Sophie Kooks Month by Month: July

'School's out! The distant music of an ice cream van is a familiar sound near my house. It reminds me of summer days spent running around the Phoenix Park, playing frisbee and rolling down hills, wearing ourselves out until it was time to relax with a creamy 99. As an adult, I still love going to the park (without the rolling down hills part!) and the odd time I even indulge in some nostalgia by queuing with the kids for an enormous, super-soft whippy. July days are great days' Sophie! Enjoy gorgeous July recipes, including: - Classic Carbonara - Cherry Clafoutis - Best-Ever Steak Sandwich - Meringue Nests with Raspberry Cream Filling - Crispy Caramelised Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Coriander Rice - Quick Banoffee Pie - Lamb Burgers with Tomato and Coriander Raita - Raspberry Smoothies

Sophie Morris is owner of the innovative and exciting young Irish food company Kooky Dough. Started in her kitchen and initially selling at farmers' markets in Dublin, Sophie and her business partner, Graham Clarke, famously turned down the dragons on RTÉ 's Dragons' Den to build their food business their own way. Kooky Dough is now stocked in supermarkets and premium independent retailers in Ireland; in Waitrose in the UK; in Monoprix in France; and in Spinneys in the United Arab Emirates. Kooky Dough and Sophie have received extensive recognition for the quality of their product by winning numerous Blas na hÉ ireann food awards in Ireland, and Gold in the UK's Great Taste Awards 2011. With an MSc distinction in Economics along with a degree in Economics and Social Studies from Trinity College Dublin, Sophie enjoyed the challenge of academia and was always drawn to business-oriented subjects. However, away from the lecture halls Sophie developed an intense passion for food, not only in the eating but in the therapy of preparing and cooking. She completed an Italian cookery course in Rome in 2007, and after university she completed the 12-week Ballymaloe cookery course to develop her culinary skills further. Her experience at Ballymaloe only heightened her love for food and it was here that she developed the ambition to have her own food business. Cooking simple, feelgood food is what Sophie loves to do in her precious free time; it helps her to relax and escape from work. She hopes this book will help you to do the same.