Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

A favourite pastime of the English -- whenever the sky is grey -- is to thumb lovingly through sumptuous recipe books such as Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escapes and be transported to sunnier climes while (simultaneously) being inspired to tackle these delicious-sounding recipes. To read this book is very much like entering the exotic world the author unfolds for us, and Stein's culinary journey takes us through all the islands and along the coast of this exquisite region. For Stein, this is as much a book about the striking personalities he met along the route as he located the region's finest cuisine. And as the people he met reminded him over and over again, culinary `trends' are simply not considered in this region: the crucial thing is the quality of the ingredients and who are the best producers of such essential commodities as olive oil.

All of this, of course, chimes perfectly with Stein's own views on such issues, and he commendably ignores the various trends currently driving much cookery, presenting to us here a hundred recipes, including Feta and Mint Pastries, Corsican Oysters with a Pernod and tarragon dressing, along with many others that will inspire and delight. It's a battered cliché to say how essential impressive photography in a cookery book such as this is, but Earl Carter deserves particular commendation here for showcasing Stein's creations. --Barry Forshaw

Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

Brilliant, 25 Nov 2008
This is one of the best recipe books that I have ever bought. There are so many gorgeous recipes in here and many are extremely easy to make. The pictures are lovely and the recipes really clear and easy to follow. I cook from this book at least once a week and there are never any complaints!

A feast for the senses, and inspiration to travel..., 06 Mar 2008
There's no greater way to inspire the wanton traveller than books about the places he wishes to visit. I came across this book at the exact time I began planning an upcoming trip around the med.

I've been engrossing myself in Mediterranean cooking for some years now, and wanted to expand my culinary knowledge of the area. While I don't watch much TV, I am well aware of Rick Stein's reputation and capabilities, but am simply in awe of the attitude he takes to food.

Every recipe is introduced by the story of its origin or how he discovered it, introducing the local people who create them, and even the history of the dish. The Med is a very diverse area covering parts of Europe, North Africa and the Middle-east, so the diversity of flavours is astonishing.

A read through the pages is in itself like a short journey. The pages are filled with colour photos of the food and locations where they can be found, all fresh looking feasts filled with mouth-watering ingredients interspersed with sun-drenched vistas with blue skies and amazing architectures, scenes of local culture and natural wonders.

The recipes themselves are wondrous and arrange themselves into colourful and nutritious dishes to suit every pallet. Mediteranean cooking is among the healthiest and most vibrant in the world and caters literally to every taste sensation, from mild to spicy, meaty, fishy and veggie...

This book covers everything from the familiars like pastas, salads and cheeses to the more exotic flavours like souvlaki, stifado and Moroccan chicken.

In fact this has given me quite an appetite so I'll leave you with my recommendation to try this book.

When I shut my eyes I am almost there..., 16 Jan 2008
This is an awesome book. Beautifully written, photographed and printed.

I love the Mediterranean which in truth does help, when reading a book such as this.

The recipes are easy to follow, and give good results.

The story is engaging.

But best of all after reading the book, and tasting the food, if I close my eyes I am there....looking at the sun setting, boats bobbing in the sea, and glowing from the sun.

Until I open my eyes, and see washing up, pots and pans everywhere, but then you cant expect a book to wash up for you as well can you!

beautiful book, 21 Dec 2007
The price does not prepare you for the quality of this book. The binding, paper etc are top quality and the photography is stunning and original. Haven't tried any recipes yet, but they look easy and very tempting.

Just fabulous!, 03 Nov 2007
Scheduling of the show was a bit weird so I missed half of the tv series but bought the book on the few episodes I saw alone and I have not been disappointed. I have to say I have never cooked so many receipes in such a short space of time from one book.

Alot of the dishes are one pot wonders. The photography of the food and the way Stein enthuses just has you planning a week of dinners in 5 minutes flat while the photography of the regions has me planning my next holiday!

I can't recommend it highly enough.

Hitherto, the contents of Rick Stein's Seafood have been accessible only to students of the Padstow Seafood School, as course notes in a loose-leaf binder. Now the teachings of this remarkable establishment are made available to a wider public, in amply illustrated form at once lucid and sumptuous. This is both a technical manual and an extraordinarily comprehensive collection of recipes; and the tone throughout is correspondingly sober and professional. The first hundred pages cover technique--not just cooking seafood, but buying and preparing it, too--in great thoroughness, from scaling and gutting fish, skinning eels (requiring a butcher's hook and a pair of pliers, if you can face it), through deep-frying, poaching, steaming, grilling, to opening oysters and tenderising octopus (not, as you might suppose, by bashing it repeatedly against a rock, but in the oven).

