Friendly Food ~ Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit

This cookbook is fantastic if you or someone you know has an intolerance to common, naturally occurring, food chemicals such as salicylates or amines. There is an information packed chapter at the front of the book discussing food intolerance and food chemicals, as well as providing charts listing those fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains and other food types with low, moderate and high amounts of these chemicals. Unfortunately for those with a salicylate intolerance like my mother and sister (who also unfortunately react to gluten, lactose and sulphates), this can limit the choice of fruit to (peeled) pear when you are reacting heavily, and whilst there is a little more variety amongst the vegetable offerings, your choices are still very limited.


The remainder of the book is largely given over to providing recipes which are either chemical free or are low in these chemicals. Given that food chemicals are higher in more flavourful food the recipes aren't the most exciting you'll find. It's not designed for the gourmand but as a practical and useful reference for catering to those whose food choices are very limited. Given that herbs and spices are very high in food chemicals, adding flavour becomes a bit of an art, though there are some reasonable options such as Warm quail salad, Fruity lamb kebabs and Saffron chicken and rice. There are some dessert options such as Whole poached pears with warm sabayon sauce, Pear sorbet and Pear mallow dessert (sensing a theme?), as well as some drinks (Pear slush, Cashew nut milk) and baked goods such as Golden syrup snaps and Carob brownies. Even better, the book has a chapter on children's parties which must be invaluable to the parents of children with chemical sensitivities. It really is a terrific resource.

Recommended for anyone with or related to those with food intolerances and to everyone in the food industry (because it would be great if there were one completely safe option on every menu, and my people like my sister didn't have to carry their milk and bread to the cafe and still not be able to order anything).

- Kath