Signs and Seasons: An Astrology Cookbook for Celestial Epicures

A first of its kind cookbook that pairs chef-driven seasonal recipes with deep insight into how astrology shapes how we eat-and how to nourish the soul as well as the body-from iconic astrologer Monte Farber and artist Amy Zerner.Food connects us not only to our families, history, and culture, but to the natural world itself-to the seasons and the cycle of life-and thus to the heavens above. Just as our path around the sun-and through the Zodiac-dictates the seasons, the seasons dictate what will flourish, from the tender greens of early spring to late summer's lush and impossibly perfect tomatoes. In Signs and Seasons, Monte Farber and Amy Zerner show how this complex dance of the heavens that orders both the zodiac and the seasons is thus intimately connected to our relationship to food-our appetites and our aversions, our style in the kitchen and at the table.The zodiac (from the Greek words kyklos zodiakos, meaning "circle of life") emerged from our agrarian ancestors' need to chart the growing seasons-from the very necessity of growing food and sustaining life. Drawing on that rich history, Farber and Zerner along with chef John Okas, take home cooks through the four seasons, beginning with the spring equinox, and each of their astrological signs, in over 85 tantalizing seasonal recipes-each one replete with astrological lore, tradition, and magical ingredients-that emphasize both sensual nourishment and psychic satisfaction.Drawing on the cuisine of the Mediterranean, the home of the Greco-Roman cultures that named the planets after their gods, Signs and Seasons guides home cooks in deepening their understanding of:, *How to eat to for their sign and nourish their soul, *How to feed friends and loved ones, based on their signs, *How to balance the preferences and desires of a table of mixed signs, *How to make meals not only a time of communion with family and friends but also a way to deepen your understanding of your appetite and how it connects you to the Cycle of the Seasons, Nature and the UniverseWhether exploring the "Twin Nature" and "Mercurial spirit" of ramps (a spring delicacy well suited to Geminis) in a recipe for ramp pesto or the historical association of saffron with Venus in the recipe for roasted corn orecchiette, Signs and Seasons is the perfect guide for eating in a way that deeply connects us to the natural world. Beautifully photographed by Monte Farber and illustrated by Amy Zerner in her iconic collage style, Signs and Seasons is a one-of-a-kind source of inspiration for astrology enthusiasts and home cooks alike.