Jackie Cameron Cooks At Home headlines with the promise of providing simple and delectable home cooking recipes and is divided into breakfast, morning tea, condiments, home-cooked meals, restaurant food made easy, savoury snacks and sweets. First off I have to state that I did not like the way that the recipes were laid out on the page. They are bottom aligned, leaving large white spaces between the recipe title and the recipe itself. This is something my OCD eye cannot relate to. The photographs however are amazing and make me want to try quite a few of the recipes. For breakfast options there are bubble and squeak blinis with mini mince balls and fresh vegetable confetti (page 4) as well as a more simple stewed dried fruit with vanilla bean and cinnamon cream (page 8). A friend makes his own stewed fruit and I am going to make him this recipe and give it to him as a gift. From the breakfast section I made the home made raisin filled rusks (page 14) and they were so fantastic I have already adapted the recipe to make my own version. Jackie also includes her recipe for a health loaf (page 28) which I am going to make when time is on my side.

For morning tea there are freshly baked scones with home made mixed berry jam (page 36) which I will be making for this years’ National Scone Week. I made the crêpes filled with orange infused chocolate mousse (page 40) and I had enough chocolate mousse left over to eat as dessert the following evening. The crêpes needed a bit more of the Cointreau than Jackie used but this could be up to personal taste. I don’t quite see the need for a recipe for cucumber sandwiches (page 43) but then again, maybe people cannot work out how to make these without a recipe? I was interested to see that Jackie has a recipe for spicy tomato and onion relish (page 53) in the book which differs to mine. This recipe is one of my most viewed on the blog. She also has a recipe for a basic basil pesto (page 55), olive tapenade (page 57) as well as home-made mayonnaise (page 58) which uses 6 egg yolks. Mine uses one whole egg and is excellent so I won’t be trying this recipe.

The potato salad (page 64) sounds absolutely delicious and one I am going to try next time we have an afternoon braai. Another recipe I am going to try is the one for burger bun rolls (page 69). Jackie’s recipe for chef’s macaroni and cheese (page 70) includes coconut cream which I find an intriguing twist on the original dish. I often hear chef’s making vitello tonnato (page 74) and I am glad to see the recipe in the book as well as the classic veal osso bucco with gremolata (page 80). It is great to be exposed to recipes that are made in restaurants and I look forward to trying the pear custard ice cream (page 90) as well as the duck confit spring rolls (page 102). However, I am not sure how a recipe for devilled eggs avo ritz (page 111) features under the section restaurant food made easy?

The recipe for braai grilled camembert (page 116) disappointed in that it did not include any weights but the taste was good! It is the dessert section of any recipe book that always catches my eye, and this one starts with pecan nut praline parfait with fresh berry sorbet (page 126) which is bright pink on the page. There is an abundance of sorbet and ice cream recipes and I shall be giving some of them a try. I might even give the nougat (page 137) and marshmallow (page 140) recipes a try.
Other than the layout of Jackie Cameron Cooks At Home, I consider this recipe book excellent with recipes for every person and palate. I would recommend buying it, even though there might be a handful of recipes you already have or know.
Publishing information:
ISBN 9780143530671
Disclosure: I was sent the book to review by Penguin Books South Africa. I was not required to write a positive review. This disclaimer is in line with my blogging policy.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – Chocolate Semifreddo
- two years ago – Chocolate And Berry Swiss Roll
- three years ago – Sable Grape Sauce
A great review of this cookbook, it looks full of delicious recipes! I am especially intrigued by the chocolate mousse crepes 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
The crepes are so worth making 🙂
Such an awesome thorough review! Those crepes are definitely calling to me.
Thank you Joanne, and maybe you can make the crepes for Friday night?
That crepe looks wonderful and I still remember the fierce craving I had for your “grilled cheese!”
I hope you satisfied the craving Squishy!
The raisin filled rusks sound like ideal comfort food. 🙂
I love rusks and I am planning on creating some new combinations this year 🙂
I’d eat that Orange-Infused Chocolate Mousse with a spoon! Yum!
It was yum indeed Pamela 🙂
Sounds like a winner of a book Tandy.
Have a super afternoon.
🙂 Mandy xo
And you too Mandy 🙂
Tandy, the recipes sound good, but isn’t it a shame when format ruins a good cookbook! I have one beautiful cookbook, but the text is too faint to read, drives me crazy!
That would drive me scatty as well – especially with my ‘getting old’ eyes 🙂
Wow!
So many yummy dishes. I would never have thought to put brie straight on the grill!
I am going to do it the next time we have people over for a BBQ for the cheese course 🙂