How the Cookie Crumbles: And Other Culinary Confusions -- Tara Wigley, Hardcover

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, and why we call it that, and ultimately celebrating how food bring 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

Author: Tara Wigley
Publisher: Pavilion Books
Published: 09/16/2025
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.59lbs
Size: 8.94h x 6.38w x 0.38d
ISBN: 9780008554736

About the Author

Tara Wigley is the author of the ingenious illustrated 'cookbook without recipes' How to Butter Toast and in-house writer for Team Ottolenghi. Over the last decade Tara Wigley has co-written nine major books, including million-selling Ottolenghi Simple, Ottolenghi Comfort 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 a way that is both informative and hugely entertaining. She was a judge on the 2022 Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink awards.