As usual wih Julie's recipes, there are so many excellent feasts to be had it's hard to know where to start. Maybe eggplant, pepper, courgette and feta terrine. Coconut chicken salad in a leaf, perhaps. Or steamed lamb dumplings. Will that leave room for limoncello mousse or self-saucing chocolate hazelnut pudding? How-to hints, snippets of advice and presentation tips are sprinkled through the pages. The recipes are simple, stylish and utterly delicious - Le Clerc trademarks. Her greatest gift, though, is turning the familiar into fabulous: smoked fish pie is terrific with capers and parsley mash, roast leg of lamb is revived with a pineapple marinade and salsa, trifle gets a contemporary twist with turkish delight. This is a mouthwatering and inspiring collection.

Review by Sally Butters, New Zealand House and Garden, 2004.