YBR & My New Year's Gift To You

we desire the way a twice poisoned dog eyes a third piece of meat. Philip Milito

Yes, that Milito dude has it right on the money. When I chanced upon this book, I knew I had to have it. Sure, the minimalistic cover drew me in, yet when I opened it, I wasn't the least bit disappointed. It blew me away to see authentic Southeast-Asian dishes being presented like this:

Banana bud salad with shrimps and spicy coconut milk sauce

And this....

Grilled tiger prawns with vindaloo dip and morukku

Too fancy schmancy? Well, here's the deal... at the end of the day, when you plonk all the ingredients down on a plate any old how, it will still taste the same. A good recipe will always result in a good dish, yes. But there's nothing wrong with having a bit of beauty in your life, and if you can taste with your eyes first before you do it with your tongue, won't it enhance the whole experience somehow? I wonder now if this is the way the male (chef) brain works, visualization and all that....hmmm.

Anyway, this visually stunning book is authored by celebrated travel and culinary enthusiast, Wendy Hutton, with a foreword by famed chef, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa of NOBU. There's a NOBU restaurant in every continent bar one (Africa) and if you haven't experienced dining in one, quick, put it down in your list of To Dos for 2011!

Here's a brief description of the book:

Lush, fresh, and eclectic, the more than 90 recipes in this gorgeous cookbook represent the essence of the culinary tradition of tropical South and Southeast Asia. The recipes were produced in collaboration with the stellar chefs of selected Four Seasons resorts, all of whom are working on the cutting edge of tropical Asian cuisine. From sumptuous dinners to a simple breakfast for two, from barbecues to mouthwatering desserts, these dishes reflect the fascinating blend of people and cultures found in the region and manage at once to preserve and expand upon the distinctive character of indigenous dishes and ingredients.

This is the perfect cookbook for home cooks seeking to explore the unique blend - and spectrum of spices and tastes - that is at the heart of Southeast Asian Cuisine.

I've really enjoyed my journey in this food blogging world and because of that, I want to give something back. So one of you will be lucky enough to own this book! Now, I'm a crappy (or maybe reluctant) SEO-er, so there'll be none of that follow me here, or RT on Twitter or any of that stuff to enter. ALL you have to do is simply leave a comment after this post saying you want to be entered for this giveaway and don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you should you win. Anyone, anywhere can enter... well, anyone except my family members (I know you're all poised to write in, but NO). Winners will be picked via random.org or via this method used by Jenn Yu of Use Real Butter, whichever one's easier or more funky, or both.

The deadline for entries in this giveaway is on 5 January 2011, and the winner will be announced on 7 January. In time for the first weekend of the New Year! Which reminds me, here's a heartwarming toast to welcome the year ahead:

Very lastly, please don't forget to check out what my best recipe for 2010 was over at Spicie Foodie and for this month's YBR round-up by its most talented host, Nancy. Cool badge below with the picture of my dish on it, and Nancy was the one who taught me how to do this!

Have a blessed New Year, everyone! See you in 2011.