Karen Dent – författare

Featuring recipes from MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Dave Coulson, The Newcastle Cook Book celebrates the culinary diversity of the capital of the north east. This 128 page book features more than 25 recipes from some of the city's finest and quirky food establishments, local restaurants, cafes, delis, pubs and food producers such as Peace and Loaf, Pani's Cafe, Dil and the Bear, River Beat, The Boatyard and Cake Stories. Among the plethora of tasty treats are cauliflower & hake fritters with Cambodian curry sauce, spicy sweet potato and chorizo soup, beef shin pie with Durham white stout and bone marrow, gluten-free beer battered fish and chips with mushy peas, Iberico pork and brownies named The Corker. For home cooks of any ability and gourmets of any taste, there's something for everyone in this regional showcase.

The Lancashire Cook Book is a celebration of the food and drink in the heart of the north with over 40 recipes and stories from the region. Everything's proper in Lancashire; the people, the pubs and most importantly, the food. Through restaurants, delis, producers, cafes and farm shops, first-class produce speaks for itself here because Lancashire folk love to keep it local, giving fuss and frills the old "no ta duck". But don't be fooled: while most come for classics such as Bury's famous black pudding or the region's well-renowned Lancashire hotpot, they stay for the hidden gems such as The Red Pump Inn and The Dearden Tea Rooms. Let this book be your comprehensive guide to Lancashire's burgeoning food scene; featuring bespoke regional staples such as Brown's Butchers, Procter's Cheese and the historic Inn at Whitewell. It's a love affair peppered with innovative approaches to modern dining such as Andrew Nutter's latest venture, The Bird at Birtle, and the folk at Bertram's Restaurant putting a new spin on simple pleasures. Whether you have a taste for fine dining or prefer good no nonsense grub, there's something here for everyone.