Rosie Birkett is a London-based food writer/stylist and the book takes its name from her increasingly popular blog of the same name. She states “we eat to live, but, when we can, there’s nothing better than living to eat”. Rosie gives a detailed introduction of her journey with food explaining her influences from around the world, specifically India, Vancouver and Mexico, and gives the reader a basic understanding of the best way to shop for produce, kitchen equipment and store cupboard essentials.
Breakfast and brunch begins with a cod’s roe and sweetcorn fritters recipe which seems a little odd until Rosie justifies that she is not a morning person and needs the chilli to wake her up! Some of the breakfasts are staples such as granola and pancakes but many are Mexican- or Indian-based, making a refreshing change for the first meal of the day.
Starters are seafood focussed, which Rosie cites back to her trips to the seaside as a child with her family; Dad’s seafood sizzle is an easy to prepare shellfish mix, while octopus carpaccio is much more challenging, adventurous and time consuming, but definitely worth the wait.
Every dish has its own story, and many reference culinary friends she has made along the way, the Indian restaurant Dishoom being a favourite. This gives the reader an insight into what Rosie likes to eat as well as what she likes to cook.
