HOW WILD THINGS ARE

ANALIESE GREGORY HARDIE GRANT BOOKS, $50

Cooking, fishing, hunting and foraging in Tasmania through the eyes of a chef who is one of the most intriguing of her generation is an interesting concept. How Wild Things Are tells a compelling story of the life to date of Analiese Gregory, and the events that have led to her settling at “the bottom of the world”. This hugely talented woman has worked alongside some of the world’s best chefs and at 24 she was managing a team of 30 people, so it is fitting that this beautiful book explains why she walked away from an industry that was all that she knew. It is both frank and honest, exposing Analiese at her most vulnerable along with her decision to choose a slower life. Divided into three sections, New Zealand, Travels and Tasmania, striking photographs by Adam Gibson link the narrative to recipes that are influenced by this chef’s impressive skill for doing as little as she can to ingredients that she loves. From crowd-pleasers such as Basque cheesecake or mānuka-honey madeleines to the more fascinating possum sausages and wallaby tartare, Annaliese says her recipes reflect what she would cook at home for friends. I’ve already tried the mussel butter tagliatelle – it’s a keeper. Reading and cooking from How Wild Things Are cannot take me beyond our borders, but it does deepen my desire to return to Tasmania and allows me to dream of what could be. I think we all need a little of that at the moment. KELLI BRETT