Top book's key ingredient: Talented young co-authors

It's a bit like winning an Oscar, Margaret Brooker said after she won a coveted Golden Ladle in the best children's cookbook category for It's My Turn to Cook - which she co-authored with her two young daughters.
The prestigious, biannual international Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards were announced in Australia at a gala night on May 3.
"I couldn't be there in person, so I didn't find out until I received a phone call late that night with the good news," Margaret said.
"My daughters, Alexandra and Charlotte Stephen, couldn't stop smiling. It was a sweet victory for all of us."
Alexandra, 13, and Charlotte, 11, were 10 and 8 respectively when the book was written.
"It was very much a team effort," Margaret said.
"We would discuss what sort of recipes to use, write them out and then decide if they were suitable. The girls made all the dishes themselves and had a lot of input into what went in and what stayed out."
The recipes were chosen to appeal to all ages and range from basic boiled eggs to strawberry icecream, French toast and Moroccan Lamb.
Margaret, who also works as a lawyer for the NZ Food Safety Authority, believes cooking is a life skill. Everyone should know how to feed themselves - even if it is only the basics.
"It's the same as any skill really. The more you practise, the better you get. Food is an important part of our life and with all the fuss about obesity, knowing exactly what you are eating and making it from scratch is so important."
She is a firm believer in family meal times - no television and everyone sitting around the table enjoying their meal and discussing the day's events.
Margaret has a cunning plan when it comes to fussy eaters: "Let them cook. How can they possibly not eat something they are so proud of making? And make it enjoyable so they want to come back for seconds. I grew up in a typical Kiwi household - big vegetable garden, home produce and baking. I really didn't know how lucky I was."
Asked how her daughters had coped with the "fame" of it all, Margaret said they were very proud of their achievement.
"When the trophy arrived, I took it to their school and the principal presented it to them at assembly, just like an Oscar. They were a bit embarrassed by it all."
Margaret, Alexandra and Charlotte can be very proud of It's My Turn to Cook.
It's informative, colourful and will appeal to anyone interested in teaching their children where to start in the kitchen.
REVIEW

It's My Turn To Cook
By Margaret Brooker with Alexandra and Charlotte Stephen, New Holland, $24.99
It's My Turn To Cook is a step-by-step guide for youngsters trying their hand at cooking.
Margaret Brooker and her daughters, Alexandra, 10, and Charlotte, 8, donned their aprons and set to work writing, cooking and tasting a range of recipes to suit young and old.
The finished product is a world-class book they can be proud of.
There are secrets for success tips at the front of the book including allowing yourself plenty of time and cleaning up the kitchen when you have finished.
There are also food safety rules and a "how to" section on on how to peel garlic, chop an onion and grate food.
There are menu ideas and, of course, delicious recipes including scrambled eggs and chicken nibbles. Each recipe has a step-by-step process along with a list of equipment needed and pointers. With beautiful photographs by Paul McCredie, this recipe book really is a winner.