"A Berry, something so small and so common, can become a delight, if it is transformed with the most important ingredient in cuisine: talent! And this is exactly what Michael has done in his kitchen.

Always an explorer and open to trying new things, as soon as he arrived in Sweden, he went into the forest that surrounds his home and didn't come out empty-handed. He learned to collect the gifts that this country offers to those who choose to walk through its landscapes.

When he gets to work, he does what he knows how to do best: thoroughly researching the possibilities of each of these particular fruits, recognizing how nutritious and functional they are, and then taking action by creating and sharing, which he also has a lot of experience in.

He created fantastic recipes demonstrating the great versatility of these gifts of nature, as you like to call them, and share them in a book, so that everyone who likes to walk through the forests has the opportunity to find a range of possibilities to taste in a berry.

The interesting thing about this book is that it is designed to clearly identify the degree of effort needed for each recipe; one ramekin for the simplest ones and up to three ramekins for more ambitious appetites.

The first section of the book is about making preserves, to ensure that the flavor of the berries accompanies us all year round. This is followed by the breakfast section, which reveals Micha's personality: this inveterate traveler combines ingredients from all over the world to create unique versions of classics and not so classic dishes. The Small Bakes and the Cakes, Pies and Tarts sections are in my opinion the most dangerous, be sure to browse it on a day when you have time, as Neil Gussey's incredible photos motivate you to bake or cook immediately.

Desserts offer endless possibilities, some cold ones to accompany the summer, ice pops, and many creative surprises. Within the pages of the book we will even find ways to make a drink or two. And personally, I have loved the recipes for special occasions, not only for the recipes themselves, but for the philosophy that our friend shows us: never stop celebrating, life is full of happy moments shared.

As a good traveler, he crosses borders by providing savory dishes and creative surprises that leave no doubt that there is a berry, a dish, a moment and at least one person, deserving of one of these recipes, as a fantastic gift.

For now, I long to visit Sweden, to enter with this book under my arm in one of its dense forests, and, like an alchemist, to capture the flavor of the landscape by making a bottle of lingonberry liqueur, in an attempt to keep for my loved ones the essence of friendship, of Sweden and its forests in a bottle.

This is not only a cookbook, it is a showcase of a lifestyle, which demonstrates how human beings adapt to change and appreciate what nature has given them. How lucky we are that Micha's restless passion and Neil's keen eye, have encountered the wealth of berries that Sweden and beyond offers, because we already know what they say: “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, but if it gives you berries, here you have a Berry wide repertoire to celebrate the life."

María Isabel Ramos Abascal

Research Professor, Universidad Anáhuac México

and

Mexico´s Country Manager of the Global Wine Tourism Organization