The recipes group fish not just by species, but by shape: large fleshy fish, flat fish, small round fish, crustaceans and so on--a sensible approach, since within these categories the fish are to an extent interchangeable. Austerely, the recipes are neither prefaced with an introductory blurb nor sourced, but they are of the most distinguished provenance. Salmon en Croute with Currants and Ginger, for example is a famous George Perry-Smith recipe; the neighbouring Escalopes of Salmon with Sorrel Sauce derives from the Triosgros brother; while the interestingly strange Pernod and olive oil dressing with which Stein anoints grilled Dublin Bay prawns comes from Alexandre Dumas by way of Elizabeth David (it also includes mustard, soy sauce and tarragon). This is not to accuse Stein of plagiarism: he has simply collected the very finest seafood recipes and filtered everything through his characteristic simplicity and emphasis on freshness, quality and flavour. The result is a book of quite exceptional quality and usefulness. One hesitates to use the word bible, but if seafood can have one, this may be it. --Robin Davidson

Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

Brilliant, 25 Nov 2008
This is one of the best recipe books that I have ever bought. There are so many gorgeous recipes in here and many are extremely easy to make. The pictures are lovely and the recipes really clear and easy to follow. I cook from this book at least once a week and there are never any complaints!

A feast for the senses, and inspiration to travel..., 06 Mar 2008
There's no greater way to inspire the wanton traveller than books about the places he wishes to visit. I came across this book at the exact time I began planning an upcoming trip around the med.

I've been engrossing myself in Mediterranean cooking for some years now, and wanted to expand my culinary knowledge of the area. While I don't watch much TV, I am well aware of Rick Stein's reputation and capabilities, but am simply in awe of the attitude he takes to food.

Every recipe is introduced by the story of its origin or how he discovered it, introducing the local people who create them, and even the history of the dish. The Med is a very diverse area covering parts of Europe, North Africa and the Middle-east, so the diversity of flavours is astonishing.

A read through the pages is in itself like a short journey. The pages are filled with colour photos of the food and locations where they can be found, all fresh looking feasts filled with mouth-watering ingredients interspersed with sun-drenched vistas with blue skies and amazing architectures, scenes of local culture and natural wonders.

The recipes themselves are wondrous and arrange themselves into colourful and nutritious dishes to suit every pallet. Mediteranean cooking is among the healthiest and most vibrant in the world and caters literally to every taste sensation, from mild to spicy, meaty, fishy and veggie...

This book covers everything from the familiars like pastas, salads and cheeses to the more exotic flavours like souvlaki, stifado and Moroccan chicken.

In fact this has given me quite an appetite so I'll leave you with my recommendation to try this book.

When I shut my eyes I am almost there..., 16 Jan 2008
This is an awesome book. Beautifully written, photographed and printed.

I love the Mediterranean which in truth does help, when reading a book such as this.

The recipes are easy to follow, and give good results.

The story is engaging.

But best of all after reading the book, and tasting the food, if I close my eyes I am there....looking at the sun setting, boats bobbing in the sea, and glowing from the sun.

Until I open my eyes, and see washing up, pots and pans everywhere, but then you cant expect a book to wash up for you as well can you!

beautiful book, 21 Dec 2007
The price does not prepare you for the quality of this book. The binding, paper etc are top quality and the photography is stunning and original. Haven't tried any recipes yet, but they look easy and very tempting.

Just fabulous!, 03 Nov 2007
Scheduling of the show was a bit weird so I missed half of the tv series but bought the book on the few episodes I saw alone and I have not been disappointed. I have to say I have never cooked so many receipes in such a short space of time from one book.

Alot of the dishes are one pot wonders. The photography of the food and the way Stein enthuses just has you planning a week of dinners in 5 minutes flat while the photography of the regions has me planning my next holiday!

I can't recommend it highly enough.


Professional or amateur, 30 Jan 2008
As a Professional chef, I am pleased that I can still find books that are truly inspirational and helpful. If you need to learn basic fish teqniques then this book you should buy. Rick knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to fish.

The book is divided into 3 parts. It starts with easy step by step techniques with photos of how to prep, cut and cook a variety of fish. The second part gives you recipes to try when you have mastered the techiques and then follows the third part which is gives detailed information and diagrams of fish varieties complete with their latin names.

I truly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn new skills whether professional or amateur. It has helped me when producing new menus

Seafood Bible, 11 Dec 2007
I was totally impressed with the extensive information and variety of different seafood in this book. Even my husband can't get his nose out of the book. It truly is a must have for all seafood lovers! Thanks a lot Rick!

