I was given a book over the holidays called Edible Selby by Todd Selby. It’s kind of a cookbook, as it does contain a few recipes in its very intriguing and eccentric format. Todd has a blog, theselby.com, and writes a weekly online column for The New York Times, where his hip style of food photography and stories are showcased.

The book captures the energy and excitement of today’s food world. Todd has hunted and gathered some of the world’s most imaginative cooks, artisans and foragers. It is heartening to see how he has revealed people who live, breathe and sleep food.

Edible Selby exudes inspiration for me, especially right now as we are working through all the nominations for this year’s Eat Out DStv Food Network Produce Awards.

In the book Todd introduces us to Rockaway Taco, a small colourful shack in Queens, which started out serving tacos to surfers, and has now evolved into a rooftop garden with beehives, a coffee shop, a homemade ices shop and an organic veggie stand. Now I can’t wait to reveal some of our own geniuses and those wonderful individuals who are bringing real food to the table in South Africa.

One of the other passionate food stories he shares is of the Mexican couple who realised their dream of starting an open-air restaurant in the jungle. Here they use a wood-burning grill to cook traditional recipes, combined with their respect for local spices, produce and seafood. Recipes for the grapefruit-habanero margarita and whole-roasted snapper in tangerine and basil are scribbled in the back of the book, as well as a few others. The wood used to build the restaurant was harvested at full moon – a Mexican belief that it brings good luck!

This one is definitely on my bucket list. Imagine eating paella cooked over an open fire high on the cliffs of Majorca that you can only reach by boat, and then hiking down an ancient olive grove?

Happy dreaming!

Abigail

(Edible Selby is published by Abrams Books, New York, with photographs and text by Todd Selby.)

Featured photograph: Mark Woodbury