Living in Australia, we are blessed with such an abundance of wonderful produce. Here are my favourite five cookbooks by Australians which take represent the essence of living simply through using seasonal produce, using basic ingredients and avoiding food wastage. I have also added the links to each if you’re keen to purchase!

Maggie’s Harvest



Describing herself as a “country cook,” Maggie cooks from the heart and is passionate about instilling in others this same confidence—to use recipes as a starting point, and be guided by instinct and personal taste. Maggie’s Harvest brings together over 350 of Maggie Beer’s signature recipes, detailed descriptions of her favorite ingredients, and inspiring accounts of memorable meals with family and friends. The recipes highlight Maggie’s philosophy of using the freshest and best seasonal produce available in the Barossa Valley South Australia, and treating it simply, allowing the natural flavors to speak for themselves.

The Cook’s Companion: The Complete Book of Ingredients and Recipes for the Australian Kitchen



The Cook’s Companion has established itself as the kitchen “bible” in more than 500,000 homes since it was first published in 1996. A believer in the slow food movement, Stephanie has invaluable information about ingredients, cooking techniques, and kitchen equipment, along with inspiration, advice, and encouragement, and close to 1,000 failsafe recipes

The River Cottage Australia Cookbook [Read now]



Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has sowed the seed for a brand new River Cottage–in Australia. Somewhere between Melbourne and Sydney, and nestled between the pristine Sapphire Coast and the imposing Mount Gulaga (check out the Mount Gulaga hike here) , lies the beautiful old dairy farm which is now the home of River Cottage Australia, and ‘new Hugh’ Paul West. Featuring recipes from the first three series of River Cottage Australia (including this recipe for Jam Drops), this is the cookbook that will reveal the delicious dishes which Paul has been creating on the farm.

Cornersmith: Recipes from the Café and Picklery



The food of Cornersmith captures the zeitgeist for wholesome local food, designed to share and respecting the environment. Awarded best cafe in Sydney, Cornersmith is one of the most cutting edge food venues around, and has been likened to Ottolenghi. If you’re a keen pickler like myself, you need to check this book out- and in the meantime, check out my recipes for Dill Pickles, Citrus and Spice Beetroot Relish and Tomato Chilli Relish.

Whole Larder Love: Grow Gather Hunt Cook



For anyone interested in local, sustainable, fresh, organic, humane, or slow food, comes Whole Larder Love, showing you how to hunt, fish, forage, and grow your own food and how to prepare it. Anderson now wants to share his secrets and experiences in order to help move people away from unhealthy eating habits and people away from unhealthy eating habits and towards a more environmentally sustainable food industry. Food is an integral part of our lives

So with that…happy cooking!