Sophie Dahl, formerly a high profile model, author, columnist and woman about town has just written a cookbook, Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights (William Morrow). The title is perhaps a play on Ms. Dahl's reputation as one of the more curvaceous high profile models in her day.
The recipes are for the most part very easy to make and Ms. Dahl divides the book up seasonally which makes it consistently relevant. Most of the recipes are not too difficult to make, but at the same time they seem to be attuned to Ms. Dahl's own love of food.
Most of the menus require a few easy to find ingredients which are typically well-balanced combinations of fresh herbs, protein and fresh vegetables.
The book is particularly good for lazy Sunday or late night cooking when fussing over food is usually not the priority.
Of particular note are the lemon spelt pancakes which capture Ms. Dahl's particular aesthetic of health food and decadent pleasure. Also, her tawny granola recipe was crunchy and hearty without the cloying sweetness that even the better commercial offerings tend toward.
Finally, as might be expected, the stylish photos and the stylish presence of Ms. Dahl help make this book a particularly appealing offering.
