Amazon.co.uk Review
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 Davidson
Review
This book is all about Mediterranean food and cooking, which will get your mouth watering and your mind wandering to memories of holidays, sun, sea and glorious meals. There are some who, having ordered and received this book, will be able to nip to the local market to buy the freshest, ripest, juciest ingredients, before returning to prepare one of the gorgeous recipes. For the rest of us, the supermarket will have to do, but one of the joys of this book is that it is geared to suit both lifestyles. While Grigson recognises that nothing can replace the wonder of the Mediterranean marketplace, and that much of the produce available to us in the supermarket lacks the potency of foods locally produced and freshly picked, she cleverly guides the reader to make the most of whatever is available. She has done her research, and she knows what you can and cannot pick up in the high street. As a result, the recipes are realistic and uncomplicated. The list of ingredients at the start of the book is fascinating: from basil to kephalotiri (Greek cheese), each has a paragraph devoted to it. The recipes themselves take us from starters through salads, vegetable dishes, fish, meat, puddings and drinks with such wonders as risotto verde estivo (green summer risotto), pumpkin and feta gratin and fig and anise ice cream. As if words aren't enough, the photography will have you drooling. (Kirkus UK)
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