All you ever wanted to know about cooking and dining under the stars by one of the world’s leading astrologers

More than ten years in the making, The Zodiac Cooks takes you on a gastronomic journey through the twelve signs of the zodiac. Along the way, you’ll discover why Aries spends a fortune on knives; why feeding the mind is more vital to Gemini than three square meals a day, and what happened when an employee stole a basketful of recipes from her Taurus employer to open her own business.

And you’ll be able to put together star dishes for your friends and family.

Inspired by the ancient doctrine of correspondences, Penny Thornton has assembled 130 recipes based on foods associated with each sign. There are guides to table-decoration, kitchen styles and which foods complement your sign and which do not.

To Medieval astrologers and alchemists – the scientists of their day – all things in the universe were connected and everything that lived and breathed resonated with a particular planet or sign. It was to these tables of correspondences that Penny Thornton referred in her pursuit to bring astrology into the modern-day kitchen.

Starting with Aries and ending with Pisces you’ll find tailor-made recipes for each sun sign. Duck breast with prunes and chocolate? That’s a dish to set before a Scorpio. Liquorice ice-cream? Perfect for anise-loving Geminians and Virgoans. You’ll learn a few of their secrets, too: Why do Cancerians have a fondness for nursery foods? Why is tradition so important for a Capricorn? And is there a reason why dinner is never on time in a Pisces household?

It’s all to do with the stars.