Mediterranean Seafood (reprint)
Alan Davidson is a man full of enthusiasm for his subject - in this case, fish. Mediterranean fish, to be exact, as Mediterranean Seafood - one of his classic quartet of fish books which first hit the bookshelves more than 20 years ago - is now republished after being out of print for many years.
This is probably the most well-researched book on the subject of fish that I've ever come across and should be an essential on every chef's bookshelf. It's a reference book with line drawings and no glossy photos, and it's very refreshing to see a cookery book without "bling bling" pictures, that you need to read seriously for the information it gives.
In case you didn't know, Davidson is the author of The Oxford Companionto Food (Oxford University Press), which not only gives descriptions of produce but also puts food into its historical perspective where appropriate. And Mediterranean Seafood is a history in itself.
Davidson, who's completely revised this new edition, spent most of his pre-writing life in the Royal Navy and the diplomatic corps in postings across the globe, from Washington to Laos. The first version of the book was in booklet form, designed to help his wife and colleagues unravel the mysteries of a Tunis fish market.
This was given to the late, great Elizabeth David by a friend of hers and she eventually persuaded her publishers to commission the book in its first full form. It was published in 1972, when it won the Glenfiddich award for Best Food Book, and has since been translated into five different languages.
So why is it so good? Well, it's comprehensive, but it doesn't just deal with the species themselves. The first chapter, for instance, gives an insight into the Mediterranean, including the different effects the oceans which feed the sea have on its indigenous marine life.
It's written in great detail and the explanations of ocean life are very interesting: the way fish feed, the way the ocean is formed and the habitat that fish need in which to thrive. I noticed, though, that despite concerns being expressed over the depletion of stocks, overfishing is not discussed.
The book then goes on to catalogue fish species - over 232 pages. The list is based on varieties that are found in Mediterranean fish markets and on restaurant menus. It gives each fish's Latin and common name, with its cooking capabilities, history and, sometimes, myths and medical uses.
Recipes are also carried, broken up into the different countries that border the Mediterranean, eg, Spain, Italy, France, and others that are less known culinary-wise, like Morocco, Tunisia, etc.
As with the rest of the book, the recipes are precise and offer alternative fish which may be used in each dish as well as highlighting regional differences of the same recipe.
Mediterranean Seafood is most definitely a serious book for serious cooks. But I did notice that the introduction was written at the World's End in Chelsea, London: isn't that a pub?
Peter Robinson is chef-proprietor of the King's Arms, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire
See next week for a review of Alan Davidson's North Atlantic Seafood
Mediterranean Seafood (reprint)
Alan Davidson
Prospect Books, £17.99
ISBN 1-903018-21-8
