Book 2 on the cards as ‘Jim’s Kitchen’ proves a bestseller
The man himself, Jim Tynan
In December 2008, food critic Biddy White Lennon awarded Jim Tynan’s Christmas Pudding the accolade of the best plum pudding in the country. This award winning recipe is contained in the new cookery book, Jim’s Kitchen which has been selling by the dozens daily since its launch on November 5th. As delicious and all as the pudding is and it remains a yuletide favorite it now has a rival on the best seller list. Demand for the book was grossly underestimated and the entire first edition sold out by December 8th and the book has now gone to re-print. New stocks will be on the shelves by January 22nd.
But there’s far more to Jim’s Kitchen than this fab pudding and as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. After being so directly involved from the outset I think that the satisfying success of the book is like any great recipe - the right ingredients. This recession beating formula is not down to chance but most deliberate. While the tone of the book is of its time, there is no posturing here as the philosophies embodied are genuine and pre-date the current economic woes. While it is all premeditated there is no pretence and unlike so much that’s going on around the book is recession beating in more ways than one, as it’s positive and even optimistic, indeed posh in parts and a tad poetic.
Enough! Too much for a cookery book you say. Well, while others were cooking the books, we were cooking up a book that could hold its own on the shelves alongside its contemporaries, even those big fancy ones who have come back from Italy, Dubai, Singapore, Spain and dare we say Great Britain, like a distant cousin coming home from the States with a big swanky accent, still claiming to be every bit Irish.
Jim’s Kitchen is a great cookery book as its straight forward recipes really work for amateur cooks and chefs alike. It’s a real cook’s cook book. My sister Caroline, who is far from grudging, but will not dish up faint praise no more than bad food, maintains it’s every bit as good as any of the 50 or so cookery books in her kitchen. After testing and tasting a cross section of Jim’s recipes she has encouraged all her friends to go out and get it. The recipes are manageable, full of flavor with no booby traps or trapdoors of hidden ingredients difficult enough to find in a deli, let alone in your dresser. True, those family budget conscious favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and Bread and Butter Pudding are in there but this is not contrived to fit the bill as Jim Tynan has been preaching and pushing the cause of good, honest, sensible fresh food for years. People who like cooking love the book because it works so well, but also lads I know who would only usually be found in the kitchen at parties have taken to these recipes. At first glance they look simple and doable, and they are, so Jim’s Kitchen has proved a winner with fellas too.
The team behind the best selling cook book -John Whelan, Editor; Martin Connolly, Print&Design; Jim Tynan,Chef; Gemma Guihan, Artist;Kevin Farrell, Printing and Kevin Byrne, Photography.
But it’s more than just a cook book and that’s why it gives you more bang for your buck at €20. This book won’t be discounted because it has just sold out in four weeks. You’re not going to find it in the bargain bins. Jim’s Kitchen is also a beautiful book that feels good to be around. It’s comforting. This aesthetic is largely created by the superb photography of Kevin Byrne, with some assistance and additional photography from Grazyna Rekosiewicz. The vast bulk of the shots, with the exception of the seascapes for the fish dishes, are taken on location in Laois (the veg and herb pics from our own garden here in Timahoe) and so there is a strong local flavor to the publication, one that has seen the book adopted as a Laois gift, a Laois brand that has seen it sent and brought all over the world this holiday season.
Then there are Gemma Guihan’s beautiful and delicate drawings, reminiscent of books from the 18th century. Realising that they shared a sympathetic appreciation for things past, it seemed a natural progression that the 19th century tradition of pen and ink drawing practiced by the artist might complement this celebration of Jim’s cookery skills. An 1890 illustrated edition of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel ‘Cranford’, procured by Gemma about this time fortuitously inspired the subtle washes of watercolour, emulating the printing inks used during the 19th century. Gemma’s touch gives a classical tone to this volume and one which will mature and matter more and more in the years to come. All these drawings were especially undertaken for the book and again help to ground it as a distinctive and special publication.
One other critical element in the book’s success and ongoing appeal is the quality of design and production. In this regard the book holds its own with any on the shelves and this is all thanks to the high production values brought to the table by another Laois firm, Martin Connolly’s KwikPrint. So no need to go outside the county, let alone outside the country to get the job produced and printed to the highest standards. For the record, the book is printed on recycled Italian Fedrigoni Freelife Vellum Silk 170g paper.
