I love reading books that have recipes intertwined into the story, and despite the fact that I don't eat meat the food here still sounds all so mouth-watering. Except perhaps the rose-and-quail recipe, because to be honest as far as I'm concerned rose flavour belongs in Turkish Delight and not much else. But the cream fritters sound delicious.

Food aside, this is a lovely, inventive story about a doomed relationship that comes right in the end. Tita, unable to marry the man who loves her, is reduced to sublimating her feelings through food, and everyone who eats that food responds to it emotionally, in the best of magical realism ways. Either they're blowing up and full of farts, or sent into paroxysms of lust, or turning a wedding reception into a vomit-fest and so on. And it's just so entertaining to read. Tita herself is fantastic. I only wish I felt the same about her love interest, Pedro. He's the only thing keeping this delightful book from a five star rating as far as I'm concerned. Tita is far too good for him.