My recipe book obsession is already well documented on this blog {here and here}, but I’ve never written about this subject from a seasonal perspective. As the food I cook and eat changes quite dramatically with the seasons, this really is a gross oversight on my part.

I’m not perfect, but I do strive to use seasonal ingredients wherever possible and keep my food miles to a minimum. Eat the Seasons is a great resource if you’re keen to do the same and I also love Cookie and Kate’s Monthly Seasonal Produce Guides {just bear in mind that she’s writing from an American perspective}.

Although it feels like summer is slipping away far too quickly, there’s still time to enjoy the food and flavours that pervade at this time of year. The books I’ve listed below should help you do exactly that…

• Delia Smith’s Summer Collection*

Now out of print and only available second-hand, this book was a stalwart of my mother’s kitchen in the mid-90s. While much of Delia’s writing feels horrendously dated and more than a little bit patronising, the recipes included in the Summer Collection are true classics that I’m yet to tire of.

Be sure to try: Piedmont Roasted Peppers, Fried Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Vinaigrette, Roasted Tomato Salad, Californian Grilled Fish with Quick Coriander and Lime Tartare Sauce, Pasta Puttanesca

• The 5 O’Clock Apron: Proper Food For Modern Families*

While this book is packed full of recipes that can be enjoyed all year round, and particularly in the depths of winter, much of the food and the photographs peppered throughout conjure up images of long, lazy summer evenings filled with al fresco family dining. I love Claire’s approach to cooking for kids and I intend to be first in-line when her next book, The Art of the Larder, is released in 2017.

Be sure to try: Easy Peasy Rose Ice Cream, Summery Fattoush, Squashed Courgettes, Slaw

• Honey & Co: Food From the Middle East*

Earlier this year, I visited a Lebanese restaurant for the first time {Pomegranate Kitchen on Oxford’s Cowley Road}. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, it was a life-changing meal. Up until then, my only real experience of Middle Eastern fare was the odd pot of houmous and the ubiquitous ‘dirty kebab’ at the end of drunken nights out.

Had I known I was missing out on such incredible flavours and some of my favourite ingredients prepared in such a delicious way, I would have started looking for the best Middle Eastern recipe books much, much sooner.

Keen to recreate what I’d sampled in Oxford in my own kitchen, I headed straight to Google where this brightly coloured book appeared repeatedly in my search results. Although it’s not something I tend to reach for when planning our everyday meals, I think it’s great for weekends when you’ve got a little more time to spare. The chapters on mezze, salads and light suppers are perfect for this time of year.

Be sure to try: Baba Ganoush, Mujadra with Salad and Tahini, Vegetarian Moussaka, Savoury Cheesecake

• Forever Summer*

This book has been part of my collection since my late teens and it’s food-splattered pages are a testament to how useful it’s been. When it comes to summer entertaining, it’s always the first thing I reach for, and the chapter on ice-creams inspires me in new ways year after year.

Be sure to try: Greekish Lamb Pasta, Coconut and Chilli Salmon Kebabs, Slow-Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken, Braised Little Gems, Anglo-Italian Trifle, White Chocolate Almond Cake, Margarita Ice-Cream

• Ice Kitchen: 50 Lolly Recipes*

Homemade ice-lollies are a summer tradition around here. Although the children are perfectly happy when I throw a few Frubes in the freezer, a couple of years ago I was keen to recreate the rather sexy specimens I’d seen on Pinterest. Along with a fancy ice-lolly mould* and a lifetime supply of lolly sticks, I ordered this book. It’s been a firm favourite ever since. Packed full of top tips and tricks, it contains innovative recipes and mind-blowing flavour combinations that will tantalize the taste buds of kids and grown-ups alike.

Be sure to try: Mojito, Chocolate, Peaches and Cream

• Which recipe books do you reach for at this time of year? What’s your favourite season for food and drink?

Love Audrey xxx

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