What a delight for families with children! Tails of Tangleby Gardens combines a whimsical story with 40 recipes suitable for children to make.
We follow the story of two newly married rabbits, Montgomery and Marmalade, who have to escape their cosy warren in Christchurch when it is demolished by a big yellow digger. They are forced to move from the city and start a new life elsewhere. Along the way, they encounter friends and many adventures, and in every part of the story, Marmalade shares her recipes.
There is a picnic with Strawberry Ice Cream, Fairy Bread and Banana, Blueberry and Chocolate Muffins. Later on, they enjoy Vegetable Owl and Dips, and Chocolate Crunch Bars. In chapter three, they enjoy Corn Chowder Soup and Southland Cheese Rolls. For dinner, there is a Sausage Casserole, Roast Potatoes and Glazed Carrots. They have Crispy Cornflake Chicken, Curried Pasta Salad and Easy Cheese Bread for another dinner. There are a perfect blend of savoury and sweet dishes throughout the book.
The author has a passion for cooking, gardening and children, and these loves shine through in this gorgeous hardback. It has a slightly retro feel with the illustrations, story and recipes. The illustrations are suitably dreamy and in a soft colour palette to complement the story. The recipe images are fun, a blend of photography of the dish with illustrations of the various creatures added.
Tails of Tangleby Gardens is a unique and enchanting book. The story has a gentle, magical quality, and the recipes are graded from very easy, to easy, to some skill required, so suitable for young cooks of different abilities. There is even a QR code that can be downloaded, but I actually like the idea of the book being used in the kitchen, even if it does end up with a bit of food on it!
I predict Tails of Tangleby Gardens will be a huge hit with families and will undoubtedly encourage a love of storytelling and cooking.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Auckram Publishing