A stack of good ideas

Any cook will love finding one of these books under the Christmas tree, writes Helen Greenwood. Tender Volume 1 by Nigel Slater; HarperCollins, $59.99 The Songs of Sapa: Stories and Recipes from Vietnam by Luke Nguyen; Murdoch Books, $69.95 Rotis: Roasts for Every Day of the Week by Stephane Reynaud; Murdoch Books, $49.95 Curry Kitchen by Jacki Passmore; Viking, $49.95 Adventures with Chocolate by Paul A. Young; Simon & Schuster, $35 Margaret Fulton's Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery; Hardie Grant , $69.95 Donna Hay Seasons; Fourth Estate, $49.99 Peter Gordon: A Culinary Journey; Viking, $59.95 Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini de Vita; University of California Press, $49.95

Healthy diet costs double for poor families

A HEALTHY diet would cost 40 per cent of the disposable income of a welfare-dependent family, twice as much as for those on an average income, a study published today says.

Stirring up the past

IT HAS taken a week of preparation for Michael Coyle to make the 30 Christmas puddings on this year€™s list.