1001 FOODS YOU MUST EAT BEFORE YOU DIE

Theodora Sutcliffe, Editor - Penguin Books - $50

I love this superb series of books from Penguin. Recently I wrote about 1001 Wines You Must Try Before You Die which prompted Keri Hulme to suggest that while that was a fine book it was really the Food title that I must read. So I have now done that and I must say it is a cracker, totally mouth-watering, but as with the wine title I think I may have left my run a bit late!

At almost a thousand pages this is not a book you pick up and read from cover to cover, no, it is definitely one for browing and I have found the best time to do that is while having a pre-dinner glass of wine, it certainly whets the appetite.

One of the features of all the books in this series are the glorious full colour photographs on every page, shots from all over the world. My favourite so far is the picture of Turkish delight piled high at a bazaar in Istanbul, closely followed by a field of sunflowers. Memories...........

And for my New Zealand readers, yes, we get a look in with whitebait and feijoa and golden kiwi fruit. There may be more but that is all I have found thus far.

This is an utterly gorgeous book, the perfect gift for the foodies in your life.

Thanks Keri for the recommendation.