‘Jim’s Kitchen’, from award winning chef, Jim Tynan has a simple message which may shock some of his peers.
“I was fortunate enough to have trained in the 70’s and it was a real privilege to get a solid grounding in the fundamentals of cooking when food was still food, all before the nouvelle cuisine and all that modern nonsense,” charges the Portlaoise based chef.
Jim Tynan is not known for getting hot under the collar, his straightforward style, sensible approach and traditional use of tried and trusted fresh ingredients, sourced locally in season have earned him such accolades as the Good Food Ireland ‘Cafe Restaurant of the Year’ and a legion of good food fans.
At the launch of the book in November, Darina Allen of Ballymaloe fame said she was stunned by the reaction to Jim Tynan’s book. “I have published 15 books and I have never witnessed anything like this. The crowds at the launch and the reaction to the book is amazing. But it’s well deserved as Jim Tynan has always pioneered the highest standards and promoted quality home grown food,” said Darina.
These were sentiments echoed by Managing Director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, who officially launched the book. “The turnout at the launch speaks volumes for the respect in which Jim Tynan is held. It is a testament to his high standards and his philosophy of promoting quality Irish food and making good cooking accessible to all. I am not at all surprised that this book is selling like hot cakes.”
“I readily admit that my influences are old school and may be regarded by some of today’s whippersnappers as old fashioned but for me that beats tasteless art on a plate hands down every time. There are a lot of people who have confused expensive with excellence and placed technique above taste. Good food and flavour never go out of fashion and central to this is quality ingredients and that’s what makes a good dish and without these it won’t come together no matter what tricks you employ. Foam and architecture on a plate don’t necessarily make a meal and should not be mixed up with good cooking. A lot of the time it’s celebrity chefs showing off with no real regard for their customer or genuine culinary craft,” Jim says, giving everyone plenty to chew on in that mouthful.
Good food guru, Darina Allen of Ballymaloe fame chats with Jim Tynan at the launch of his sell out book, 'Jim's Kitchen'.
“A lot of recipes in this new book are based on my own personal experiences, where a simple ingredient can evoke special memories. Using the best possible ingredients has always proved a winner for me
and this was first instilled in me by my parents, my father Jim who was a great gardener and my mother, Kathy who was the best cook I ever knew.”
Fast good, processed food and convenience food are also bugbears for Jim. “For a variety of reasons the trend of the past decade has been for fast-convenient-processed-food-to-go whereas people need to get back to basics and realise that good cooking need not be complicated. Good ingredients, properly cooked and seasoned, will turn a simple meal into an experience, a humble oxtail, no less than a prime steak. Expense need not be a deterrent in these recessionary times either as the book contains recipes for such family favourites as shepherd’s pie and bread and butter pudding. Cookery enthusiasts trying to hone their skills should also realise that all of the ingredients photographed for the book were grown right here in Laois - including the tomatoes, rocket and even the chillies and garlic.”
In keeping with his philosophy on food, Jim Tynan says he is delighted that his new cookery book, ‘Jim’s Kitchen’ is very much a home grown product from start to finish.
“‘Jim’s Kitchen’ is first and foremost a practical, functional cookery book, but with some fantastic photography by Kevin Byrne and an exquisite series of new pen and ink drawings from Gemma Guihan - another old school skill that has fallen out of favour - I believe it is a book that not only looks great but also feels good to have around. I think it evokes a strong sense of place and creates the kind of aesthetic that makes people just want to cook. The design and printing were also all expertly carried out here in Laois to the highest production values by Martin Connolly’s company and I’m extremely proud of that. It’s a home grown cookery book from start to finish.”
Jim Tynan trained at Rockwell Hotel and Catering School, where he won the Chef of the Year Award and the PPU Gold Medal for General excellence, before he went on to work at the world renowned Claridges Hotel in London. In April 1982 he opened his first premises in Portlaoise where his business has prospered and today The Kitchen and Foodhall at Hynd’s Square is synonymous with good food for visitors and regulars alike, a landmark for the high standards which Jim Tynan espouses. Jim Tynan was selected as the Laois Person of the Year in 2007.
‘Jim’s Kitchen’ is on sale for €20 (and while currently out of stock will be available again from January 22nd from The Kitchen and Foodhall (Tel: 057 86 62061 or email: jimkitchen@eircom.net); Easons, Portlaoise; All Books, Portlaoise and online from www.kitchendresser.ie and www.goodfoodireland.ie.
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