Food from Friends

Often when a friend needs help, the most practical thing we can do is make them a meal, or give them some baking. Recently I was asked to help in a different way. One of the newspapers I write for is The Press in Christchurch, New Zealand. Recently my friend Kate Fraser, who edits Zest, the paper's prize-winning food and fashion section, asked if I would be willing to provide some recipes for a book that was being planned to raise funds for a young New Zealand father of three who is dying of motor neuron disease - Kate's own son Matthew Fraser. I was more than happy to work on some dishes for the new publication.

Over the years I have been asked to contribute to a good many cookbooks, from the eminently useful fingerfood book published by the sons' college through to glossy entertainment books, hospice and church fundraisers, food writers' collections, and some I've probably forgotten about.

I've always been in good company. Cooks like to share their ideas, recipes and meals, and I was delighted to see this book quickly move from being a dream to a reality. I was also heartened to read the list of people who were happy to help. Cooks, foodies, chefs, TV cooking show presenters and food writers from Australia, New Zealand, London, Paris, Scotland, Wales - they all said yes. Some are household names, others are well known in their own cities. Contributors include Stephanie Alexander, Tom Parker-Bowles, Peter Gordon, Patricia Wells, Nick Nairn, Ray McVinnie, Peta Mathias. In fact the complete list is on a website set up to sell this varied and interesting collection of recipes, Food from Friends.

Everything from recipes to photography, to design, layout, and associated costs has been donated. I know from email exchanges that Kate worked tirelessly on the project for many weeks. Publishing a cookbook is no easy task and I so admire her tenacity. There are simple salads, savoury tarts and loaves, pies, pizza, pasta, soups, vegetarian and meat dishes. And, of course, plenty of delicious desserts. Recipes to enjoy at home or make for a friend who might just happen to need a morale booster or a thoughtful gift.

You can read more about Matthew in this article from The Press and on his own website. I hope you will go to the Food from Friends site and buy at least one copy of the book. It's NZ$20, plus postage.

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