Sister of Daniel Day-Lewis, Tamasin has also made a name for herself as a respected food writer, TV producer & director. She is definately a food purist with pretty sophisticated tastes who champions organic, seasonal and regional ingredients.

She is prepared to try anything that isn't still alive & kicking! Some of her more unusual dishes are prepared from road kill - roast badger, blackbird pie, hedgehog cooked in clay (eeek!)

I found her a writer of great literary skill combining all my favourite things - travel memoir, restaurant reviews, fascinating background information on the ingredients she uses, practical advice and lots of yummy recipes. I also love her and her partner's dedication to finding the source of the food they cook with, travelling to meet the people who produce it.

Her descriptions of food are so poetic and mouthwatering that I have to give you an example of her description of eating a plate of stuffed zuccini flowers with fresh ricotta and buffalo mozzarella:

"The batter is so light it could almost lead you to believe it isn't several thousand calories a mouthful, its a virtual batter, a homeopathic potency of deep-fried nothingness. It is primrose pale, so crisp it shatters in the mouth once its hermetic seal is broken and the intensified flavours within are released to flood onto the tongue in a woosh of perfect contrast: creaminess, springy softness, milkiness with a lactic twinge."

If you are a foodie, don't miss this one!