NOW that the festive season is a distant memory, and it is tempting to talk about food again, this little gem will have you racing over to the Noosa Farmers’ Market for all the key ingredients to experiment with your own “bits on sticks”.
John McLeay has turned skewering into a culinary art form in Bits on Sticks, and you don’t have to be a gourmet to try his ideas. I loved this book because instead of “cheating” and buying those pre-prepared meat skewers from the supermarket, I can spoil my friends and guests by thinking about and spending some time on the menu.
These tasty bits are the perfect way to add style to an existing barbecue menu or just do canapes or starters. They can be a tapas-style meal, or you can go all out and make different recipes the feature of each course.
They look colourful and appetising on a platter and are great conversation starters due to their originality.
The best bit (no pun intended) is that all this kitchen prep isn’t labour intensive or requiring a thousand ingredients. Most of the time is spent waiting for the marinades to ooze deliciously into your selected meats, fishes or vegs which means you can get everything ready before the guests arrive, and spend some quality time with them instead of being trapped in the kitchen. Whip up sauces before or at serving time and grill or barbecue when it’s time to eat. Bits on Sticks is fun, easily mastered and available at Noosa Library.
Review submitted by SuzAnne King, of Friends of Noosa Library, where this book is available.
