The Elements of Life: A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living

I can't say enough about this beautiful Thai cookbook. If you've never eaten at Su-Mei's Saffron Restaurant in San Diego, you are sorely missing out. It's the best Thai food I've ever had. I was an addict of the place until I moved to San Francisco 10 years ago. Alas, I was delighted to be able to buy the book! My finished creations tasted exactly like the food served in her restaurant - absolutely amazing. I was pleasantly surprised by the holistic, seasonal approach to the contents... the examples and advice for each of us depending on what our particular 'element' is (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) and how incredibly accurate it was! It is truly a beautiful read, even beyond all of the great recipes. Great for Kitchen Wicca or any faith that sees nutrition tied into the elements as a holistic, inter-connected system. She even includes organic recipes for lotions, foot scrubs, hair conditioner, sachets, and more. I bought this book 4 years ago and am still in awe of it. Actually came back looking for an app of it, so I can carry it around on my phone when I shop. ( ;

A well written book with some interesting yet simple and healthy recipes. There's some beautiful pictures, but I wish it had more pictures of the final dish. I also like that it included some natural recipes for facials and foot soaks.

Beautiful book, and so much more than a cookbook! I love how she ties in the elements with the recipes. I bought this as a Christmas gift for my son, so I'm not really using it, but I couldn't resist looking through it and trying a couple of recipes. The photos are beautiful and the recipes are easy to follow.I've been going to her San Diego restaurant since it opened and love that they've added more variety. From the time my son was little this was one of our (and his) favorite carry-out spots for a delicious healthy meal. Now he and his wife really enjoy cooking. I know they will love this book!

Love the guide to find what type you are, very helpful. Also, sup r delicious recipes

Fantastic guide to the Elements and wonderful recipes to complement your Element for greater health.

Just as Traditional Chinese Medicine made a huge splash in the Western world for its understanding of the body's "humors' and has produced the best cold and flu medicine around, and acupuncture, so does Thai cooking rely on a foundation of astrology combined with a TCM style list of "elements." Once you know your "home element" you can find your section in the book which s pleasantly comprehensive and custom-written for your type of constitution.The concept is not new - Indian medicine ayurveda, calls these humors "doshas" and also prescribes diet accordingly. But it is still a new concept in the West - that everyone's body is actually different. That one recipe does not serve all. That what you love is actually not good for your partner, and you need to cook for all constitutions, not just one.The book takes a complicated subject and prescribes a full menu for all four seasons for EVERY element type. What makes it easy to read is Yu's wonderful full-page photographs...photos are explanatory, not just artful, a pleasant suprise.Unlike Thai cookbooks focusing on Thai street food, these recipes can actually be cooked at home. The author is a Thai restauranteur in California and spouse of a non-Asian foodie, so her ability to translate culture is as good as it gets. This book will probably end up being a reference and foodie classic once our culture abandons industrial agriculture and fully adopts sustainable foodways. That could take decades. But the book exemplifies how far Americans are from the healthful diets of Asia and why Thailand is the center of medical tourism today. Expand your mind!

Great

Awesome!

Good bundt pan. Quite large.