Researching what makes a good cookery book in Waterstones

It's been a great day and I've learnt so much in Waterstones in Milton Keynes. I was warmly greeted by with Lisa the manager and Annette the floor manager, who came over to the till saying she’d spotted me the cake lady on the CCTV and came straight downstairs to see me. I loved meeting them both. What Annette doesn’t know about recipe books isn’t worth knowing - after 8 years she knows a thing or two, and she was kind enough to chat to me on the Audioboo.

Coming from a Marketing background is a real plus in life. The thing about writing any book is that you have to know who is going to buy it. Target market sweetie. The biggest disasters I’ve made in life are when I’ve rushed into things without checking the market, and doing proper research. Writing a book is no different. As we (the publishers and the book designer and my PR manager) are refining the book cover and the blurb and the final exacting detail that will attract the readers it is essential to get it right. Putting together a public relations campaign to get people interested in the book means everything has to be right. The colour, the tone, the words, the photos and the message has to be sending the same message. What is the message? well for me it has to say .. pick me up! As an unknown Author this book is going to be sitting on the shelves next to the big boys ( and girls ) of the cookery world. The hairy bikers, the Jamie oliver offering, the Delia's latest and of course being a K in the alphabet I may well get to snuggle up to an L on the shelf ... Nigella's an L .. I can think of worse people to be cosy with!

So I had to check the detail. The choice of colour (It’s eye catching!) and the words on the bi line. So I spent today speaking to anyone and everyone that stepped foot in the recipe section.

The results .. well I had a few surprises .. and some seriously super findings. I have to collate the information and I’m doing a few more questionnaires to round up the numbers.. but can I tell you now .. we are definitely on the right track.

As soon as the results are collated I’ll be back to the blog to share all !

Publish PostSee and download the full gallery on posterous

RECIPE TESTER REQUEST Slow Roast Belly of Pork with Orange and Cloves

Slow Roast Belly of Pork with Orange and Cloves

Please can any food Bloggers who would like to test and be involved in tweaking these recipes please get in touch with me 

recipes@VanessaKimbell.com

For more information go to www.prepped.co.uk

Pinching the props

I had no idea when I started out how hard it was going to be to write a recipe book. Indeed I had no appreciation of what goes into developing a recipe. I thought that it would be a simple thing. Cook it, write it down take a photo and hey presto a recipe. yes I know .. that is the process, but throw into that the other things. The exact measuring, the ingredients .. i.e. buying them all and not forgetting a small thing and having to cart off to the shops .. again. The weather. I need daylight to shoot and when it rains .. well there's no point in cooking. Then there the things you know how they should taste and you just can't quite seem to get the taste you want. I've made some recipe 6 times. and finally there the children. My three darling prop eaters. It can drive you mad I say ... I just can't tell you haw many times I've turned my back to find either the children or the cat eating the props !

Just 5 weeks and 5 days until i hand in the manuscript and the pressure is on.

Venison Burger with spiced Apple

Writing a recipe book for me is an adventure It’s exciting developing recipes and just this week I was kindly given some venison last week to develop a recipe with by Polly from Rutting Reds Venison near Daventry. It’s a delight to pick apples form the tree in my garden walk into the kitchen and cook them up to serve with local meat. The Venison is a treat - it’s tender, surprisingly juicy considering it’s a low fat meat and was so good it needed little adding to it at all. Aside from being utterly delicious venison is a healthy option because it is low in saturated fat and yet high in protein and iron. Ideal for people who want to watch their cholesterol but still have good red meat. Coupled with the slightly tart spiced apple it is a light fresh tasting burger and the apple compliments the rich natural flavor of the venison perfectly.

Makes 4 burgers

Spiced apple

250g of cubed cooking apple

30g caster sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1tbs garam masala

Burger

500g minced venison

4 tbs Bread Crumbs

3 tbs Worcester sauce

Large pinch of salt

Salad to dress

Method

1 For the Spiced apple place all the ingredients in a pan and bring the liquid to a light boil very gently simmer for about 3 minutes. Don’t be tempted to over do it. You are looking for firm chunks’ not mush. The Apple will continue to cook even as you take it off the heat, so leave the lid on and the apples will soften further with out losing their shape.

2 In the mean time place all the ingredients for the burgers into a bowl and mix together well. Form into 4 equal sized patties by squeezing the meat together gently in the shape of a burger. Venison doesn’t shrink in the same way beef does.. because of the low fat content, so make your patties the right size for the baps.

3 Cook your burgers under the grill for about 2 – 3 minutes each side. I like mine rare ..but judge how you like your meat. – don’t keep flipping you burger – these are home made and need to be treated gently.. just cook one side and turn to cook on the other.

4 Place the burgers onto the baps, with a handful of salad - top with the spiced apple and serve immediately.

For more information about Rutting Reds go to www.ruttingreds.com