In the grand scheme of things, fruit is pivotal to health and happiness and, as a result, creates harmony in the home and world peace. Alright, that may be stretching things a bit, but you get my drift. Fruit’s first claim to fame was as an object of seduction. And nothing much has changed since Eve tempted Adam with that apple. Just as I was seduced by Malcolm Dare’s extraordinary collection of fruit-with-the-female-form photographs which triggered this unique book.

Like life, the book seems to have happened while we were doing something else, as we opted for a freestyle approach to the project and didn’t box ourselves in with deadlines and time schedules. We pleased ourselves first and foremost and, accordingly, hope to please our readers. The result is an inspired melding of creativity, where freshness and immediacy are given full reign.

Fruit Art promises to raise eyebrows, satisfy the senses, and thrill everyone who adores beautiful books, sexy recipes, photographs that push the creativity envelope, and edgy styling. It’s a must-have item if you love cooking (but don’t have too much time to spend doing it) or for a gift for a special friend. Either way, it’s a book that deserves to be treasured.

When deciding on which fruit to select for Fruit Art, we chose the obvious varieties, ones that add a little sweetness to our menus and are happy in dishes both sweet and savoury. The recipes will see you from breakfast, through tea time, soups, salads and an array of main dishes that feature seafood, chicken, pork, lamb and beef. Not to mention a clutch of delish desserts and other after-dinner delectations.

Luscious fruit begs to be eaten fresh and fast – at the peak of ripeness and without overmuch tampering by the cook. Our recipes aim to fulfil these principles: nothing too time-consuming, plates that are not over-presented, and ingredients lists that err on the side of brevity. Most importantly, the recipes respect good ingredients and their relationship with each other, and are mindful of the limited time we have to spend in the kitchen.