Daniel Jardim was the resident cook at the Buddhist Retreat Centre and created the recipes for the very popular The Cake the Buddha Ate. Today Daniel teaches cookery retreats around the country with a strong emphasis on the consciousness of the food and the eater. Retreat is a collection of 80 delicious vegetarian dishes and is a glimpse of what it is like to be on a cookery retreat with Daniel. Retreat shows us how to create a greater sense of mindfulness in our everyday lives by being in closer harmony with the food that we prepare. Sue Cooper, a clinical psychologist who integrates psychotherapy and meditation in her practice and who has worked extensively with Daniel, introduces the book. The book is divided into four seasonal sections with helpful tips on selecting the best seasonal produce and appropriate cooking techniques that match the body's needs as wemove through the different phases of the year. Photographs by Sarah Shafer accompany the mouth-watering and unusual dishes to re?ect Daniel's playful interaction with a wide array of ?avours and in?uences - from Thai and Japanese, to Moroccan and Indian.
The photographs also focus on some of the breath-taking and often subtle changes that occur in nature as the year progresses, inviting the reader to become more aware of the essential qualities of each season. The dishes are aimed at aspiring cooks of all levels and are a heartfelt celebration of the joyous communion that we can experience through food and eating.