by Jessica, Georgia and Maxine Thompson
Family meals have always played a significant role in the lives of the Thompson sisters - Jessica, Georgia and Maxine. So much so that they created a blog, thebookerycook.com, to celebrate their love of food. Instead of photographing their chosen dishes, however, they made contact with artists all over the world, who supplied dedicated artworks, in a huge variety of styles and media, to illustrate the recipes. This book will appeal to lovers of art as much as lovers of food, and will find its place equally in the kitchen or on the coffee table.
About the sisters
Jessica, Georgia and Maxine Thompson share a love of cooking and sharing food. They were raised in Queensland on a tropical hinterland farm, and have lived in Melbourne, Brisbane, New York, now residing in London and Tokyo. Their blog, The Bookery Cook, explores cooking, creativity and community.
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PALATE—Food palettes
After cooking dinner for friends one night - a Mexican banquet - some drawings of the meal emerged. Little sketches were done on napkins, each showing something different about the meal - a chilli bush dripping pearls of sweat, a towering stack of tortillas, a cactus field and their sunset shadows, a bowl full of lime wedges on a floral tablecloth. We loved how the sketches created narratives beyond the plate, so we decided to explore this further with The Bookery Cook and PALATE.
L-R: Beetroot & Goats Cheese Risotto by Belinda Suzette, Dolmades by Naomi Lees Maiberg, Earl Grey teacake by Mump, Homemade Baked Beans by Numskull, Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs with Caper Salsa by Femke de Jong
Explorations in food and form
Each edition features 13 recipes coupled with especially-crafted illustrations by artists from around the world. The works vary greatly in style and content, from figurative watercolours to abstract digital collages, lifting recipes of the pages and into the imagination.
But first,
let’s
eat!
PALATE Issue One
Almond Milk Porridge with Figs, Warmed Honey and Thyme illustrated by Karolina Burdon // Crab Crepes illustrated by Atelier Bingo // Crumpets illustrated by Joe Baker // Sugar-cured Ocean Trout with Beetroot and Pistachio Cream illustrated by Ines Longevial // Squid Tentacle Burger on Black Buns illustrated by Jay Barnham // Beetroot Soup with Chocolate Bread illustrated by Thembi Hanify // Rare Beef with Oyster Mayonnaise illustrated by Ellie Foreman-Peck // Marbled Ravioli with Peppered Ricotta, Cherry Tomato and Sage Butter Sauce illustrated by Ky Anderson // Seafood Gumbo by Victoria Topping // Shredded Beef Tortillas with Grilled Peppers & Crema illustrated by Max Berry // Pineapple and Licorice Cupcakes illustrated by Stanislas Piechaczek // Chickpea, Chocolate and Rum Cake illustrated by Billie Justice Thomson // Smoked Sugar Macarons with Salted Chocolate Ganache illustrated by Simona Pastore.
“Palate is nothing short of inspired! Each recipe works three ways, moving from precision to abstraction, from words and photographs to whimsical illustrations from artists around the world. The foods circle the globe, too, as they capture tastes of both comfort and sophistication. I can’t wait to see the second edition!” - Darra Goldstein, author and food scholar
“I chose this dish for this mixture of pistachio and sugar that is not only visual beautiful but seemed so good ! A perfect mixture of flavor, texture and color. I wanted to simplify the maximum forms.” - Ines Longevial (Paris, France), Sugar-cured ocean trout with Pistachio cream and beetroot
“Looking at these macaroons took me to the highest level of dreaming! I developed a thousand analogies. At first I thought they seemed like boobies or earrings, but then, thinking about the structure, the image appeared.. Sugar domes! And which if not Brunelleschi’s dome?!” - Simone Pastore (Milan, Italy), Smoked Sugar Macarons with Chocolate Ganache
“The ingredients are so unique that I thought about showing them off individually, which is why the Illustration is more of a deconstructed version (imagine an Ikea furniture manual for a burger). This recipe, to me, is very fun and full of flavour and great for parties, so I wanted to keep the art bright and exciting to reflect this.” - Jay Barnham (London, UK), Squid Tentacles on Squid Ink Bun
PALATE Issue Two
Corn Cakes with Pancetta, Fried egg, Green Harissa illustrated by Hyesu Lee // Toast with Peperonata and White Anchovies illustrated by Gio Pastori // Whole Wheat and Chia Waffles with Caramelised Pears, Butterscotch and Creme Fraiche illustrated by Shawna-X // Fennel seed, Sesame Seed Cookies illustrated by Emiko Isobe // Almond soup with Crisp Brussels Sprouts and Black Garlic illustrated by Courtney Knight // Eggplant Donburi with Japanese Pickles illustrated by Anna Vu (Good Food Crap Drawing) // Pomegranate Molasses Braised Lamb, Mixed Grain and Kale Pilaf, Labneh illustrated by Paul Windle// Sake and Miso Butter Clams with Soba Noodles illustrated by Driton // Salad of Crispy Rice, Confit Shallots, Charred Onions illustrated by Sofia Solamente // Herb Ravioli with Duck Sauce illustrated by Barry P // Polenta Cake with Peaches Poached in Moscato and Bay, Sour Custard illustrated by Karolina Burdon // Rose Ice Cream, White Chocolate Shortbread, Sherbet illustrated by Alessandra Genualdo // Dark Chocolate and Burnt Butter Tart illustrated by Merjin.
