Fuss free food

ALASTAIR HENDY’S name may not be familiar to many over here but readers of the Sunday Times who were devastated when his column was discontinued, are thrilled to find his lively prose now in The Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine.

He also writes in a myriad of other magazines and publications. I'm a fan and even more so since we met at Tasting Australia in Adelaide a couple of years ago. He and Kevin Gould, two culinary whizz kids, were so kind to me and included me in many of their trips and events even though I was old enough to be their granny.

Alastair is an entirely self-taught eclectic cook, passionate about food and the quality of ingredients. He has written for numerous magazines and presented a 20-programme series, No Meat Required, which was screened on Carlton Food Network. He takes beautiful photographs he's an inveterate traveler spending much of his time in India, South East Asia (Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Europe, USA, Central and South America and North Africa, all of which have influenced his eclectic cooking style.

His latest book, Home Cook, with more than 150 recipes, is described as an honest, fuss-free, up-to-the-minute, cookery bible that shows you how to magic a proper dinner with one hand, while downing a glass or two with friends with the other.

I found lots of really tempting recipes, from favourite comfort snacks, to exotic Pad Thai Noodles and White and Dark Chocolate Tira Misu.

We also greatly enjoyed Honey Roast Drumsticks and Sticky Asian Pork and Herb Salad. Home Cook, by Alastair Hendy, is published by Headline in 2004.