Canadian food blogger Tara O'Brady's new cookbook, Seven Spoons, is beautifully designed and executed. The cover and photos are all gorgeous. More importantly, the food in her book is stunning. O'Brady's recipes reflect an attitude towards food that I greatly appreciate. Much has made about the fact that O'Brady is Indian and Canadian. This supposedly explains why her food is so eclectic (in the best possible way) in terms of the types of world cuisines it combines. However, I see the way she cooks as simply reflecting an open-minded attitude towards food and culture that doesn't put too much stock in labels. Recipes like Chaat Tostadas don't tell us so much about O'Brady's race or ethnicity as about the tastes of a cosmopolitan and thoughtful cook. This recipe is about translating the delicious flavors of Indian street food into an easier, more everyday type of food. Huevos a la Plaza de Mercado, Hummus with White Miso, Mushrooms and Greens with Toast, Fattoush with Fava Beans and Labneh, Lemon Bucatini with Roasted Kale, Halloumi in Chermoula, and Walnut Cherry Oat Butter Tart Pie suggest O'Brady's freewheeling food references, rather than her race or upbringing. They also look and sound delicious. As these recipes suggest, her food tends towards the comforting, homey, filling, simple, and yet sophisticated. She places an emphasis on fresh ingredients and whole foods. She is also an excellent writer, and every recipe starts with lovely, evocative and helpful paragraphs about the food to follow. This is a user-friendly book of wonderful recipes that take a global approach to eating for granted.
( I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.)
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