Ever since I took a trip to London and experience the famous clotted cream and lemon curd, I was hooked on these two condiments from the English countryside. However, I wasn't able to find any of it in local or natural food markets. There are slight versions, but definitely not the same. So you can imagine my delight when I came across The Cottage Kitchen: Cozy Cooking in the English Countryside by Marte Marie Forsberg.  I was in for a treat for sure.

The Cottage Kitchen is the first of any cookbook I've seen dedicated to the foods from the English countryside, namely Norwegian food since the author is from the area.  So I was thrilled to see The Cottage Kitchen includes recipes for the above mentioned delightful condiments (and it's fairly easy to make!) and several staples like pudding, as well as delectable pastries for some afternoon tea. The added bonus? The gorgeous photos from the author who also is a photographer. Her images are beautiful and showcase the food, and the English countryside with an air of sophistication without being stuffy.

In all, The Cottage Kitchen presents some yummy recipes for staples as well as local foods, gorgeous photos but also a little story about the author and her time in her little cottage.