How the Cookie Crumbles

And Other Culinary Confusions
Brief Description
These rhymes compare two things, which, though they seem to be the same, reveal themselves to be unique in character and name. Charming, fun, and whip-smart, these rhymes from food writer Tara Wigley tell you everything you wanted to know about ingredients, cooking, and kitchens, but... Read More
Format: Hardback
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How the Cookie Crumbles

These rhymes compare two things, which, though they seem to be the same/ reveal themselves to be unique in character and name

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

These rhymes compare two things, which, though they seem to be the same, reveal themselves to be unique in character and name.

Charming, fun, and whip-smart, these rhymes from food writer Tara Wigley tell you everything you wanted to know about ingredients, cooking, and kitchens, but were afraid to ask.

‘Some of the greatest kitchen conundrums – solved, clarified, demystified. With her signature rhythm and rhymes, Tara has found a one-off way of shedding light on the niggling questions food lovers love to obsess over. And even if you don’t tend to lose too much sleep over the difference between a pumpkin and squash, say, or between an ice cream and a gelato, you will surely be tickled. As ever with Tara, this is informative and entertaining!’ — Yotam Ottolenghi

Confused as to whether you should use baking soda or baking powder in your cake? Can you tell a King Edward from a Duke of York? Or pick a Parmesan from a pecorino? In these 30 rhymes, Tara imparts years of cooking knowledge from the world-famous Ottolenghi test kitchen to solve all your culinary conundrums in a way that is accessible, memorable, witty, and – most of all – fun. The rhymes can be gobbled up in one sitting or carefully chewed in bitesize portions.

Playful riffs on etymology, Anglo-American cultural differences lost in translation, and the subtle differences between products and ingredients feature throughout, teaching us about where our food came from, why we call it that, and ultimately celebrating how food brings us together.

As with Tara’s first book of rhymes, How to Butter Toast: rhymes in a book that teach you to cook, this book will equip you with the tools to convert temperatures, bake effortlessly, and swap out ingredients like a pro without you even realising it.

With colourful and bold design and irreverent and intriguing illustrations throughout drawn by Alec Doherty, this book is the ideal bedside companion for foodies and the perfect Christmas gift for any cooks in your life.

Includes What’s the difference between…

  • A sausage and a frankfurter
  • A Manhattan, a margarita, and a martini
  • Jam and jelly
  • Ice cream and gelato
  • A cupcake and a muffin
  • A cook and a chef
  • Nigel and Nigella
  • A bun and a roll and a bap and a cob

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008554736

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 11 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pavilion

Contributors:

  • Foreword by Felicity Cloake

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 162.0mm

Height: 227.0mm

Weight: 560g

Pages: 160

About the Author

As the in-house writer of Team Ottolenghi over the last decade Tara Wigley has co-written eight major books, including million-selling Ottolenghi Simple and Falastin. In addition to these, she writes the weekly Ottolenghi Guardian column and the monthly column in the New York Times. She has a dedicated following on Instagram and writes about food in ways that audiences find engaging and informative. She was a judge on the 2022 Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink awards.

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