Cake of a different sort

FOOD FILE:Michelle Darmody of The Cake Cafe in Dublin 8 is bringing out a recipe book, but it's not the vintage china and bunches of sweetpea production you might expect.

“I had been approached over the years by publishers who wanted to do a Cake Cafe book, but I found the ideas a little restrictive. I decided to create the book I wanted, without compromise. It is full of illustrations rather than lifestyle photography,” she says. The illustrations were done by Niall Sweeney and Nigel Truswell at Pony, a London design company, and the recipes are ones that are used in the cafe. Thames and Hudson has taken on the distribution of Darmody’s self-published work, and it will be in bookshops from October 22nd. Part of the cost of publishing the book was raised through a Fundit campaign, which was fully subscribed in a matter of days.

Book of the week: The Guilt-Free Gourmet, by Jordan and Jessica Bourke, published by Ryland Peters Small (£16.99)

The recipes in this very pretty book don’t contain sugar, wheat or dairy, so what can be in these lovely orange-zest brownies on the cover? Jordan and Jessica Bourke, whose mother Isabel Morton was a columnist in the property supplement of this paper for many years, have written a cookbook that makes healthy food look really indulgent. Jordan is a chef and Jessica is a nutritional therapist, so they’re the perfect team to deliver on this premise.

French class for those who like their food

Elaine Walsh, who came up with the idea for The Cookbook Club – occasional dinners at which authors of new books present dishes from their latest work – has a new concept launching next Wednesday called The French Club, which will combine French language and food.

Spoken French for beginners and a rustic French meal will combine in a learning environment that sounds a lot more fun than a classroom. The inaugural session kicks off at 6.30pm on Wednesday at the Odessa Club in Dublin 2. The cost is €22.50 for the class and dinner, and there will be eight sessions with the emphasis on French for travelling, business, vineyard visits, rugby and so on. Email info@thecookbookclub.com to book a place. The Cookbook Club returns on November 5th when Neven Maguire will present a three-course dinner cooked from his MacNean Restaurant Cookbook in The Radisson Blu in Golden Lane, Dublin 8. Tickets for this can be booked online at thecookbookclub.com.

THE BUZZ Top food tweets . . .

Stevie Parle @StevieParle:I cooked an @jamieoliver 15 minute meal for @guardianfood it only took 10 and tasted great

Food52 @food52:RT @testkitchen: Is fashion designer Valentino really going to write a cookbook? bit.ly/SaR7Se

Adam Rapoport @rapo4:Flight attendant: Chicken or pasta? Me: Um, not to be difficult, but can I get some details? Him: Blank stare

James Ramsden @jteramsden:My book is due to the publisher on Friday. I havent tested the cocktail recipes yet. I can see these two realities colliding, somewhat

Butchers celebrate

Staff at Dunnes of Donnybrook are throwing their butchers’ hats in the air, following the news that the shop has won the Star Shop of the Year Award presented by the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland. Fintan Dunne says the staff are delighted as the shop is only five years in existence and employs just three people.

Bring a copy of ‘The Irish Times’ with you to receive a free glass of wine with a meal from the Belfast Restaurant Week menu at the city’s James Street South restaurant. Belfast Restaurant Week runs for one week beginning today.