When well prepared, the two things I enjoy above all others in life are food and men. Which probably explains why I find Bruno Serato’s new cookbook Temptation at the White House to be such a remarkable find.
With the stated goal of exploring "the link between sensuality and food," Temptation at the White House pairs sumptuous images of hunky male models and members of the men's U.S. Volleyball team with eye-popping photos of the superlative cuisine that have earned Bruno Serato’s celebrated Anaheim White House restaurant countless awards, numerous raves and the patronage of celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Raoul Bova, Sidney Poitier, Antonio Sabato Jr., Andrea Bocelli, Raquel Welch, Derek Jeter and Lauren Hutton.

Even, Madonna, the Material Girl herself has sampled the Anaheim White House’s fare although in true Madge style she had it brought to her on the set of one of her videos.

A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, Temptation at the White House has the aesthetic of a classic cookbook combined with the glossy exoticism of a coffee table book paying homage to the male form. I mean can you imagine a cookbook with a cover photo not of an entrée or main course, but of a male dish shot by none other than Greg Gorman? I don’t think I’ve found the notion of slaving away in the kitchen more attractive and that’s what Temptation at the White House is all about… beauty, playfulness, and of course, great food.
Envision a dark-haired hunk dribbling Pasta Vegetariana onto his bare chest, or a hunky shirtless blond parting his lips in anticipation of a dollop of salmon roe artfully placed atop a plate of Halibut Al Forno. If that doesn’t make you hungry for something or other, then please allow me to suggest surgery of some sort. Then just to take things to that especially orgasmic intersection of epicurean delight and physical beauty, imagine a near perfect human specimen adorned with an oversized prawn as an accessory or a similar type delicately brushing a zucchini flower across sensually formed lips. Absolutely delightful.
Beautiful photos aside however, Temptation at the White House, is a serious cookbook overflowing with the kind of mouthwatering recipes that led Zagat’s 2007 guide to describe the Anaheim White House as “phenomenal.� And, best of all, the recipes are not complicated for the most part. The Gambera in Salsa Piccantina (Shrimp in Spicy Sauce) would be a lovely and quick dinner to prepare for a potential paramour one hoped to snare, while the Costata Al Pepe Verde (New York Steak with Green Peppercorn Brandy Sauce) is an ideal mate to a special occasion.
A fab addition to any cookbook collection, the only problem with Temptation at the Whitehouse is where to store it. The practical thing to do would be to store the glossy tome on a kitchen shelf, but it’s far too glamorous a creation to hide away next to the Betty Crocker handbook. Simultaneously, however, how useful is a cookbook that simply sits on a coffee table to be perused by guests. Hmmm… now that’s what I call a high-class dilemma for which my solution is quite simple… buy the book now, figure out the placement later.
For more on Bruno Serato’s Temptation at the White House, go to www.anaheimwhitehouse.com/temptation.