Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights

Recently, I was sent model and writer Sophie Dahl’s new cook book Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights (HarperCollins, £18.99). It sits cosily by my bed rather than on the shelf with my other stash of similar tomes. This is a normal procedure. Cookery books for me are like novels. I often read them from start to finish, lapping up the recipes and imagining all the dinner parties I am yet to have. Ms Dahl does not disappoint. Her book is divided into the four seasons with each one offering ideas for breakfast, lunch, supper and pud.

But, even more delicious, are her witterings in-between on how food has influenced and shaped (literally) her life. She says, "I am not an authority on anything much, but I do feel qualified to talk about eating. I’ve done a lot of it." Sophie has obviously inherited her grandfather’s (Roald Dahl) gene for fluid, whimsical words, gently seducing us to enjoy "incredible crumbles swimming in thick vanilla custard" and "saffron rice with slivers of almond and cardamom". I loved this book for the simple fact it made me want to cook and eat.

And surely that’s what life is all about.

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