Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights

by Sophie Dahl

Presents a collection of one hundred recipes for balanced dishes that celebrate the joys of cooking with simple ingredients, along with a narrative of the celebrity model's quest to find a healthy way of eating and enjoying food.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Memoir, Food and Drink, Cuisine

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Sophie Dahl (born Sophie Holloway) is an English author, cookbook writer and former model. She was born in London, the daughter of actor Julian Holloway and writer Tessa Dahl. Her maternal grandparents were author Roald Dahl and actress Patricia Neal. Her paternal grandfather was actor Stanley Holloway. She was the inspiration for Sophie, the main character in her maternal grandfather's book The BFG.

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Dahl has a way of writing that simply mesmerises. This book, half cookery guide, half autobiography, tells of experiences with food, with family and with weight and diet that I can relate to, generously interspersed with recipes that inspire.

And it is that inspirational element that has made want to recommend this book where I wouldn't usually bother with cookery texts. There has been an influx of cookbooks of late that demonstrate how to bake, how to cook Italian, that take the fashionable essentials of every modern kitchen and create fast and easy suppers that score high on taste and simplicity. The problem is that these manuals have become so common and so explicit that they seldom offer anything new.

Yet, Sophie's recipes explore new patterns of cooking, indulging in the pleasure of taking time for preparation, of forward planning and of utilising ingredients that may not be store cupboard essentials as yet. She cooks, as I do, by taste and intuition, shunning the now common instruction manual style of recipe for one more that encourages experimentation - pinches, handfuls, substitute ingredients... And her food is about warmth, joy, indulgence - yes, delight. It's a new way of cooking, and, my first recipe attempt having been beyond successful, one I highly recommend sampling!

[Liliana Silva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eu tenho pontaria e má sorte com os livros de culinária...
Enfim...
Opinião no blogue com direito a receita: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/...

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hope Sophie Dahl didn't have a ghost writer for this, but if she did, whoever it was writes pretty well. She is the granddaughter of Roald Dahl, I'd forgotten. (And Stella Tennant is a Mitford too--her grandmother is the Duchess of Devonshire, Nancy and Jessica's youngest sister Deborah.) So models by way of literary pedigrees? In this case, it works fine. A random example:

Coquette's Eggs
When my boyfriend and I were courting, he came over for brunch and this is what I cooked, albeit rather nervously... the name is somewhat bolder than I felt that day, but something obviously worked; fate or cooking, we'll never know.

The book is separated into seasons and in each season are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. At the beginning of each season, Dahl writes about her love of food and eating and cooking and all their associations, and how food played a part in her modeling life/career. It's not entirely superficial, feels just personal and honest enough to hold your interest. Descriptions of people and places are vivid and usually cozy, sometimes exotic.
There are only a few recipes that I want to try though, but everything sounds appealing and comforting. Every recipe comes with a little story or introduction. They're cute. There's lots of rain.

Indian sweet potato pancakes p. 30
Paris mash p. 56
Grilled salmon with baked onions p. 65
Brown rice risotto with pumpkin, mascarpone, sage and almonds p. 112
My mama's baked acorn squash p. 162
Lemon Capri torte p. 248
I got this recipe from a taxi driver in Sorrento, who was big on cooking. He said his wife and daughters begged him not to, though, because he left the kitchen in such a mess!
Ah, what a life.

[Krysten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just have to rate this cookbook so I can say.. um... what?

Simple recipes and lovely photographs aside, Sophie Dahl is weird. I'd never heard of her before I grabbed this book but it seems like she might be insane. Not that insane is a bad thing. I just.. she makes me uncomfortable. There is a lot of autobiography to this book, most of which I skimmed, particularly after the beginning when she told a tale about her pet bunny who raped her guinea pig and then ran away and was eaten by a fox. It was supposed to be funny, or charming, or quirky or something, I think, and it just did not sit well with me.

The recipes are pretty standard. I realized, after paging through the book, that I could have come up with most of the recipes myself. They seem largely thrown-together, like they're comfort food designed for people who would rather not be cooking. I can respect that. Truly. But there's only so much to be done with goat cheese and greens.

I did like that the recipes were grouped by season and then by meal. That's what attracted me to the book. Also many of them are vegetarian. It seems like Dahl has had a long-standing flirtatious relationship with vegetarianism, based on her long autobiographical meanderings. It also seems like she has a very unhealthy relationship with food in general, and with weight. I won't get too analytical about it but it did reek of cray.

Altogether I bookmarked two or three forgettable recipes and found the others too simple and intuitive to try to reproduce. The pictures are nice, but, y'know, I own enough cookbooks that I can do much better.

[Holyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I read a review of this book in Vogue and thought it odd/interesting that a fashion magazine was reviewing a cookbook (of all things) and so decided to give it a shot. This is actually a cookbook/mini memoir of the author's life and struggle with food - a strange juxtaposition to consider.

I appreciated the division of the book into seasons. I love thinking along the lines of cooking seasonally. The photographs included were lovely. However, I only found about eight recipes in the whole book that made me curious enough to write them down to try another time. For me to get really excited about a cookbook, I need to have more recipes than that waiting 'in the wings'.

The memoir sections prefaced each season of recipes and Dahl attempted to make them about each season of her life as related to her food issues. I really struggled with the concept of combining these two things. I think Dahl lived an interesting life as a 'larger' model who refused to go 'plus sized' back in the 90's and would like to know more about that, but I feel that is a separate book. I think I might have been more receptive to the recipes if I had not just finished reading about her confusion with body image and food....and all the disordered eating that grew from that.

I appreciate the intent of this book in that Dahl wants readers to know that balanced, wholesome eating is the way to maintain a healthy and joyful life. In the end, I just could not quite connect with the work.

[Ann Brogan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this collection of recipes as I admire Sophie Dahl, former 1990s poster-child for the larger model, but everything I tried (unlike most of the raving reviewers here who I'll wager have not!) turned out to be disappointing, especially the Carnation milk jellies which were yuck! While the little anecdotes and prefaces to the recipes are charming and well written, I'm afraid the book is very much style over substance. For one thing, Dahl seems to have acquired an inordinate number of recipes from family and friends. So I don't think it's unfair to say that she may have got the book and tv cookery show deal because of her connections, and I highly suspect it must have been the case. The recipes are presented as voluptuous, however, they are in fact aimed at girls like Sophie who are watching their weight. Perhaps this is why they didn't work for me - when I want to eat cake, I don't feel 'disgusting' about adding the odd dollop of creme fraiche!

[Rosianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't cook as much as I used to, nor as much as I'd like to. In summer, I tend to stick to cheese and spinach sandwiches, simple egg salads, peppers, tofu stir fry and generally things I can throw together in ten minutes or so. But when I get in the mood, I fall into it. I feel like I'm on a cooking show or as though I'm the protagonist in Como Agua Para Chocolate. Cooking for me is something like painting - my Mexican mother gave me a love of colour and my oldest sister made me more daring, moved me away from my nice little foundation foods - but above all, it's so very anecdotal. Smells, colours, flavours, all of it.

I love this cookbook dearly. The photographs, the anecdotes, even the quality of the paper... not to mention the recipes themselves!

[Blanca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long ago, I visited a very cool girl with my very-cool best friend. This very cool girl was all legs, a wasp waist and shiny dark hair that sometimes was piled up in a messy ballerina knot. Anyway, besides her looking very cool, she had a very cool idea about eating. She had champagne on hand in her fridge and nice savory snacks and knew about good chocolate.

This book is like revisiting that very cool girl and hanging out in her kitchen. It's delicious and satisfying without being irresponsibly decadent.

Yum.

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet little cookbook with simple, natural and tasty recipes for each season, separated with thoughtful essays about Dahl's struggles with and passions for food and eating. Her paradoxical experiences (being a world-famous model, but one known for her "voluminous" curves and heft) make her experiences especially interesting. This isn't a "manifesto" cookbook like you'd get from Jamie Oliver or Mark Bittman, but an uncomplicated celebration of healthy and cheerful eating.

[Megan]

Beautiful cookbook, and she is so cute. Sophie Dahl seems like the genuine deal.

[katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flicked through this when it first arrived in store a few months back, and thought: voluptuous?? But where is the cream in these recipes?? I thought it was a con, I really did. The cook book equivalent of those people who insist raw celery is a comfort food.

It is not a con. Several months of re-adjusting my attitudes towards food later, I picked this up again, and discovered that someone had finally written a cook book for ME. The first recipe is for a grilled mushroom topped with goats cheese and a poached egg. I cooked it last night. It is possibly the most decadent thing I have ever eaten. And it's fairly representative of the rest of the book: the recipes are mostly vegetarian, they're mostly things you can either bundle together in fifteen minutes or spend half the day leisurely concocting, they're mostly healthy (portion sizes are pretty small, I think, which allows for the comparative decadence), and they mostly include at least one of my go-to foods. Who wants cream when goats cheese exists in the world?

I loved reading the little memoirs sandwiched between the recipes, partly because I love the way Sophie Dahl writes, partly because her relationship to food has been, and is, an awful lot like my own (sans supermodel episodes).

