Meatsmith (Andrew McConnell & Troy Wheeler, Hardie Grant)

Acclaimed restauranteur Andrew McConnell (Cutler & Co) and butcher Troy Wheeler opened the specialist butcher Meatsmith with a passion for close relationships with farmers and producers with shared ethical values. When someone buys a steak, Troy says, they first ask what it is, then how much it is, and then how to cook it. Meatsmith: Home cooking for friends and family is designed with this knowledge exchange in mind, taking readers through quick and accessible everyday recipes, as well as more time-intensive endeavours for special occasions. The recipes flow well, beginning at ‘To Start’ with oysters and pickles, moving through casual bites and salads and vegetables, before hitting the more specialised recipes—duck party, anyone? There are drinks, including the historical ‘Game tea’, and even a dessert—yes, just one, a delicious-looking crème caramel. Staple recipes for stocks and sauces round out the book before an extensive index. Recipes encourage readers to engage with their butcher—call ahead to get the pig’s blood so you can try a boudin noir terrine with green sauce and fried egg. There’s a good balance between raw and cooked in the imagery to show us the process and tempt us with the results, with engaging styling by Lee Blaylock and enticing photography by Mark Roper—the backyard pastrami is a personal favourite—complemented by Daniel New’s intuitive and clean design. Meatsmith is for the culinary curious, those interested in head-to-tail eating, and of course, meat lovers.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Jess Lomas is the Books+Publishing reviews editor. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews