Bill’s Basics

Classics made simple enough?

Here at Thrifty Gobbler we love Bill Granger. But only in book form. We don’t want to look in on his sun-bleached existence, talk to his children, or sit patiently as he guides us through a stir-fry. It’s just all a bit too wholesome for our cynical, impoverished outlook.

His books are a different matter. Feed Me Now, and Sydney Food are firm favourites in the Gobbler kitchen, so the arrival of a new title, claiming to feature ‘100 classic recipes made simple,’ pricked our ears immediately. We skim through the blurb and, in amongst the waffle, learn that this is to be a book of much-loved basics to cover every occasion, from a quick breakfast to a romantic dinner for two. The recipes are categorized – Baking, Breakfast, Soup etc. – and in amongst the French onion soup, pancakes, and Kedgeree, we’re delighted to find a few curvier balls, such as Tom Yum and Laksa.

The pictures are hunger-summoning as ever, but the real beauty only becomes apparent when you go to tackle a recipe. Bill’s knack, not only for delicious food, but for making it achievable to the everyday gobbling pleb is unrivalled. The instructions are concise and easy to follow, the ingredients (usually) easy to find, but the results will make you wonder why you ever bothered hammering salmon on croot (sic.) into Google – Bill’s Basics are much easier on the brain.