Comfort: Food to Soothe the Soul
October 5, 2018 by JennyLike most bakers, I am a huge fan of The Great British Bake Off and so much so that I must have all the cookbooks released by the contestants. One of my favorite contestants is John Whaite who won the coveted cake plate in 2012, Season 3 of the show.
Comfort: Food to Soothe the Soul is John’s latest title and is the balm needed to heal whatever ailment might present itself – a hard day, a broken heart or frustration that we can’t watch the latest bake-off for another year!
All of the author’s titles are beautiful and happily on my bookshelf and Comfort is no exception. Stunningly photographed and filled with dishes that are approachable and cozy, this book is a keeper. It feels like home – I know that might be a strange description of a cookbook, but it is how I would describe the contents. A steamy bowl of soup or a plate of creamy risotto enjoyed by the fire watching a favorite show or movie all feels like home. Comfort, safety, feeling cared for and loved, that is what home means to me and that is how this book makes me feel.
The following recipes are available for our members to try now:
- Indian shepherd’s pie with a sag aloo top
- Mushroom, spinach and ricotta Yorkshire pudding
- Clementine and cardamom upside-down cake
- Marmalade on toast and tea puddings
- Pecan, cranberry and dark chocolate pie
When my friend, Ron at Kyle Books, asked if I would like to interview John for our members, I jumped at the chance. I had just watched Season 3 and John’s talent and charm were still fresh in my mind. I hope you enjoy John’s responses below.
Thank you, John, for taking time to answer a few questions for our Eat Your Books members. We are 200,000 cookbook lovers and many of us are fans of GBBO and yourself. Of all the contestants, you made me laugh the most.
That’s very sweet – thank you. I guess that’s better than making you cry the most 😉
So many exciting things have happened since your GBBO win! Forgive me if I ask a question or two about GBBO. Besides winning, of course, what was your best experience while competing?
It’s all a huge blur now, because it was over six years ago and at the time I was in the middle of law degree so I was utterly focused. With that focus, I think, came short term memory loss. I guess the most fun part (aside from winning – which actually wasn’t all that fun because it signaled the end of the experience) was the social aspect to it all. Cathryn and I would spend our evenings drinking prosecco and having a good laugh – which was such a welcome respite from the craziness of degree and competition.
What dish made in the tent failed that you thought was going to succeed and which dish was successful that you thought would be an utter failure?
My Torte Noir, which Mr. Hollywood dubbed as the ‘chocolate breezeblock’. I thought it was going to be a masterpiece, but it resembled nothing other than a giant chocolate slab from the builders’ yard. It tasted amazing, even Paul said so (and let’s face it, he doesn’t mince his words). But it was aesthetically challenged.
I didn’t think my gingerbread colosseum would ever come into being. I imagined it being as derelict as James’ barn, but I think something switched in me that week – my sense of competition outran my very reactive emotional side – and I just kept my head down and got on with it. It’s important to try and maintain emotions in competitions – I wish I had known that from the start.
I have all your books and find them inspirational. Your latest, Comfort, is filled with dishes that warm the soul and many of them have international flavors – Korean disco fries and Korean popcorn chicken – amazing. Do you enjoy using global influences in your recipes? What is your favorite international cuisine?
I do. I don’t feel at all tethered to the cuisine of my motherland, which probably says a lot about me. I am a traveler at heart, and food is an extension of who we are. So I suppose my tastes reflect, if not flow from, my sense of adventure. I’m not a nomad – I love my creature comforts – but I can’t hang around a place for too long or I get very twitchy.
I want to make every recipe in Comfort (and truthfully all your books) do you have an absolute favorite dish from Comfort? – Favorites from your other titles?
I always say: asking a cookbook author to pick a favorite dish is like asking a mother to pick her favorite child – we all know she has one, but it’s impertinent to ask. Though, to be honest, I seldom have time to revisit my recipes. By the time I’ve put one book to bed, I’m either developing recipes for the next, or for my cookery school. I do enjoy that side of the career, it’s ever changing, and while I hate the idea of food having trends, it does, so my ideas have to constantly evolve with those of the society as a whole. But I think, if I had to choose a recipe from Comfort, it would be Korean Fried Disco Chips, and my Marmalade and Tea Puddings to follow.
Which do you enjoy more – cooking or baking and why? Does one come easier to you than the other?
Baking I enjoy most because it’s therapeutic. It’s not mindless, and so it has a wonderful way of consuming my thoughts – which, as a deep-thinker, is something I’m in constant need of. It is my Prozac. But when I cook for my family (two hairy blokes and a scruffy mutt) I can’t help but feel grateful for them, and the fact I can nourish them with food is symbolic – food is the ultimate conveyor of love.
What are you plans for the next book?
Now that is round of cards I have to keep close to my chest… but it’s based on convenience with class.
How many cookbooks do you have in your collection? Which books are your favorites?
Well I’ve just had to put a load in the shed to make room for my law books – I’ve started training as a barrister just this week, and have been given a suitcase full of very heavy, boring books. I have about 1300 cookery books, some of them I never open, but I wouldn’t be without their spines shining down on me as I write my own.
Lastly, since we are cookbook lovers, what authors do you turn to for inspiration?
Oh the lot: Diana Henry, David Tanis, Ottolenghi, Bertinet, and Nigella. Claudia Roden is one of my favourites.
Special thanks to John Whaite for his time and to Kyle Books for arranging the interview as well as providing three copies of this wonderful book in our giveaway below.
The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and UK. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.
Which recipe in the index would you try first?
Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on November 27th, 2018.
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