The latest cookbook to come from the kitchen of Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi has pages reminiscent of the content – natural, crunchy paper packed with lots of colour!
Around the World in Salads will tempt you in a way few healthy foodie books can.
“I make the carrot salad so often.” adds Katie, “it’s basically grated carrot with lemon seeds and olive oil and is delicious. It works with tired carrots from the back of the fridge so there’s no excuse – you can always conjure up something healthy quickly
But my absolute favourite salad is the lettuce with cheese and hot bacon… I could eat one right now. The smell of the bacon crisping in the pan never fails to wake up my teenage boys.”
There are a lot of ‘could just eat that‘ moments sparked off by the 120 recipes.
“This book is about how we eat now in our family.” says Katie, “ My husband is diabetic and gluten intolerant and our son Giorgio, 16, is gluten intolerant too. Neither can eat pasta which is a tragic for a Tuscan chef, so our salads have to be male friendly!”
Ideas were pulled from all sorts of sources for the final recipe collection
“A family holiday to Vietnam really inspired us, then my elderly father had several carers of different nationalities. Cambodian Suzy and Indian Mum Rajit were two who enthusiastically shared their recipes. Our food stylist Suzie was amazing at chopping and arranging salad elements on a plate for photography. Our book is essentially about the art of assembling a combination of simple, wholesome ingredients and dribbling dressing over them.”
Around the World in Salads was a learning curve and I am happy to pass on that knowledge.”
When the Caldesis come to Chorleywood this month we can expect inspired salad ideas to be passed round as well as a few tasters.
Around the World in Salads, Kyle Books, RRP £16.99
Meet the Caldesis on Wed 22 June, 7.30pm The Junction, Christ Church. Event vouchers £6 from Chorleywood Bookshop, book £12 on night