Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street: a collection of recipes to share

by Felicita Sala

Something smells good at 10 Pomegranate Street! Delicious, actually!

In each apartment, someone is preparing a special dish to share with their neighbours. Mr Singh is making coconut dahl with his daughter while Maria mashes some avocados for her guacamole. Will everything be ready on time?

Written and magnificently illustrated by Felicita Sala, this glorious celebration of community is filled with recipes from all over the world and simple instructions perfect for young chefs.  Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street is a visual feast to share and delight in.

Genres: Picture Books, Cookbooks, Childrens, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Cultural

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2019

About the author

Felicita is a self taught illustrator. She graduated in Philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She has worked on several animation projects along with husband Gianluca, but her passion is making picture books. She lives in Rome with Gianluca and their daughter Nina.

Reviews

[Hilary]

A collection of 15 recipes from the inhabitants of 10 Pomegranate Street. Each recipe has a double page spread showing a scene of the residents preparing the food and a page with illustrated ingredients and the method.

I liked the way this book had lots of different countries food and the end page shows them all eating together. The illustrations are beautiful, I love this author's style. The recipes are really nice and have a good proportion that are vegan, vegetarian or could easily be made so. I haven't tried any yet, some are dishes I have made before, some sound lovely, I like the sound of the Little Trees, broccoli florets stir fried in sesame oil with soy sauce, ginger and sesame seeds. I will definitely try some of these before returning this to the library.

The only reason this is a 4 star and not a 5 is I felt it needed more recipes to be a recipe book or more story to be a story. Perhaps more about the characters if this wasn't going to be just a recipe book. However it is a beautifully illustrated book with some interesting and simple recipes, ideal for children who want to try cooking some food from another country.

[Lisa Vegan]

I would have loved this book when I was a child.

The illustrations are outstanding and fun to view. I loved everything about them: the people, the foodstuffs, the garden, the building, the interiors, the colors, the parts & the whole.

I wish this was an all vegan cookbook. I rarely read cookbooks anymore unless they’re 100% vegan. Many of the recipes in here are vegan or nearly so and all could be made vegan, but if all were presented as vegan I could wholeheartedly recommend this book to children and would deem it gift worthy. (Obviously non-veg*ns/most families wouldn’t have this quibble.)

I love that the 15 included recipes (and the people in the building, or their ancestors) are from different parts of the world, so in addition to the recipes and slight story, this book has a bit of a cultural lesson too.

I appreciate that all the recipes could be easily made by older kids, and even so for young kids with help from their adults.

My favorite part of the “story” was the last double page, which I was not expecting. Throughout the book there is a simple show and tell of different people in different apartments cooking dishes from their diverse backgrounds. The second to last double page spread shows them all on the move. The last double page shows them outside in the garden at one big table at a potluck type gathering sharing all their dishes with all the inhabitants of 10 Garden Street. I really loved that!

There are 4 vegan recipes, 6 vegetarian recipes, and 5 flesh containing recipes. All could be made vegan though. The recipes are for salmorejo (vegetarian), little trees sesame soy broccoli (vegan), guacamole (vegan), black bean soup, sole meunière, spaghetti al pomodoro (vegetarian), coconut dahl (vegan), mini quiches, meatballs, oyakodon chicken & egg rice, baba ganoush (vegan), green rice (vegetarian), peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies (vegetarian), banana & blueberry bread (vegetarian), strawberry crumble (vegetarian).

[Cheryl]

Note that it's also called Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street.

I did not realize that it's more cookbook than story... but I actually love the concept and (mostly) the execution. I like the details, too, for example the man who cooks fish is named Melville....

Unfortunately, it's not like a real recipe book, as there are few pictures of the finished dishes (how soupy is dahl?), no index, not even a table of contents.

The theme of an apartment building, with diverse residents, having a community potluck is wonderful, though.

[Angelina]

Love the idea of the book and the illustrations are really nice and vibrant, but I wish there was a bit more to the text than just recipes. And I think mentioning the nationality of the dishes (in the text or even in a list at the back) would’ve been great.

