Notting Hill in London has become a fashionable neighborhood and one that the residents are proud of. One of its famous landmarks is the Books for Cooks bookstore where more than 8,000 titles are available. There are not many specialist cookery bookstores in the country and this store is an important part of the community.
Founded in 1983 by Heidi Lascelles, the current owners are Rosie Kindersley and French chef, Eric Treville. The business is so much more than a store and the owners and staff provide a service that goes beyond selling books. Customers enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and friendly welcome. They can browse the books whilst sitting on a sofa and take a break in the café at the rear of the shop.
Since 1995, the store has hosted cookery classes and workshops in the Books for Cooks demonstration kitchen. One of the teachers is co-proprietor Eric Treville and he is joined by talented cooks from Japan, Italy, the USA, the Lebanon, India and England. Some of these cooks are also respected food writers. Participants on the courses receive a recipe booklet pertaining to dishes on the course, a glass of wine and lunch or supper. The classes cover a wide range of subjects and the most popular ones are presented on a regular basis. Books for Cooks courses include cuisine from different countries, cooking techniques, how to entertain and cooking for Christmas.
The books on the shelves are not confined to recipe books and there are also titles on the history of food, food themed biographies, nutrition and art, sociology and chemistry books relating to food. Fiction with food as a subject is also available. Customers also enjoy the gourmet posters and cards. For anyone not in the London district, they can still obtain Books for Cooks stock. Books can be ordered to be delivered anywhere in the world and there are lists that compile specialist subjects to choose from.
The menu for the café changes every day and dishes are prepared with fresh produce from the nearby Portobello Market, a famous tourist attraction in the capital. The resident chefs try out recipes that appear in the books on the shelves and introduce them to the menu. The recipes that have proved the most popular have been placed in a series of Books for Cooks cookbooks with tips on how to make them. They are currently available in four volumes. Books for Cooks is a celebration of good food and can easily become a home from home!
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