Every coffee table needs a good coffee table book – and we may just have found the best one out there.
Laura Rowe's Taste: The Infographic Book Of Food is absolutely PACKED with informative tidbits, handy collections of facts you already knew, and even more useful tidbits you didn't – all presented in the most stunningly beautiful way imaginable.
You need this in your life – not just on the coffee table, but in the kitchen, in bed, in the shop and wherever else you'll have a spare minute to leaf through it.
Here's why.
You'll get absolutely lost in the graphs about eggs...
... pasta ...
... seaweed ...
... and even salt
As well as everything you sorta knew about meats in just a few handy spreads
It's got more information about lemons than you ever knew existed
Plus this list of things you can do with avocados – among dozens of other foods – that will mean you're never short on inspiration
As well as little tidbits of trivia that won't necessarily make you a better chef – but might make you slightly fearful of asparagus
And there's this rather compelling case for us all to eat more... insects
Not to mention more than you ever expected to learn about lentils – including some surprisingly useful and practical tips
Not everything will be news to you, but having it all in one place is remarkably handy
It doesn't go heavy on history for the most part, but the bagel and sandwich pages do dig a little into the cultural backstories behind our favourite foods
While this page on salads is heart-eyes emoji material
It explains how there's MUCH more to a decent stew than the 'meat, veg, potato and stock' approach we tend to take here in Ireland...
Maybe buy a copy for the folks while you're at it?
And it shows that, when it comes to the fat vs thin pancake debate, both sides are equally right
Informative, lovely AND diplomatic? This book has it all...
The pages on drinks – from coffees to beers to cocktails – are mind-bogglingly detailed but still clear, crisp and easy to understand
And with a huge focus on sustainability, this handy chart on what's in season – and when – will come in super-handy
It's also written with a UK audience in mind, so the info is pretty much on-the-button for Ireland
Yup. It pretty much covers everything
And that's just a tiny sample
The book is more than 220 pages long, with each page or spread boasting more information than you'd find in hours and hours of aimless online searching.
It's more than a book – it's a work of art. And it's available in all good bookshops (and online, but go buy it in a real shop so you have it sooner).
Taste: The Infographic Book Of Food by Laura Rowe. RRP €27.