[Scribe Publications]

A warm, beautifully illustrated celebration of community and culture, including simple recipes from around the world.
The Bookseller

The world’s cuisines are brought together with some well-considered pencil strokes – a book for adults to drool over, as well as children.
Amy Bryant, The Telegraph

The book provides a fantastic tour of international cuisine and there is a lot to talk about in each apartment … An enchanting book that can be used in different ways.
Early Years Educator

What a delightful and unique cookbook for kids! … The illustrations are charming and colourful, and the recipes are delicious … This easy cookbook comes highly recommended for foodies of all ages. The food will taste even better when shared with family and friends!
Angela Crocombe, Readings

Part biography of an apartment block’s inhabitants, part children’s recipe book, each highly evocative illustration depicts a different resident or family in their kitchen preparing a dish ... the book is a wonderful celebration of multiculturalism and food bringing people together. It’s also a unique way to encourage independent readers who are would-be cooks.
Imogen Carter, The Guardian

This delightfully illustrated children’s cookbook offers a global menu of dishes to share with friends, family, and neighbours … Combining simple, fresh flavours with recipes from around the world, this book will nourish and inspire budding cooks while whetting the appetites of their more experienced helpers.
Susie Q, Susie’s Reviews and Giveaways

Every page in this book has detailed illustrations with simple recipes that the children can follow. It would be such fun to help the young ones to cook this food that comes from different places around the world. FOUR STARS
Good Reading

Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street is bound to be a favourite in every child’s house, giving, as it does, ten recipes for delicious food to cook and share. It’s a beautifully illustrated book and the pleasure starts immediately you open the cover ... The deep, soft colours, the wonderful faces and rooms, are so detailed and interesting, it’s almost as if each picture is just waiting to be walked into ... A book to be kept.
Gwen Grant, Armadillo

This eye-catching, mouth-watering cookbook beautifully evokes the joy of food and its power to unite.
Frances Atkinson, Sydney Morning Herald

Delightful.
Child Magazine

Beautifully illustrated ... Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street is not just a cookbook, however, and tells a charming, simple picture story perfect for bedtime with little ones ... Ultimately, the book is about breaking bread with friends to build strong communities.
Camille Smith, The Weekly Times

[Mehsi]

Recipes, a cosy and welcoming building with tons of fun people, and yummy food.


I read this book in Dutch but wanted to post my review in English. Note, I will use the Dutch names for the people/street.

Welcome to Granaatappelstraat, and then especially welcome to this big apartment-block.You will meet several people who live there and their families. And see the yummy foods they are making. Because everyone in this house is making something superdelicious (well, OK, I would have to adjust 1 or 2 of them if they have nuts or soy) for a big party in the garden.

We see Mr. Ibrahim thinking about his childhood and making Baba Ganoush (which looks superduper yummy), while in another apartment Mr. Ping and his nephew Benjamin are making Boompjes (trees because of how broccoli looks), and we switch over again to Ms. Ishida making delicious Oyako Don. And so there are many others in this book that will show you what they are making and believe me I loved it.

The recipes are done in the same gorgeous way as the the rest of the books, with illustrations and a small part with text to explain what to do with the ingredients. I really love this way of doing recipes, it is instantly clear what you need and it looks pretty.
The recipes are all quite simple, so perfect for kids to try out along with an adult to help with cutting and all that.

The illustrations are perfection, I really love the style. It really helps with the warm and cosy vibe the book has.

All in all, I would recommend this cute, cosy and fluffy recipe picture book to all.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[De Grote Vriendelijke Podcast]

Een prachtig geïllustreerd receptenboek! We bespreken het in de 30ste aflevering van De Grote Vriendelijke Podcast en we proeven het bananenbrood met blauwe bessen dat Bas speciaal voor de opname heeft gemaakt. Luister nu via Spotify, je podcast-app of http://www.degrotevriendelijkepodcast...

[Holly]

Okay so this is hands down the cutest multicultural cookbook I have ever seen.

[Elizabeth]

Absolutely lovely! This is a recipe book but ALSO a story about cultural diversity wrapped up into a wonderful, warm, delicious bundle!

What's cooking at 10 Garden Street? Lots of things! Mister Ping is making Sesame Soy Broccoli, Senora Flores is cooking up a pot of Black Bean Soup, and old Mrs. Greenpea is making her delicious Mini-Quiches.

What is so neat about this book is that it not only has delicious recipes to try, but it tells the story of an apartment building that celebrates its ethnic and cultural diversity. There are so many fun recipes to learn about from Chinese, to Indian, to French, and Hispanic. What a great way to learn about new recipes and cultures!

At the end of the book, all the tenants come together outside their apartment building to share all their delicious recipes-- rich in both flavor and diversity!

[Amy Layton]

Steam rises from the kitchen windows as the neighbors all cook their dishes.  There's some soups, some vegetarian items, some salads.  Not only do these foods look delicious, but the recipes are easy to follow, and are also from different parts of the world!  Even the kitchens depicted offer a cultural perspective, as different family members cook and the decorations reflect their culture.  In the end, all neighbors come together for a large potluck, showing just how food can bring people together and create a broader sense of understanding and friendship.

