Sophie Grigson's Sunshine Food Book

Sophie Grigson's love of the Mediterranean, nurtured by many years of travel around its shores, shines through the many personal anecdotes and reminiscences in Sunshine Food, her new collection of recipes from the region. In her introduction she pays tribute to the allure of the great southern sea: "The magic begins as we step off the plane or train, to be bathed in warmth and that extraordinary, glittering, crystal light." No mention of the horrors of the mistral here: we are on summer holiday, eating in wonderful traditional restaurants, shopping in the abundant food markets, enjoying our aperitif in the shaded square of an unspoilt hill town or at a bar on the piccola marina. Over 140 recipes are included, from all around the Mediterranean, in the usual kind of categories, but inflected by the nature and exigencies of the regional diet: thus Starters and Snacks, Salads, Vegetables Dishes and Egg and Cheese Dishes have about the same prominence as Meat Poultry and Game. Among the recipes there are few that will be new to those familiar with Mediterranean food; but then, Sophie Grigson's greatest quality as a food writer is not exoticism but trustworthiness. Any recipe she chooses to present will be sound, vivid and delicious; and can be prepared and served with confidence. This is very much the case with this seductive book, a wonderful combination of the enjoyable and the inspiring. --Robin DavidsonRead More