The Food & Company Cook Book is all about real honest cooking, drawing on years of experience in catering and cookery demonstrations alongside a great appreciation for local produce in the authors’ native Cumbria. Joan Gate and Margaret Brough are sisters and farmer’s daughters who have been in business together for over 30 years. Their skills, knowledge and love of food all come together in these pages, sharing tried and tested recipes alongside stories of their journey up to now.

The Food & Company Cook Book

Featuring a foreword by Cumbrian-born writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, which sings Joan and Margaret’s praises, the book is a testament to their hard work and enduring popularity as caterers and demonstrators for events up and down the county. As Melvyn puts it, “This book, like the Lake District out of which it comes, is in a class of its own.”

Each chapter of recipes has a distinct theme, from California Dreaming to Christmas on a Plate and, of course, A Taste of Cumbria. The recipes themselves include meals to cook for big family gatherings, sweet treats to enjoy at coffee mornings with friends, simple yet stunning canapés, and seasonal ideas to take you right through the year in food. There’s also a section dedicated to ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ (or anyone keen on cooking up a storm!) for three-course dinners complete with suggested wine pairings.

There will be a launch party for the book on 10th September 2021 which press and local retailers are invited to attend, where they can meet the authors and sample some of the recipes from the book.

The Food & Company Cook Book is a celebration of Joan and Margaret’s 30 years in the world of catering, but it’s also a font of knowledge for home cooks of all ages to treasure. These farmer’s daughters can teach you how to rustle up the perfect party at home with no fuss and great taste, as well as the simple pleasures of creating food for the family to enjoy together. In short, this truly is home cooking from the heart.

About the Authors

Joan Gate and Margaret Brough are sisters who share a love of good food and of the county where they grew up and still live today. From farmer’s daughters to renowned outside caterers in Cumbria, the pair have been in business together for over 30 years and for the last 15 of those they have run ever-popular cookery demonstrations. Beginning with JM Caterers in 1991 and moving on to Food & Company in 2005, Joan and Margaret have a regular venue at the beautiful Cumbrian manor Mirehouse, near Keswick, with returning customers and fully booked events throughout the year. This is their first book.

The Food & Company Cook Book is a 192 page hardback and retails at £22. It will be available to purchase from www.foodandcompany.co.uk as well as Waterstones (online and in stores) and www.mezepublishing.co.uk.