Honey & Co. Daily

Easy food for your everyday pleasure

By Madeleine Morrow

Honey & Co. Daily (Quadrille) is the fifth cookbook from the Honey & Co. partnership, which is Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer. Known to their legions of fans as ‘the honeys’, their infectious enthusiasm and warmth have grown their brand to encompass not only cookbooks but a number of restaurants where they serve Middle Eastern cuisine. Some of the cookbooks have followed the track of their restaurants. The first cookbook shared the recipes from the first tiny Honey & Co. restaurant that opened on Warren Street. It included their iconic feta and honey cheesecake made with kadaif pastry. Cakes have always been a big part of their popularity – Packer is a pastry chef who worked with Ottolenghi (as did Srulovitch) before they (partners in life and in work) branched out on their own. Chasing Smoke followed on from the opening of their Middle Eastern grill house, Honey and Smoke. Now Honey & Co. Daily, the cookbook follows on from the 2023 opening of their same-named, all-day deli, bakery and café on Store Street in central London.

In the introduction, the authors write about the importance of a bit of joy in our everyday, something that they were acutely aware of during the Covid lockdowns when they hatched the idea of opening a deli-café. The dishes they serve at Honey & Co. Daily as well as the recipes in this book are intended to create joy. They are not complex dishes and do not require much planning or cooking. But they are good to eat and will hopefully increase the joy quotient of those at the table.

The book is divided into chapters covering the sorts of food the restaurant Honey & Co. Daily serves, and which readers may well wish to try at home. Each chapter is introduced with a set of guidelines, rules and handy tips. There are over 100 recipes for eggs, soups, sandwiches, salads, dinners, quick and easy cakes and cookies, cocktails, breads and a range of basics.

I made a start at brunchtime with one of the 10 egg dishes, of which three are various kinds of shakshuka. I am a huge fan of shakshuka, which is my go-to brunch dish. I usually use the recipe of Srulovich and Packer’s alma mater, Ottolenghi, but I gave their very quick shakshuka a try. Quick-fix chickpea shakshuka with Urfa chilli butter is quite unlike the traditional tomato version, and also much quicker to get onto the table. A jar of best quality chickpeas, warmed in a pan with oil, spices, and garlic – I made this ahead – and then it is four minutes to cook the eggs. The dish is served with melted butter, Urfa chilli flakes, and a drizzle of tahini. We ate it with toasted sourdough for a hearty start to the day. It is the kind of dish I will also keep in mind for those evenings when there is nothing much in the fridge except eggs. I always have chickpeas and tahini in store.

For a late lunch, I turned to the chapter entitled The Daily Nightly. Here, there is a range of recipes including lamb, pork, fish and a selection of enticing vegetarian fare like butternut and chickpea kofta or aubergines with green tahini crust and cracked wheat pilaf. There are also recipes for chicken traybakes for each season. It being spring, I lost no time making this for dinner using broad beans, leeks and garlic.  As luck would have it, we had gorgeous spring weather to accompany our lunch. Sat in the garden in the sunshine, enjoying the combination of a well-roasted and browned chicken thighs with accompanying roasted leeks, which had caramelised in the roasting pan and were soft and sweet. The slightly bitter taste of the broad beans was a good counterpoint.

Who knew one could become addicted to a seed and spice mix? Since making a large jar full of Honey & Co.’s Daily dukkah, I keep opening the fridge to help myself to a tablespoon. Several times daily. Previously, I bought dukkah at my supermarket, where it is sold in small plastic tubs. It certainly doesn’t taste this good. Dukkah is an Egyptian mix made with a variety of seeds, almonds, spices, and olive oil. It is good for everything you can think of. I only resist sprinkling it over my morning yoghurt with berries because I’m not sure that the coriander seeds will pair well, but it’s probably only a matter of time. I have certainly added it to my salads, rice dishes, poached eggs with kimchi on the side, as well as over roasted and steamed vegetables. It is so good, I have added the recipe at the end of this article. I am planning to make jars full for friends at Christmas.

What is so moreish about it is that it is crunchy, salty, and spicy. As snacking goes, it is a healthy habit. I am reminded of a similar addictive experience when cooking from Honey & Co.’s Chasing Smoke, during which I was introduced to smoked almonds served with BBQ’d sweet potato. For months, I could not pass my local seed and nut shop without buying a bag or two of these outstanding nuts.

In my view, all home-cooked food sparks joy in those gathered around to eat it. Those who live or work in central London can pop in regularly to eat at Honey & Co. Daily. For those who do not, here is a cookbook filled with recipes and ideas to keep those at your table happy. Sometimes, when the world has turned upside down, getting into the kitchen seems more important than ever. And no one needs an excuse to bake one of Packer’s legendary cakes or cookies.

Honey & Co. Daily is available for £27 at all good booksellers and on the Honey & Co. website.