They say you don’t win friends with salad, but I’m fairly certain that armed with the Caldesi’s latest cook book, you might very well find yourself inundated with leaf-loving friends, says Lara

Around the World in Salads offers readers 120 ways to ‘love your leaves’ with recipes from our global village including Ginger and Turmeric Fruit Salad, Butternut Squash and Farro Salad, Mexican Beef Salad, Grain and Feta Salad and of course all of the major players in the salad world including the Caldesi take on nicoise, Caesar, slaw, tabbouleh and fattoush.

Accompanied by the crisp and vibrant photography of Helen Cathart, Kyle Books has lovingly produced the Katie and Giancarlo’s 8th book with a stylish matte cover and packed it with plenty of images showing you just how beautiful life with salad can be.

Spurred on by family health issues relating to gluten intolerance and diabetes, Katie Caldesi set out on a mission to include more fruit and vegetables into their family meals. While some of the salads are exotic and contain some specialty ingredients, there are plenty of simple recipes like the Swedish Cucumber Salad, the Whole Lettuce Salad with Gorgonzola Dolce and Hot Bacon Vinaigrette or the Asian Rainbow Slaw.

Katie has researched well, mining the rich vegan landscape and utilising ingredients like ancient grains, tahini and pulses, weaving her magic into even the simplest of dressings.

 Not only will you find page after page of healthy inspiration, but the Caldesis have also dropped in some recipes for meat dishes to accompany your fresh new salad repertoire and a handful of unusual dessert combinations that will come in handy for summer.

This book is a triumph of  up-to-date nutritional advice and tips for healthier eating, inspirational serving suggestions, and a wide and accessible range of international flavours and textures and not in the least, this book is full of personal anecdotes that make Around the World in Salads an authentic Caldesi family offering.

{ISBN:0857833022}

Lara meets the Caldesis in their Bray restaurant, Caldesi in Campagna