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.Week in Week Out

by: Simon Hopkinson

September 21, 2007
I too, was misled by the title into thinking this would be everyday recipes, arranged by the seasons, but it turns out that 'Week in, week out' refers not to the cooking but to the writing of his weekly column in the Independent. Although there are 52 columns there are no headings and no very discernible order (starts with New Year, Christmas still being mentioned on p.67) so you can't easily find a recipe suitable for a particular time of year.

Although some of the recipes are very good, and the methods given are very thorough, this was spoilt for me as an enjoyable read by the sheer tetchiness of the author's tone. As the favourable review by Henrietta Green notes, he is 'dismissive of modern food fads'. Well, he seems to be ... Read More:
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.Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger

by: Nigel Slater

April 16, 2004
Writing your autography in terms of the food you ate is a neat idea, and it was great to read about so many different types of food I remmeber from my youth. The book is a little inconsistent though: in the middle section the food takes a back seat to the goings on in his family life. Also, the book got weirder towards the end, as though he was running out of steam. He tantalises us with brief glimpses of his love life and then leaves us wondering. And the book ends very abruptl
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.Sausage in a Basket: The Great British Book of How Not to Eat

by: Martin Lampen

October 08, 2007
I bought this book because of the Amazon rave reviews I read - silly me - now I'm guessing they were all written by the author's mates! The book is just one big moan.
I would give it no stars if I could.

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.Real Fast Food

by: Nigel Slater

November 02, 2006
The title says a lot really, there are some nice ideas in this book but they arn't very original (beef burgers arn't original, but nice to have some advice on them). I havn't tried many recipes yet but neither was hardly impressive (to me, hot choc made of 70% cocoa just tastes a bit bland, dark Galaxy though is much better) & the pasta with goat's cheese & garlic was alright though was much longer to prepare & make & nowhere near as nice as Gordon Ramsay's recipe with pancetta, leeks and mushrooms.

There are some recipes that looks nice (chicken in pesto gravy will be tried at some point) though sometimes he is just not specific enough, like assuming that everyone knows he is referring to a frying pan when he says stick chicken in a pan. Scrambled ... Read More:
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.Moro East

by: Samantha Clark, Samuel Clark

November 01, 2007
Famous for Spanish- and North African-style food, the couple have gone East - literally and metaphorically. A few years ago they `acquired' an allotment in London's East End and found, amongst fellow growers, Turks, Greeks and Cypriots. The two Sams swiftly became part of the allotment community even if there's little detail of any actual digging in the book. Rather it marks the passage of the seasons and the breadth of the crops with rich and alluring recipes - some their own, others weeded from neighbours.

Not that you have to grow-your-own to enjoy or cook them. They concentrate, not surprisingly, on vegetables and are cool about using up "all the bits" or eating weeds or young leaves - I'd never imagined young poppy leaves had anything to offer; now I can't wait ... Read More:
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.Taste: The Story of Britain Through Its Cooking

by: Kate Colquhoun

October 01, 2007
With its fine illustrations, this volume promises much food for thought, but lacks enough clear historical analysis to add much to the existing literature. You'd be better off buying Reay Tannahill's History of Food.
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.Beyond Nose to Tail: A Kind of British Cooking: Part II

by: Fergus Henderson, Justin Piers Gellatly

August 20, 2007
This shouldn't really be bought as a stand-alone recipe book. The purpose of 'Beyond Nose to Tail' is really as a complementary volume to the original book. Taken on its own, it is a bit unbalanced and incomplete (hence the 4 stars, rather than 5).

Considering both books as a single entity makes far more sense, and make for a truly superb exploration of fascination, thought-provoking and delicious food. Each volume enriches the other.

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.1080 Recipes

by: Simone Ortega, Ines Ortega

October 01, 2007
I bought this book after reading a review in one of the Sunday papers. It is a gem. It presents the authentic face of modern Spanish cooking and it's influences, as well as a comprehensive selection of older classics. In addition, in this English edition, it takes time to explain terms and techniques that you might not be familiar with.

It makes a great present in that not only is it beautifully written, but also features some great illustrations.

Above all, it contains recipes that are "do - able". Think not of Roux/Ramsey/Blanc, but more Delia Smith and above all Nigel Slater.

Overall, a superb introduction to Spanish cooking presented in a stylish way, which I cannot find fault with.
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.Real Cooking

by: Nigel Slater

November 02, 2006
I adore Nigel Slater, not only does he write very readable books but an added bonus, his recipes are absolutely foolproof, demonstrating how easy it is to prepare delicious nutritious food without breaking the bank. I first discovered Nigel's 'Real Fast Food' 10+ years ago. Many cookbooks later, I've yet to find a duff recipe. All of his books are brilliant, but this is the one I use most, it has a good range of recipes that satisfy both me (mostly veggie)and my (confirmed carnivore) hubby. Tonight we had the mushroom and spinach lasagne - scrummy!!
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.The New English Table: Over 200 Recipes That Will Not Cost The Earth

by: Rose Prince

April 01, 2008
I think Rose Prince is a great consumer journalist, but I'm afraid I found this book disappointing. No matter how worthy the message, if it doesn't inspire, I think the message is lost...and this book really doesn't inspire me, at all.
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