Here are ten must-reads from our Food & Lifestyle collection, spanning Mediterranean cooking, fermentation, natural beauty, and mindful living.
1. 5 Ingredients Mediterranean — Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver is one of the most recognizable chefs and food writers in the world, known for a career built on making good cooking accessible to home cooks. This entry in his '5 Ingredients' series applies his minimal-ingredient philosophy specifically to Mediterranean cuisine. The premise is straightforward: every recipe uses just five core ingredients (excluding basics like oil, salt, and pepper), designed to reduce the intimidation factor of home cooking. Oliver's Mediterranean-focused books draw on the well-documented health benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet. As with his other bestselling cookbooks, the emphasis is on approachable technique over restaurant-level complexity. A reliable, crowd-pleasing pick for home cooks wanting simple, flavourful Mediterranean meals.
2. A Book of Mediterranean Food — Elizabeth David
Elizabeth David is widely credited with transforming British home cooking in the mid-20th century by introducing readers to Mediterranean flavours and ingredients previously unfamiliar in postwar Britain. First published in 1950, this book is considered a foundational text in modern food writing, influencing generations of chefs and cookbook authors that followed. David's writing style blended recipes with evocative, literary descriptions of place and food culture, a departure from the purely instructional cookbooks of her era. The book introduced many British readers to olive oil, garlic, and herbs at a time when such ingredients were still considered exotic. It remains in print more than seventy years later, a testament to its lasting influence on food writing as a genre. Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of modern cookbook writing, not just the recipes themselves.
3. Adventures in Fermentation — Sandor Katz
Sandor Katz is widely regarded as the leading contemporary authority on fermentation, best known for his earlier book Wild Fermentation, which helped spark the modern home-fermentation movement. This book explores fermentation's ancient origins across global food cultures alongside the modern science of the microbes involved. Katz's writing blends hands-on instruction with cultural and historical context, treating fermentation as both craft and science. He has taught fermentation workshops internationally and is frequently cited in food journalism covering the topic. The book covers the same territory that has made fermented foods — from kimchi to kombucha — increasingly mainstream in recent years. Essential reading for anyone seriously interested in fermentation, from curious beginners to experienced home fermenters.
4. (Im)perfectly Zero Waste — Srini and Shubhashree
This book takes a realistic, non-judgmental approach to reducing household waste, positioning itself against the pressure toward 'perfect' zero-waste living. Co-authors Srini and Shubhashree write from an Indian context, addressing waste-reduction habits relevant to Indian households specifically. The 'imperfectly' framing is a deliberate response to the sometimes intimidating tone of the broader zero-waste movement. It's published by Hachette India, reflecting a growing domestic readership for sustainability-focused lifestyle books. The book likely covers practical areas like kitchen waste, packaging, and everyday consumer habits. A grounded, achievable entry point for readers wanting to reduce waste without striving for an unrealistic standard.
5. A Bounty of Chillies — Niyatee Sharma
This cookbook is dedicated entirely to chillies, exploring their many varieties and culinary applications. Niyatee Sharma writes for Speaking Tiger, an Indian publisher known for literary and culturally specific nonfiction. Given India's extraordinary regional diversity in chilli varieties and their use, a book with this focus likely spans multiple regional culinary traditions. Single-ingredient cookbooks like this are a well-established genre, letting readers explore an ingredient in depth rather than a broad cuisine. It's a strong pick for home cooks who already love chillies and want to expand beyond familiar preparations. A focused, flavour-forward addition to any cook's shelf.
6. A Handbook of Natural Beauty — Dr. H. K. Bakhru
Dr. H. K. Bakhru has written extensively on natural health and home remedies for the Indian market, with numerous titles published through Jaico. This handbook compiles natural, home-based approaches to skincare and beauty routines. It draws on traditional remedy knowledge rather than commercial cosmetic products, reflecting Bakhru's broader body of natural-health writing. Books of this kind are typically organized by concern or body area for easy reference rather than sequential reading. It fits within the store's Healthy Cooking and natural-living strand of the Food & Lifestyle collection. A practical reference for readers interested in home-based, ingredient-driven beauty routines.
7. A Tale of Two Kitchens: Mothers, Meals and Memories — Lata Gwalani
A memoir-cookbook weaving family recipes together with stories of mothers and meals, published by Westland Publications. Lata Gwalani writes in the increasingly popular genre that blends personal memoir with recipe collection, using food as a lens for family history. Books structured this way typically alternate between narrative chapters and actual recipes drawn from the memories described. The 'two kitchens' framing suggests a structure built around contrast — likely two households, generations, or culinary traditions. This genre has grown significantly in South Asian food writing in recent years, as more authors explore identity and migration through food. A moving pick for readers who love cookbooks with genuine emotional and narrative depth.
8. Advanced Bushcraft — Dave Canterbury
Dave Canterbury is a well-known figure in the wilderness survival and bushcraft community, having appeared on survival television programming and authored multiple field guides. This book focuses on advanced-level wilderness survival skills, building on more foundational bushcraft knowledge. It's published by Adams Media, whose catalogue includes numerous outdoor and survival-skills titles. Bushcraft as a discipline covers practical skills like shelter-building, fire-making, foraging, and navigation. Given the 'advanced' framing, it's likely aimed at readers with some existing outdoor experience rather than complete beginners. A specialized pick for readers serious about wilderness self-sufficiency skills.
9. 5 Minute Clean Routine — Laura Mountford
This book offers quick, manageable household cleaning tips designed to fit into short daily windows rather than requiring dedicated cleaning days. Laura Mountford, writing with Anna Louisa, focuses on realistic home-management routines for busy readers. It's part of the broader trend of '5-minute' formatted wellness and lifestyle books, echoing similarly structured titles elsewhere in this catalogue. The short-task approach is designed to make home upkeep feel less overwhelming by breaking it into small, repeatable habits. It's published by Penguin Random House UK, reflecting mainstream appetite for practical lifestyle-management books. A practical pick for readers wanting a tidier home without a major time investment.
10. (Indian Edition) 101 Amazing Uses for Coconut Oil — Susan Branson
This is a practical reference guide cataloguing a hundred and one uses for coconut oil across cooking, beauty, and household applications. Susan Branson has written several similarly structured 'amazing uses' guides for household staple ingredients, including a companion turmeric volume. It's published by Familius, an imprint focused on practical family and home-lifestyle titles. The single-ingredient, multi-use format is designed for browsing and quick reference rather than sequential reading. Coconut oil's versatility across cooking, skincare, and household use has made it a popular subject for this kind of reference guide. A handy, practical addition for readers wanting to get more everyday use out of a pantry staple.