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the most perfect thing to have read at this point in my life, where I've tried and failed miserably to remove post-high school (aka depressing University) weight. The autobiographical information was both inspiring and intensely comforting, from all of Sophie's amazing experiences right down to the weight and body image stuff. The recipes, while mostly not things I will ever cook (I don't eat seafood and I am practically the antithesis of a vegetarian), were still inspiring and useful. Plus the layout and photographs are gorgeous, which I love of a cookbook. The copy I've just read is a library one but, despite my book buying ban (on account of wanting to move overseas and knowing I won't be able to take many with me), I do want to buy my own copy to flick through whenever I need a reminder that, no, I don't need to go on some weird impractical diet, I just probably need to go for a walk and stop eating quite so much cheap ice cream.

[Elsabe Retief · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever the cynical I was ready to file Sophie as a wanna be author clutching at straws of privilege being a grand daughter of Roald who has a great following in all the extensions of this house hold. But not at all! I am glad to admit that she is really a brilliant writer, her cookbook shines with ingenious recipes and principles regarding food and eating that plants her pretty feet squarely on mother earth. Her convictions has solid thought behind them and her writing is natural and chock full imagination and amicable humour.

[Lauren Nicol Deaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all time FAVOURITE book for cosy cooking & the BEST recipe for making banana loaf. Sophie does a great job of really giving off that earthly, warm and wintery vibe. I have made quite a few things in here and I think the banana loaf recipe is the easiest to follow. I think I can make it in my sleep!

[Lainey Grieve Ramsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautiful, it’s chic, feminine, pretty and a joy to read. That said, I haven’t made a single thing from it.

The 4⭐️’s are for the design of the book only.

It’s another one that I removed from my cookbook shelf earlier this year and now seems destained for the charity shop as no one has shown any interest on Vinted.

[Irinel Finco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very simple recipes that I cannot wait to cook.

[Catrinamaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the photos, the recipes and the personal stories. Beautifully produced.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious from start to finish

[Manny Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3649006

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3649006

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more of a 3.5 than a four, but I read this on a lovely, relaxing afternoon, sitting on the deck and watching the birds. That's worth another half point.

I'd never heard of Sophie Dahl. I realized part of the way in that I was supposed to have heard of her, so I googled, and then things made more sense. In general, I find stories like hers irritating -- "and then there was that spring I lived in Paris and then there was the fall at the cape and then I jetted off to India for the weekend and then I lived in New York and didn't work or have any money but I still managed to cook amazing food for every meal and didn't collapse under the mental strain that accompanies poverty, because after all I knew I could always crash at my uncle's fabulous Village loft, and then..." Yes, yes, you're far more interesting than the rest of us. You have had a wonderful gypsy life that no one else can hope to have and so we're stuck buying your book instead.

That said, she tells that story in one of the less annoying ways. I actually liked her, and I liked what she had to say about seasonal eating, and eschewing fad diets. I especially liked what she had to say about carbohydrates. Long live bread!

I'm reviewing this as a book, not a cookbook because I haven't tried any of the recipes yet. Some of the ingredient lists suggest the dish will consist of finely shredded nothing, beautifully seasoned. But others look like they will be substantial and tasty. She also usually provides measurements for 2 servings, which is kind of handy. She doesn't say in so many words that this is a cookbook for single people, but it could very easily serve that audience. She has weird ideas about dessert, but I'm on board with her breakfasts.

[Kristen Northrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four stars are conditional because I haven't actually tried any recipes, but they certainly sound tasty. And simple. And healthy. Yet luscious.

I can't imagine picking up a cookbook by an American fashion model, but it's somehow different with the British. And it is mostly recipes, not memoir.

Quite a bit of it is homey nursery type food, which is a plus for me. In a more contemporary vein, there's lots of goat cheese, sweet potatoes, spelt flour, agave syrup, and yogurt. Meat as well. Sometimes. As with many British cookbooks, there's a lot of broiling. And flapjacks that have no relation to the American dish of that name (but they sound delicious).

I like the organization by season and within that by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Just a single dessert section at the end, however. And most dishes serve just two people, which is a lovely change from the usual. Speaking of lovely, the kitchen sequences look like Nigella shoots and the atmosphere shots look just like an Anthropologie catalog. (This is a plus.)

It's not a book for beginners. She assumes some basic kitchen knowledge. I loved the assumption that everyone butters their chickens before roasting. The writing is wonderfully conversational, with small fat pans and plenty of flexibility. She understands that an effective hangover breakfast requires a Coke, in this case to accompany an egg sandwich recipe that can be placed in any sort of "bready thing." Macrobiotics are acknowledged as a nice healthy idea but too time-consuming for most people.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pierwszy mój kontakt z Sophie-kucharką odbył się poprzez jej program kulinarny „Apetyczna panna Dahl”. Urocza scenografia, proste, smakowite przepisy i odrobinę pozytywnych banałów na temat życia i gotowania. Jeśli komuś spodobał się program, to tym bardziej spodoba mu się książka, która była przyczynkiem do powstania programu.

