A TASTE OF THE CAPITAL: MADE IN LONDON BY LEAH HYSLOP OUT THIS WEEK

Discover a new side to London in Leah Hyslop’s delectable new cookbook MADE IN LONDON, published on 17th May from Absolute Press. Filled with interesting histories, tasty recipes and guides to London’s vibrant food scene, MADE IN LONDON is the perfect gift for foodies and city-lovers alike.

From Tudor oyster pedlars and Victorian pie and mash shops, to the supper clubs and street food scene flourishing today, Britain's capital has always been a tantalising draw for those who live to eat.

In MADE IN LONDON, Londoner Leah Hyslop offers a joyful celebration of the city and its food, past and present. The book features recipes invented in the city; such as the 18th century treat Chelsea buns (a favourite of King George II) and Omelette Arnold Bennett, created for the famous writer while staying at the Savoy Hotel. Alongside these are new, exciting dishes, inspired by Leah's eating adventures around the capital: such as a mouthwatering Pimm's and lemon curd trifle, an unusual goat's cheese and cherry tart, and an easy twist on Indian restaurant Dishoom's iconic bacon naan, one of the best brunches in London. 

Interspersed with the recipes are short, entertaining histories and profiles about London's food scene, including the tale of the 18th century 'gin craze'; a profile of the East End's most beloved greasy spoon; and why Scotch eggs might have actually been invented in a London department store! Short shopping guides, lifting the lid on such pressing gastronomic questions as where to buy cheese, the city's most delicious chocolate shops, or the best cocktail bars for a nightcap (or two) are also featured. 

Beautifully illustrated with contemporary photographs of London, alongside vintage images sourced from historic archives, this is a book for anyone who has ever lived in, visited or simply dreamt of sipping a cocktail while watching red buses trundle by in the world's greatest city.

Leah Hyslop is a lifestyle writer and editor, specialising in food and drink. She spent seven years working at The Telegraph, where she looked after the newspaper's food and drink content and wrote a weekly column, Reader Recipes.

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Praise for MADE IN LONDON:

‘A passionate love letter to London and how it's become the most diverse, delicious and interesting city in the world.’ — Gizzi Erskine

‘This is just the book for London lovers from all over the world.’ — Melissa Hemsley

‘This book and its recipes are a true celebration of all the diversity and culture that make London the beautiful and vibrant city that it is.’ — Sabrina Ghayour

‘Food writer Leah Hyslop explores London's dynamic food scene in this beautifully designed book.’ — Great British Food Magazine

A TASTE OF BURMA: MIMI AYE’S COOKBOOK MANDALAY ACQUIRED BY ABSOLUTE PRESS

World rights (all languages) have been snapped up by Jon Croft, Publisher at Absolute Press for Burmese home cook and food writer MiMi Aye’s delectable new book MANDALAY: BURMESE FOOD & BEYOND from Juliet Pickering at Blake Friedmann Agency.

Set to be released in June 2019, MANDALAY offers a joyful celebration of the little-known cuisine of Burma, a.k.a. Myanmar, featuring over 100 simple but authentic recipes revealing the secrets of the Burmese kitchen. Full of dazzling dishes – from Burma’s national dish of mohinga, a fish chowder with rice noodles and lemongrass traditionally served at breakfast, to steamed fish in banana leaf, and lahpet thohk, a classic Burmese salad of pickled green tea – the book will demystify the unique flavours of Burma.

A passionate advocate for Burmese food, MiMi’s recipes will be interspersed with stories about Burmese culture and traditions, eating and serving customs, as well as typical menus and a glossary of ingredients and alternatives found closer to home – a must-read for everyone interested in Asian cuisine and culture.

MiMi Aye said, “Located in Southeast Asia, between Bangladesh and Thailand and near India and China, Burma’s cuisine is influenced by these neighbours, but also combines techniques and ingredients with flavours of its own to make something subtle, delicious and unique. I’m delighted to be sharing this multitude of flavours, scents, colours, and textures in my new book MANDALAY: BURMESE FOOD & BEYOND. We eat with all of our senses, and here we can indulge each and every one of them: the aroma from a bubbling pot of beef and lentil stew; the multi-coloured vision of a rainbow salad of carrots, potatoes, chillies and coriander; the sensation of rice noodles silky with a rich tomato and kaffir lime sauce; or the crunch of a handful of home-made paprika potato crisps.”

Jon Croft said, “I am thrilled that Absolute Press is to publish MiMi’s enchanting and accessible tour around the little-explored and delicious cuisine of Burma. MiMi is recognised as the go-to authority for Burmese food and the irresistible combination of wonderful family recipes coupled with her own personal stories brings Burma to life in all its culinary and cultural glory”.

MiMi’s first book NOODLE! 100 Great Recipes, a celebration of noodles and their versatility, was published by Absolute Press in 2014. In The Mail, Tom Parker-Bowles hailed it as ‘comprehensive, well written and fascinating’. Further recommended by The Telegraph, The Guardian, and Lonely Planet amongst others

About the author

British-born to Burmese parents, MiMi Aye has spent her whole life soaking up Burmese food, language, and culture through endless trips to see family and friends in Burma, as well as back at home. A passionate advocate for Burmese cuisine, she is the writer of www.meemalee.com, founder of supper club and community, Burmese Food and Beyond, and author of NOODLE! 100 Great Recipes (Absolute Press). MiMi has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Radio 4’s Food Programme, and BBC Two’s A Question of Taste, and her recipes have also appeared in METRO, The Evening Standard, Woman & Home and Red magazines.

She is featured as a chef on the Good Food Channel online, and her recipes have been featured on Channel 4

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MAKING WINTER: A Creative Guide to Surviving the Winter Months by Emma Mitchell published today

MAKING WINTER, Emma Mitchell’s highly-anticipated creative survival guide for cold and grey days, is published today in a beautiful illustrated hardback by Michael O’Mara.

From delicate silver jewellery, paper-craft decorations and crocheted mittens, to foraged infusions, delicious recipes and nature diaries, MAKING WINTER is filled with projects designed to fend off dreariness in the winter months. Step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs, shot at Emma's cottage in the Fens, take you through each project, so that even beginners can enjoy the mood-boosting benefits of a craft-filled winter and snuggle down in their own cosy paradise.

Emma Mitchell is a designer-maker, naturalist and illustrator who has written for the Guardian, Mollie Makes and Standard Issue magazine. In 2011 she began a project on her blog silverpebble, encouraging readers to use creative, cosy and cake-based ways to prevent winter from becoming three months of incessant greyness. In the winter of 2015/16 so many people joined in with the project #MakingWinter that it trended on Twitter several times.

MAKING WINTER is Emma’s first book and each of the projects and recipes is designed to boost mood on dreary days; she is passionate about the potential of both craft and contact with nature for combatting depression.

Emma lives on the edge of the Fens in Eastern England with her husband, two daughters, two guinea pigs, and dog. She records her daily nature finds with photographs and illustrations on her Instagram (@silverpebble2) and Twitter (@silverpebble). Emma invented the Comic Relief Crafternoon project which has raised significant amounts for brilliant causes through the UK's love of craft.

The book was launched yesterday evening at LOOP knitting shop, and Emma will be hosting a number of events over the winter months, including a workshop at Henley Festival on Sunday 8th October and at Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green on Friday 27th October.