Thirst by Nigel Slater

How we have waited for another book from Nigel Slater and we have been rewarded once again. His chosen subject, juices, might be a little off the beaten track for some but his writing remains the same, pure joy.

Nigel Slater positively talks his books, you can hear his voice in every sentence and even if you are not juice mad, you can read Slater's pleasure. ‘I have always been a slave to juice, that sweet, heady nectar that dribbles from a ripe peach or melon, runs down your chin and drips on to your chest. Juice is what takes fruit from being simply a pleasure to a sensual experience.' Nigel entreats the reader to make juice part of their day, as much as an espresso or two and a couple of glasses of wine. Yes, he agrees that cleaning the bloody thing (the juicer) is a task, but the rewards are great. It might be wise to steer away from ‘forget about it for a day or two. Lift lid and find basket covered in fur and a deep smell of cider.

Too many juicers end up at the back of the kitchen cupboard, the novelty factor having worn off after one or two sessions. Juicing is something that needs to be worked at and once you've got the habit, you will be smitten. Drinking freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice has an instantaneous effect but the real health benefits come with regular drinking.

It is easy to understand all this when reading Thirst. Nigel's ideas will have you behaving like one of Pavlov's dogs before you even reach for the fruit bowl. There are hundreds of variations catering for all tastes. Mango and watermelon makes a slightly fizzy drink packed with vitamins. Try orange, ginger and mint for a different start to the day. If you want to purge the body, choose spinach, carrot and tomato juice. It's not the most incandescent of colours, khaki springing to mind, but the taste is one of new mown grass and summer fields. One for the autumn would be hot blackberry and apple, the fruit being pushed through the juicer and then heated in a saucepan until hot. The taste is akin to blackberry and apple pie.

For those with an inclination towards indulgence, there are several recipes at the back of this book. Choose from several variations on chocolate or iced cappuccino or something fruity such as passion fruit ice cream smoothie.

The design of this book is pretty special too, with the script fading in and out as if splattered with juice and its bright yellow splash back covers. The photographs are gritty and provide a certain wholesomeness. You won't find stream lined, state of the art kitchens used as backdrops. Instead be prepared to find, in some cases, scruffy worktops, 50s stoves and well worn saucepans. This does not detract from the book at all as each photograph is worthy of a place in an exhibition and after all, it is so Nigel Slater. You can be sure that everything photographed is delicious.

If you are a Slater fan, you will probably have this book but if you are wavering, the Good Web Guide feels that it is a very worthwhile purchase.

Publication details
Photography by Angela Moore. £12.99
Published by Harper Collins
ISBN 1841157686
2002

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