It's always wonderful to find something really cool that you can't wait to not only buy for yourself but also for as many friends as possible. The other day, S came home with the cutest new book. Irene's Peranakan Recipes, published by uber-cool design and custom-publishing firm Epigram, was originally produced as a Christmas gift for the company's clients. The very slick and slim volume was so well-received that Epigram has since decided to release the book for sale to the general public.
As design addicts, S and I were thrilled by Irene's Peranakan Recipes. While published in just 2 colors, it is gorgeously designed, with artful borders and cute illustrations. Everything from the choice of fonts to the fill-in-the-blanks shopping pages are stylishly and artfully well-thought out.
Not only is this great little book beautifully designed, it was produced with a lot of love. The project was brought to Epigram by Singapore Symphony Orchestra oboist Elaine Yeo. The recipes are her late mother's. Irene Yeo was a Teochew housewife and active volunteer who, in her later years, taught very popular cooking classes. I have to admit that I haven't had time to test Ms Yeo's recipes yet. S and I have already flagged a number of things we're itching to try. Hopefully, we'll get to them as soon as possible.
In the meantime, we'll be picking up a couple more copies to give to friends in the upcoming weeks. Irene's Peranakan Recipes makes a gorgeous and very cool gift. Currently, the book is available in most major bookstores in Singapore.