The muddy chef by Penny Whitehouse & Emma Bear

What a wonderful surprise this beautifully presented cookbook with a difference is. The main ingredient is mud!

From the gorgeous endpapers featuring a splattering of mud and other natural materials, to each recipe presented across a double page spread, the young reader who enjoys time outdoors playing in nature will find so much to engage their attention. Recipes such as the Un-lickable lasagne, Squelchy sushi, Muddychino, Murky mudshake and Wild waffles, are presented in a familiar procedure format with details of what ingredients are needed, as well as numbered instructions set out clearly with handy photographs to guide the budding young chef.

In the beginning of The muddy chef is an introduction to the delight of playing with mud, how to set up a mud kitchen, a safety guide, ingredients that could be used, plus equipment and utensils. There are so many opportunities presented in this book to create enticing non-edible delights with mud and other natural ingredients.  A perfect gift for the child who loves being outdoors creating with nature and a great resource for homes, early learning centres and schools.

Themes: Mud, Nature Play, Outdoors, Creativity, Cooking.

Kathryn Beilby