There is no escaping the food of one’s childhood – and while some people might have heart palpitations at the mere suggestion of rice pudding, I am somewhat partial to the ‘supper savouries’ and ‘novelty cakes’ of my New Zealand upbringing. So, it would seem, is Natalie Oldfield, who has created a successful business inspired by her Gran’s cooking. There is something deeply restorative about these simple, economical recipes for sardines on toast and cauliflower cheese and this cookbook also contains some excellent family dishes like roast leek and lemon chicken thighs and kumara with ginger, orange and chives.

This is the second collection of recipes inspired by Natalie’s grandmother, Dulcie May Booker. The first, Gran’s Kitchen, has the best apple cake recipe I have ever tried and I feel certain the ‘Pudding’ chapter in Gran’s Family Table will contain many more gems.

Justine Douglas is the manager of Readings Port Melbourne.