Overall, this is great for the child who wants to learn more about different cultures and the types of food they eat, or for those children who want to learn how to cook themselves.  Perfect for grades 1-3.

Review cross-listed here!

[Elizabeth Reid]

It doesn't look like it, but What's Cooking at 10 Garden Street? is more than a picture book, it's actually a cookbook! It is, however, told in storybook fashion, which makes this cookbook very child-friendly.

Apparently, all the residents of N. 10 Garden Street are busily cooking. Their 15 recipes are included in this book and each page illustrates the ingredients as well as the chefs cooking up the international dishes...

Read my full review and see photos of recipes here: https://agoodreid.blogspot.com/2019/1...

[Simge Yurdakul]

Each page has a recipe from different cultures, but this book is more than just recipes. People from different cultures live in the same neighborhood and share their food. The smells of food spilling into the street are also in harmony! Just like the people... Also, the recipes are simple and delicious. Very encouraging for home cooking! There is a lot to learn for kids from this book.

[Camilla]

Illustrations are top tier. What a great idea to teach children about different cultures with food!

[Christiana]

A charming exploration of cooking and food from around the world. The kids loved the beautifully illustrated ingredient lists and were even fascinated by hearing the short recipes read aloud.

[Tina Hoggatt]

Crazy about this book! Visually rich, with recipes representing each of the diverse residents living at 10 Garden Street, the story introduces us to each apartment's residents and the foods they love, culminating in a huge feast in the garden. Fabulous. Sala is supreme!

[Pauline]

This exquisite picture books has to be one of our favourite books of 2019. It is a tale of an apartment building where each of the residents comes from a different place. Some of the inhabitants of Number 10 Pomegranate St are inspired by real people that the author Felicita Sala met in her travels through Europe, Australia, Morocco, Israel and South East Asia. Each separate page features a story about one of the residents with an authentic recipe from their homeland that is child-friendly to prepare. The culmination of the book is when all from number 10 bring their food to share with each other, reinforcing the emotional connection that comes with the sharing of meals. Gorgeously illustrated, it is a celebration of family, food, diversity and community.

https://scribblekidsbooks.com/wp-cont...

[Jac Money]

I adore this picture book, for so many reasons.

Firstly, how clever the layout is. In most spreads, there is a full colour scene on the left hand side, where the story is told. On the right hand side is a recipe, with each ingredient illustrated to look how you would buy it at a store. It is clear for the reader what is story and what is recipe, making this a perfect cookbook for children of any age to enjoy.

The illustrations are simple yet detailed, a lovely balance of texture and colour. Who knew a fish fillet could be so pretty! My favourite ingredient is the chilli from the guacamole recipe.

The text and illustrations are so effective that it is possible to connect with each character in such a short span of paper. Their name, their clothes, their home and the recipe they make create so much depth. Again, very clever.

And the recipes! I want to make each one, beginning with Signora Lela’s Spaghetti al Pomodoro because, for me, this is the ultimate comfort food.

I was delighted by how the ending brought each character together to share a meal, with the dishes they had made throughout the story. I wish to be invited for a meal at 10 Pomegranate Street one day.

[Leslie]

This address, like a garden, is full of variety, existing and growing together in proximity. The address is an introduction to various cultural inhabitants preparing their individual dishes that they will later carry to a communal space to eat together at a large (round-edged) table.

Each double-spread yields the place of preparation and the person(s) on the left and the recipe with food-illustrations of ingredients and instructions on the right. The residences are full of cultural ingredients that tell the story of the person, a mirror of how the ingredients on the right come together to contribute (visually) to the story of the recipe.

What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street? is a really pretty book for foodies, cultural lovers, and those fueled by ideas/stories of community. It’s a good one for inspiring exploration as a cook and/or eater. Caution: it will make you hungry.

[Els]

Een huis vol lekkers. 15 recepten om samen van te smullen. Door Felicita Sala.

Met dit boek neem je een inkijkje in de keukens van de bewoners van de Granaatappelstraat nr.10. En oh wat ruikt het daar lekker. Alle bewoners zijn op hetzelfde moment aan het koken. Wij nemen in dit boek een kijkje bij 15 bewoners en pikken daar ineens een lekker recept mee. Gaande van de zwarte bonensoep van señora Flores, over de miniquiches van Mevrouw Toertjes, tot de aardbeiencrumble van Matilda.

Niet enkel de recepten zijn lekker, de tekeningen zijn oogstrelend én goesting gevend. Sala heeft een prachtig, divers, smakelijk boek afgeleverd. Voor jong én oud. Een boek dat aanzet tot koken en samen smullen, dat je blik verruimt (het hoeft niet elke dag aardappelen-groenten-vlees te zijn) en dat door de tekeningen vol originele details uren kijkplezier oplevert. Een pareltje om te koesteren dus!

