A book about the oldest Indo-European [Indische] cookbook from 1843, by Marjolein Kokosky Deforchaux-Kelderman, published in 2025.
Wanted to share this for a while, because it is one of those projects that is just amazing, inspiring & made so well, and to be part of it, just in the tiniest bit is such an honour.
Got to write a short explanation about a batik sarong that was used as a base for the colour use through out the book ‘Kokki Bitja: Een Boek over het Oudste Indische kookboek uit 1843’ {Kokki Bitja, cook Bitja, about the oldest Indo-European cookbook from 1843} by Marjolein Kokosky Deforchaux-Kelderman.
The batik in question is from the collection of the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam and is an interesting rare example of a sarong with fruits & animals. Wonderful to figure out what buah-buahan were actually depicted on it.
The journey is as impressive as the book itself. Marjolein carefully curated it, from the different use of paper, high quality print of the many many historical images and the intens! research!
The book has a second pressing already & really should be made in an English too.
To order email to kokkibitja@gmail.com.