Książka podzielona jest na 4 pory roku, a każdy rozdział poprzedza wstęp, o tym jakie znaczenie miało jedzenie i gotowanie w życiu Sophie. A odgrywało ono ważną rolę, nie tylko dlatego, że Sophie była modelką. To nie tylko książka kucharska, ale też opowieść o Sophie.

Przepisy są dość proste i choć nie wszystkie składnik są łatwo dostępne w moim mieście, to te propozycje służą mi jako inspiracja. Każdy rozdział zawiera takie, które nadają się odpowiednio na: śniadanie, obiad lub kolację, dodatkowo w „Zimie” jest trochę o Bożym Narodzeniu. Dwa, trzy zdania na początku opisu każdego dania, to wytłumaczenie dlaczego znalazło się w tej książce, bądź też jakaś rada związana z jego podawaniem.

Wszystkie miary podawane są w gramach i mililitrach, a jeśli to możliwe, to przeliczone są także na szklanki. Dzięki temu nigdy nie musiałam się zastanawiać ile składnika tak naprawdę muszę odważyć.

Tekst uzupełniają piękne zdjęcia autorstwa Jan Baldwin. Nie zawsze pokazują one gotowe danie, ale zawsze dają wyobrażenie rezultatu i powodują, że na ich widok cieknie ślinka.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious! I don't think I've ever read a cookbook cover to cover, but the chapter intros definitely make it worth the read. I also love that it is organized by seasons. The spring and summer chapters had my mouth watering, especially knowing that Farmer's Markets are popping up around now (one near our new house). But of course Dahl saved the best for last... the flourless chocolate cake alone makes the book worthwhile. (Don't worry mom, once the unpacking and arranging is done, this one is first on my to-do list. I'll try to save you a piece!)

Just an update...
I did finally make the flourless chocolate cake (back in January to be exact). It did not meet my mom's tough standards (I have another recipe for that), but Dave and I both loved it. Maybe I did something wrong, but it had a nice, brownie-like consistency and absolutely melts in your mouth.

The real winner so far is the cedar plank salmon. Maybe it's just the fact that Dave gets to set something on fire, but without this recipe I don't think I could get him to eat salmon. Simple and delicious.

[Joana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Dahl is a delight. Her cookery tv show was probably the most feel-good, comforting tv I've ever seen. It wasn't just about food: it was about moods, personal stories, good music and visually wonderful. This book is an extension of that, without the music and the voice-over but with more complete recipes.

I don't usually read cookery books but I've been trying to cook more and I'm looking for inspiration. The recipes here are mostly vegetarian, very simple and without pretenses. They are divided by season and then by breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts. And in between you get anecdotes and stories of Mrs. Dahl's relationship with food and her life adventures. It's relaxed and joyful, like the author.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh so delicious, both to look at and to cook from! Sophie Dahl's writing is down-to-earth and accesible, so like her grandfather Roald's. The pictures in her book made me drool and everything I've cooked from it so far has been delectable and satisfying...and healthy, though that's hard to believe! Very much in the style of Jamie Oliver, if you like his recipes, but even if you're unfamiliar with him, this book is fun to read just as a story of one woman's journey toward body acceptance and how food figured into all that.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have made several of the recipes from this book, today I read the text portions. Not only did I find Dahl's frankness, sheer delight for food, and promptings to eat it in a healthy, wholesome manner inspiring, but every recipe I have made from this book has been delicious. Moreover, they're all things that are quick and easily made after coming home from work or before class in the morning. I turn to this book every time I need inspiration to cook again, even if I don't use the actual recipes from it.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered this book through my library because I watched a dvd of Dahls cooking for moods. I enjoyed reading this as it's more than a recipe book. I like books that chat with and to the reader (Nigel Slater, Hugh F.W.). I liked reading about her life and I have bookmarked so many recipes that I think I'll just have to buy the book to add to my overflowing cookbook shelf. I also liked that it's divided into seasons and then into breakfast, lunch and supper. Very orderly yet very fun to read. I shall read more of her books as I like her style of writing.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! The recipes are unique and delightful. The stories are whimsical and full of character. I absolutely love that she gives pointers like, "If its a rowdy sort of breakfast, you could also add some rum." Ingredients like marmalade and a breakfast recipe with fish seem foreign, yet delicious to my American palate!

This book is a must for those interested in wholesome, nutritious, meals.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite pleasantly surprised by this one. Rarely do I pick up a book because of an article in a magazine. Even more rarely do I do so and like the book. The prose that acompanies the recipes is so thoughtful and her wry humor shows through even when describing how many a dish will feed. Highly recommended, even if just to read the fun bits and salivate over the pictures (and wish you're life were more like Sophie's).