The Mezzo Cookbook

There are two things which make this book different. First, the food is a brilliant example of the new style of 'fusion' food of which John Torode, as I understand it, was one of the pioneers. And second, it is beautifully written by Sarah Francis: witty, informative, enticing and clear. I buy a lot of cookbooks and I would rate this one easily in my top 5. The other great thing is that these recipes actually work, which is a major plus for a cookbook, and far from the norm. Torode combines classic ingredients from east and west to create fantastic dishes which seem completely unforced, and yet wonderfully original. One last note, the photos are beautiful, and give a vivd sense of Torode's food. A couple of months ago, the book won the James Beard award.