Homecooked wins 2022 NZ Booklovers Award

Exciting news: Homecooked has been named Best Lifestyle Book in the 2022 NZ Booklovers Awards!

The judges said: ‘Homecooked is more than just a cookbook; it’s an artwork, a treasure, and a gift to yourself, or for someone you love. The presentation is stunning; from the bright, sculptural, cover, to the mouth-watering butter-yellow end-plates. The design is both contemporary and nostalgic.

‘But even a handsome hardback cookbook has to be more than just delicious to look at. Lucy Corry’s recipes, which are arranged seasonally, make heroes of everyday ingredients that are easy to find in Aotearoa.  Homecooked celebrates the joy of cooking, with simple but delicious recipes that will revive your taste-buds. And as we find greater solace in our homes, and the joys of home-cooking, we are also reminded that fresh, seasonal and local ingredients are not only better for you, but also better for the planet.’

I’m so thrilled about this, not just for my own greedy self but for everyone who worked on the book with me. Homecooked would be nothing without the styling and photography of Carolyn Robertson, who sourced all the props, let me take over her kitchen and dining room on a daily basis for months and made sure the images told the story of unfussy seasonal eating. Huge thanks too to Evie Kemp for the glorious cover and illustrations, and to everyone at Penguin Books NZ for making it all happen. It felt like Homecooked was a passion project for all of us and having it recognised in this way means a lot (thank you NZ Booklovers team!).

Last but by no means least, thank you to everyone who’s bought or borrowed a copy. It brings me much joy whenever people get in touch to say they’re making (and enjoying!) recipes from the book. In these unsettling and fractured times, a homecooked meal is very comforting.