Our Christmas Gift Guide
13 Dec 2017 | Hardie Grant Books
Its no surprise that we’re a bunch of book lovers at Hardie Grant – here’s what we’ll be placing under the tree this Christmas.
For the first home buyer:
Cherie Barber is Australia's leading renovation expert with over 21 years of profitable renovations under her belt. Renovating For Profit reveals Cherie’s secrets to success and equips you with all the tips and knowledge you need to renovate and make a profit. Including information on budgeting, time saving ideas, organisation and how to successfully use colour and space, Cherie shows you how to avoid common mistakes and make the most out of every renovation project. Cherie’s method is a proven, step-by-step approach, personally developed on over 90 renovation projects. With real-life examples and before-and-after pictures, Renovating For Profit will equip you with all the knowledge you need for renovating success.
You can buy it here.
For foodies:
Pidapipo, $40
All the recipes in Pidapipo are dictated by the seasons – giving you the freshest and most contemporary introduction to the sweet art of gelato! You’ll find all of your favourite flavours, alongside new classics such as Banana Milk Gelato, Raspberry and Rose Bombe Alaska, Avocado and Lime Sorbetto, Blood Orange Granita with Dark Chocolate Sorbetto, Pumpkin Pie, Tiramisu Layer Cake and Brioche with Pistachio Gelato and Whipped Cream. Pidapipo is fun, quirky and delicious – this is not your average ice-cream book!
You can buy it here.
In The Tivoli Road Baker, British-born pastry chef Michael James and his team share the knowledge that goes into creating standout bread and pastries. Chapters cover basic to advanced bread making techniques, sweet pastries, savoury favourites as well as a handful of British recipes close to Michael's heart, including Cornish pasties. You'll also learn about the importance of starting with quality produce, offering a small window on the valuable (but mostly unsung role) played by farmers in the growing global appetite for real bread. A beautiful book that shares some of the X-factor that makes its namesake so successful.
You can buy it here.
IGNI, $60
Saveur described this book recently as "a stunning work of art, and the most beautiful cookbook I've seen in years". From the first six months, through a mid-year break of camping and cooking in the bush, to the harsh winter months and on to the end of its first year, this book tells the story of IGNI, a high-end degustation restaurant in a Geelong backstreet.
Documenting a warts-and-all account of what it takes to open and run a new restaurant, chef and owner Aaron Turner reveals the daily challenges he faced, from the financial strains, the stress, fear and tantrums, to personal crises and the pressure of success and failure. His story is told through dated 'diary' entries of the author's own reflections, the development of recipes, a gradually unfolding narrative through each chapter, and stunning photography from award-winning photographer Julian Kingma that captures the food, moments and brilliance of a determined young chef in a new restaurant.
You can buy it here.
A summer beach read:
Life of Brine, $29.99
Life of Brine is the memoir of Phil Jarratt, one of the world’s best-known chroniclers of surfing culture whose lifelong pursuit of the perfect wave has placed him in the midst of some of the most exciting moments in surfing’s modern history.
Jarratt, who has courted controversy in his long career as a journalist, editor and documentarian, pulls no punches as he rides an exhilarating wave of nostalgia from the sixties up until now, through the heady days of drugs, alcohol and excess in Bali and Biarritz and other exotic locations in between. Filled with debauchery, reflection and insight, this is a book that will be devoured by surfers young and old.
You can buy it here.
For travellers:
Paris, $29.99
Paris is the epitome of style, an epicentre of elegance – a must-see on every fashion-lover’s list. But where to visit, and what to do? With her inimitable fashion eye, internationally acclaimed illustrator Megan Hess takes you on a personal tour of her favourite places to play, shop, sleep and eat in the City of Lights. From people-watching on rue Saint-Honoré to cocktails at the Ritz, this is Paris at its most chic. Filled with Megan’s stunning, detailed illustrations, Paris: Through A Fashion Eye reveals the city as you’ve never seen it before.
You can buy it here.
For green thumbs:
Dreamscapes, $70
Captured in stunning detail by a world-class photographer, Dreamscapes features 70 of the most spectacular gardens in the world, all photographed at the height of their beauty.
The gardens featured range from the classic, like the beautiful Edwardian idyll of Bryan's Ground in Herefordshire, and Kenrokuen, one of Japan's most exquisite public gardens, to those at the forefront of planting design, like Hermannshof in Germany. Other iconic gardens include the stunning Welsh garden Dyffryn Fernant, Australia's Cloudehill, Martha Stewart's private estate in the US, Vita Sackville-West's home, Long Barn in Kent, the naturalistic French garden of Le Jardin Plume in Normandy, and Piet Oudolf's Hummelo in the Netherlands, among others.
The genius of landscape designers such as Brandon Tyson, Paul Bangay and Fernando Martos is showcased to its very best effect by the haunting and evocative photographs of award-winning garden photographer, Claire Takacs. This magnificent volume will set you dreaming of some of the most beautiful gardens created on this earth.
You can buy it here.
Grow. Food. Anywhere. is the must-have guide for anyone who has ever had a desire to grow their own food. Authors Mat and Dillon, of the Little Veggie Patch Co. provide a comprehensive and authoritative guide to gardening in any space, all in their own unique and entertaining style. Whether you've got a balcony, a tiny courtyard, or a patch of reclaimed dirt in a shared neighbourhood space, this book offers inspiration – and instruction – for growing good things to eat.
You can buy it here.
For sport lovers:
The Official MCC Story of the Ashes, $34.99
The Official MCC Story of the Ashes is the perfect way to celebrate cricket's most fiercely contested series. From the late 19th century England and Australia have met twice every four years and, since 1882, the prize for the series winners has been a tiny urn, purportedly containing the ashes of a bail burned after England had lost at The Oval. As well as a running history of the series, special features are interspersed, highlighting some of the legends from each team, the controversies and the media. This revised and updated fifth edition is published to coincide with England’s 2017–18 series in Australia.
You can buy it here.
For kids:
The 12 Sleighs of Christmas, $21.99
Santa's sleigh is in bad shape, but his elves have the solution –12 solutions, in fact! Sherri Duskey Rinker’s buoyant rhyme and Jake Parker's accessible comic-inspired art give this turbocharged and rocket fuelled spin on the 12 Days of Christmas both childhood exuberance and ageless Christmas warmth.
You can buy it here.
Camping with Kids, $19.99
Seasoned camper Simon McGrath draws on a lifetime's experience so your kids can enjoy every minute of their camping holiday. Start in your backyard and graduate to the wilderness. Go orienteering or hang out at a festival. Watch the sun rise or go on a night walk. Climb a mountain or spot a constellation. And cook up a storm; even in a storm. Camping With Kids has more than 300 cool ideas; from games for the car trip to recipes and adventure activities; to help you and your family get the most out of any camping experience.
You can buy it here.