Taupō author Vanya Insull’s new cookbook brings summer sunshine

Vanya Insull's new recipe book, Summer Favourites, features pictures taken around Taupō.

Vanya Insull is a name already found on cookbook shelves across the country.

The foodie, writer and founder of VJ Cooks penned the bestselling Everyday Favourites in August last year from her Taupō home.

Now, just in time for the weather warming up, she’s returned with a follow-up, Summer Favourites.

Insull is originally from Rotorua but has lived in Taupō for the past seven years, and has used the second book’s photos to showcase the town’s beauty.

“The cool thing about the second book is that we did the shoot in Taupō.

“The front cover is taken from my balcony.”

Having the lake as a backdrop added to the summer theme of the book, she said.

It also gave her the opportunity to use some of her favourite warm-weather recipes.

“We’re coming into summer so we’ve got a salad section, lots of barbecue recipes and we’ve got desserts in this one too.”

Perhaps in an indication of how ready Kiwis are for some sunshine, the book has gone straight into the New Zealand bestsellers’ list.

The ease of the recipes has also been a huge factor in both books’ success, said Insull.

“People come to me for everyday dinners and lunchbox baking.

“They’re quite simple recipes. I like to try and cut as many corners as I can to make it simple.

“If it’s getting a bit complicated then I’ll bring it right back.”

That simplicity has struck a chord with her followers; as well as the two books, the VJ Cooks website and social media channels have tens of thousands of visitors every day.

It’s a far cry from VJ Cooks’ simple beginnings; Insull started recording and sharing recipes online with her friends and family, before starting the dedicated Facebook page for her culinary adventures.

After a slow-burn start, Insull’s chocolate Weet-bix slice recipe went viral, getting more than three million hits in total.

“It was definitely a pipe dream.

“But I didn’t think it’d lead to a cookbook!”

Now, every recipe is put through its paces by Insull and her team, made up of four Taupō mums who work for her part-time.

“We have big cooking days where we cook about six different things.

“We’re very honest about things. We’ll all test the dish.”

The kids all pitch in too, and as Insull admits, “they’re quite honest as well”.

It’s a winning formula; a third book is already in the pipeline for release in winter 2025.

For now, though, Insull hopes that people will find new warm-weather staples in Summer Favourites.

But which dish is her favourite?

“Mine would probably be the southern-style fried chicken.

“And for the sweet, it’d probably be the brownie trifle that’s on the cover, or the chocolate fish slice.”

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