Loving and Cooking with Reckless Abandon [Hardcover]

The cover of Loving and Cooking With Reckless Abandon bears a sticker with a quote from Jemima Khan: "Kevin is a food genius." The title derives from an "Instruction for Life" attributed to the Dalai Lama. It is altogether a glamorous, cosmopolitan production. A chapter is entitled Kitchen Yoga. So now we know where we stand.

Unlike Kevin Gould's first book, the design award-winning Dishy, this one actually looks at first glance like a conventional cookery book. Appearances are deceptive, though. A 14-line recipe (there are recognisable recipes) for Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli is prefaced with five pages of atmospheric description of the streets and street food of Cairo--and why not? The long chapter called Eating With A Lover kicks off with Consummation Consommé and continues with White Asparagus Wrapped in Ham--the accompanying photograph displays a mound of phallic spears sheathed (no other word will do) with prosciutto. Airily citing the Satyricon as a precedent, Gould gives a set of 12 Signs of the Zodiac Mezze, combinatorial markers of erotic compatibility: "Do your dishes mix?"

This is all great fun and certainly adds to the book's chic. The swish, yogic blether and one-world name-dropping may not be everyone's taste, but shouldn't conceal the fact that Cooking and Loving is packed with ideas for the most delicious foods, new and traditional, simple and elaborate, from all round the world. A feast, in short; a celebration of the world, the flesh and, for some of us, the spirit. --Robin Davidson

Eating in a restaurant is lovely - good food, service, no washing up, but it lacks that little something extra you find when eating at home or with friends - love. Knowing that someone has put their heart into a meal makes it that bit more special and this is passed on into the food itself, making it taste even better. Acclaimed chef, cookery writer and organic food guru Kevin Gould found his inspiration for this new book in an unlikely source - the Dalai Lama with his ascribed tenet "approach love and cooking with reckless abandon". From this Kevin introduces a whole new philosophy to the way we see, prepare, serve and share food. Fabulously illustrated with his own luscious photographs, the recipes span the globe from South America, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Far East. Each recipe is personally ascribed to its creator and a history given of the ingredients making this more than an ordinary cookbook. You will get sidetracked by his easy, informative and fascinating prose and forget all about the cooking itself if you are not careful. You will find yourself engrossed in the lives of Italian mamas, English ex-pats and the history of the author's amazing family. Food for families, friends and lovers mixes with healthy eating and the introduction of a more relaxed approach to food preparation and cooking. Easy to follow instructions ensure perfect results providing your state of mind is in tune with your actions.. So take a global tour with this amicable chef, learn how to care for yourself, your food and your nearest and dearest and start "Loving and Cooking with Reckless Abandon".

A book that goes to the heart of the home, the romance of the kitchen and to the idea of cooking as the conscious route to health, harmony and happiness at the table. Focusing on the principles of eating together and cooking for family, friends and partners, it features a collection of the most intensely delicious, holistic - even spiritual - meals. Following the Dalai Lama's injunction to "approach love and cooking with reckless abandon", Kevin Gould presents a range of recipes that are sensuous, thoughtful, inspirational and wonderful to cook and eat. These include massaged shoulder of lamb, baked apples with cranberries, golden buffala mozarella with capers, emperor fish with lavender and fennel, baked squash with goats cheese, porcini-stuffed poussins, Grandma's chicken soup with almond dumplings and green tea sorbet with mint leaves. Delciously alcoholic recipe ideas include grapefruit with Campari, Pernod-spiked watermelon, tarte tatin with Calvados and tomatoes with a love injection (of vodka!) - these are just a few of the irresistible taste combinations to be found in the year's most original cookbook.

Kevin Gould is one of Britain's most passionate and original food writers and experts. As a pioneer of the organic movement he opened the first organic delicatessen, Realfood in 1991 and went on to establish, Joy, a busy events-catering business and two restaurants, Love Cafe and the Love Bar. Kevin has travelled the world in search of foods produced with integrity and his first book, Dishy, was published in 2000. Currently a consultant to a multinational food retailer and several food manufacturers, he is also a full-time writer on food and food trends for a variety of web sites plus the Telegraph, Waitrose Food Illustrated, Elle, Elle Decoration, Time Out and Gourmet Traveller.