorizo (which was the inspiration for my dinner yesterday), Roast rack of lamb with capsicum, tomatoes on the vine and smashed broad beans, and Roast chicken stuffed with parsley, hazelnuts and butter.

Karen’s books are all keepers and can be expensive to collect as the price of books and shipping are higher from Australia but oh so worth it for what they bring to the table.

I have located a few event dates for the author and have added them to our calendar. For more information on Karen, her work, her restaurants and more see her website.  I’m hoping to share a #cookbookstackup post about Karen’s personal cookbook collection and am waiting to hear back from her team.

Enjoy a feast this weekend with those you love.