[Joan]

An absolutely charming picture book with recipes, illustrated in a charming, deceptively simple style that is somewhat reminiscent of that of the brilliant Maira Kalman. It's a book that's intended for children, but it is really quite adult. There are lessons on many levels, depending on how you approach it.

The multi-cultural inhabitants of 10 Garden Street each cook up their favorite ethnic dishes, and then all come together to share a delightful feast in the back yard. What could be better?

I won this book in a contest from Zabar's, my favorite New York gourmet/appetizing store, along with three bars of premium chocolate and three jars of preserves, and the goodies were delectable, the book was definitely the best part of the prize.

[Linda]

Oh, my! I think everything's cooking at 10 Garden Street and I also think we all need to buy this book! Every double-page spread shows the tenants - grandmas and grandpas, singles, mothers and fathers, with children on the left, everyone chopping and slicing, dicing and mixing, blending and frying, and happy! On the right, beautifully illustrated ingredients explain exactly how to cook, "the recipe". At the end, ready, all gather in the garden of the apartment, to eat and savor. "Everyone's welcome!" Felicia Sala tells the story and illustrates with beautiful and muted colors.
There was an earlier French edition, out in the U.S. in 2019. You can see some pages and recipes on Amazon. It's a fun and creative way to show fellowship through sharing meals.

[Nick Norton]

I don't think I've ever left a review for a recipe book before, but am a big fan of this. The kids love it (to the extent they want to read it as a bedtime story). The recipes are simple, but delicious, and it's beautifully illustrated. Everything we've cooked from here so far I'd happily cook and eat again. Even some simple veg recipes (like the Baba Ganoush) are amazing. In fact, this is tastier, and easier, than about 5 other Baba Ganoush recipes I've tried. Next time a famous chef suggests charring an aubergine on a gas flame, tell them where to put said aubergine and reach for this recipe instead. It's tastier and your smoke alarm will thank you.

[AD]

This book is so lovely, and delicious! The apartments at 10 Pomegranate Street are full of delicious smells as all the residents prepare something for lunch.
The illustrations are gorgeous, and brief text introducing the residents makes this a book I would share with Primary students at story time. But it's also a book worth savouring, with delicious recipes from all around the world.
A stunning combination, I love it!

[Amy Navarre]

Thank you Prestel Junior and PRHPS Kid's Corner for this free Advanced Reader's Copy. The following review contains my honest opinion:
This is a big story told in a minimalistic way with only one or two sentences of story per page. I love the diversity that is highlighted throughout the book. The recipes contained within are illustrated and simple to complete. These recipes are good to use when cooking with kids in the kitchen.
I recommend this book.

[Allie]

Cute! One side has picture of the apartment occupant(s) cooking and on the other page is their ingredients and a short method. I feel like this would be a good lap read for families. There's tons to talk about on each page, and you can read through the text and supplement with so many different things. Some of the recipes looked really yummy scrummy! The illustrations are gorgeous and it seems like a really fun apartment building to live in.

[Mauri]

I’ve gotten too used to even children’s books having notes in the back…which this one doesn’t. None of the recipes mentions a country or culture of origin. And it annoys me that some of the background art bits include “I can’t write Chinese or Japanese, but I’m going to try anyway.”

Otherwise, the art is appealing and there are a lot of recipes that children might be intrigued by. (Though there are a large number of olives?)

[Kelly]

So many readers rated this book so high! Am I missing something?

The idea of the book was really, really good. However, adding recipes to a picture book, recipes that will mean little to many young readers, doesn't make sense to me. I think the story would have been awesome if it was told a little more simply.

[Karen]

3.5 stars

This storybook / cookbook hybrid is visually rich and and delightful. Each double spread describes a recipe cooked by one of the families living in an apartment building. The recipes are varied and multicultural and includes classics such as guacamole, soup, pasta and dessert. This book celebrates community, diversity and the joy of cooking and sharing food.

[Andrea]

This is a beautifully illustrated and wonderful book with an unexpected ending. I picked this up on a whim when I saw it on a shelf display at the library and I really enjoyed it. I'm not really a baker or chef, but some of the recipes looked really good, so I may check this book out again and try my hand at a few new meals!

[Charles]

What a gem of a book. The illustrations are gorgeously detailed and inviting, and it is just so smart how the fifteen featured recipes are tied to a little story, to each inhabitant of 10, Pomegranate Street. Not only are the recipes both great and easy to follow for a child, but they’re also a wonderful way to travel from one’s kitchen, teaching kids to appreciate other cultures’ foods.