Seamus Mullen's Hero Food

"After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Manhattan restaurateur Mullen modified his diet to improve his well-being. His debut cookbook, which pairs traditional Spanish cuisine with rustic farm-to-table fare, highlights 18 ingredients ("Hero Foods") that help him manage his symptoms. Ajo Blanco with Sardine Confit and Octopus and Parsley Salad reflect Mullen's years of work and travel in Spain, while Crispy Tuscan Kale on the Grill and Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder highlight the bounty of his Vermont farm. Mullen's personal success lends clout to this study in holistic, inclusive eating." --Library Journal

From celebrity chef Seamus Mullen, Hero Food is not only a cookbook, but a personal philosophy of well-being. The subtitle says it all: "How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better."

Mullen was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis five years ago, and in that time, he has discovered how incorporating 18 key ingredients into his cooking improved his quality of life. In Hero Food, he shows how to make these key ingredients, or "hero foods," your cooking friends; they can be added to many dishes to enhance health and flavor.

With videos highlighting different ingredients, Hero Food is divided into four sections, each devoted to a season. Each season is introduced with a richly imaged "movie," providing the context of Seamus's life and the source of many of the imaginative and beautiful recipes contained in each seasonal section.

Seamus's "heroes" are real food, elemental things like good meat, good birds, eggs, greens, grains, and berries. He cares about how his vegetables are grown, how his fruit is treated, and about the freshness and sustainability of the fish he uses. His hope is that you will eventually forget about why these recipes are good for you, and that you'll make them just because they taste good.