This week I bring you a fabulous book by Pierre Koffman. Memories of Gascony is a masterpiece, full of stories and recipes that sit just right with me. As a young chef it was one of those books I read often: in kitchens, staff accommodation or in bed until the small hours, thinking about all this rich, decadent, yet essentially peasant food. 

Possibly because I was far away from family and feeling a bit lonely and sorry for myself, this book really made me feel at ease. Foie gras, duck, pork, beans and goose fat all still make me salivate to this day.

I was mesmerised by the different the lifestyle of people in south west France in the 50s and 60s. Pierre talks fondly of his grandparents and how people cooked, offering us a slice of history. It’s a rich insight into that rural part of the world and how people (without much money) ate not merely to survive, but to be happy.

Pierre came to London in 1970 to work at Le Gavroche with the Roux brothers, later becoming Head Chef at The Waterside Inn in Bray. Within 6 years of opening his own restaurant, La Tante Claire in London, he had earned 3 Michelin stars. This book is still a great read, and continues to inspire many a young chef.