There’s no dressing up the fact that I make a living from sitting at my desk and thinking about food – lovely, nourishing and interesting food but, well, it’s not saving lives or cutting- edge climate research, is it? So, when I see Gretchen Lowe describe a Cuisine recipe as ‘life-changing’ I’ll gladly take it. As a food writer, chef, food stylist and recipe developer for some of New Zealand’s most well-known brands, Gretchen’s working life is food-focussed too, but that hasn’t taken away her joie de cuisine and here she sets out to share the pleasures of weekend cooking, when you can slow down and have a little time to enjoy. With sections built around Friday Night Bites, Saturday Brunch, Feasts for a Crowd and Sunday Suppers she brings family food to the table with bursts of something a bit special: crispy chilli chickpeas atop a roasted kūmara and coconut laksa zinged up with limes; a chowder with blue cod basted in brown butter and topped with pāua. The red onions roasted until they open like petals of a flower have enough wow for any out-to-impress occasion, though it was a date night sausage and fennel orecchiette (hello Cuisine recipe!) that has evolved from first date winner to friends-over-tonight favourite, tweaked a bit and altered a little like all good recipes to make it her own. If cooking has started to feel like a bit of a chore, here’s help to bring back the love. TRACY WHITMEY