Marvellous!, 28 Nov 2007
This book has made cooking fish so much easier. The recipes are as good as any I have had in fish restaurants both here and abroad. The range of different cooking and preperation techniques has given me the confidence to try new types of fish that I would not have cooked before. Who knew Ray had cheeks?

Most of the recipes are easily carried out and I have discovered some quick and tasty meals for the week day in addition to the more complex preperation that I am happy to do at weeken

The Best Reference Manual, 01 May 2007
As non meat eaters, fish is a very important staple in our household. This book is a great reference manual, particularly if you want to be more adventurous with different types of fish. It gives great advice on how to fillet all types of fish, with clear instructions.
The recipes are simple to follow, well written, and much in the same style as Rick delivers in his TV shows. Even the most basic recipe, like fish pie, is outstanding, and I am always asked for the recipe when I cook any of his dishes for dinner parties. Of all my fish cookery books (and believe me, I have quite a few!), this is the one that I refer to time and time again, and the one that I know will deliver consistently good results.
Bon appetit!

Yes it is Good!, 29 Dec 2006
Great book if you want to know the basic techniques for preparing fish plus some rather over complicated recipes. It is an excellent reference book and a must for those who like fish and want to know how to prepare it. Less good on the recipes but the photography and presentation more than makes up for this.

Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

Brilliant, 25 Nov 2008
This is one of the best recipe books that I have ever bought. There are so many gorgeous recipes in here and many are extremely easy to make. The pictures are lovely and the recipes really clear and easy to follow. I cook from this book at least once a week and there are never any complaints!

A feast for the senses, and inspiration to travel..., 06 Mar 2008
There's no greater way to inspire the wanton traveller than books about the places he wishes to visit. I came across this book at the exact time I began planning an upcoming trip around the med.

I've been engrossing myself in Mediterranean cooking for some years now, and wanted to expand my culinary knowledge of the area. While I don't watch much TV, I am well aware of Rick Stein's reputation and capabilities, but am simply in awe of the attitude he takes to food.

Every recipe is introduced by the story of its origin or how he discovered it, introducing the local people who create them, and even the history of the dish. The Med is a very diverse area covering parts of Europe, North Africa and the Middle-east, so the diversity of flavours is astonishing.

A read through the pages is in itself like a short journey. The pages are filled with colour photos of the food and locations where they can be found, all fresh looking feasts filled with mouth-watering ingredients interspersed with sun-drenched vistas with blue skies and amazing architectures, scenes of local culture and natural wonders.

The recipes themselves are wondrous and arrange themselves into colourful and nutritious dishes to suit every pallet. Mediteranean cooking is among the healthiest and most vibrant in the world and caters literally to every taste sensation, from mild to spicy, meaty, fishy and veggie...

This book covers everything from the familiars like pastas, salads and cheeses to the more exotic flavours like souvlaki, stifado and Moroccan chicken.

In fact this has given me quite an appetite so I'll leave you with my recommendation to try this book.

When I shut my eyes I am almost there..., 16 Jan 2008
This is an awesome book. Beautifully written, photographed and printed.

I love the Mediterranean which in truth does help, when reading a book such as this.

The recipes are easy to follow, and give good results.

The story is engaging.

But best of all after reading the book, and tasting the food, if I close my eyes I am there....looking at the sun setting, boats bobbing in the sea, and glowing from the sun.

Until I open my eyes, and see washing up, pots and pans everywhere, but then you cant expect a book to wash up for you as well can you!

beautiful book, 21 Dec 2007
The price does not prepare you for the quality of this book. The binding, paper etc are top quality and the photography is stunning and original. Haven't tried any recipes yet, but they look easy and very tempting.

Just fabulous!, 03 Nov 2007
Scheduling of the show was a bit weird so I missed half of the tv series but bought the book on the few episodes I saw alone and I have not been disappointed. I have to say I have never cooked so many receipes in such a short space of time from one book.

Alot of the dishes are one pot wonders. The photography of the food and the way Stein enthuses just has you planning a week of dinners in 5 minutes flat while the photography of the regions has me planning my next holiday!

I can't recommend it highly enough.


Professional or amateur, 30 Jan 2008
As a Professional chef, I am pleased that I can still find books that are truly inspirational and helpful. If you need to learn basic fish teqniques then this book you should buy. Rick knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to fish.

The book is divided into 3 parts. It starts with easy step by step techniques with photos of how to prep, cut and cook a variety of fish. The second part gives you recipes to try when you have mastered the techiques and then follows the third part which is gives detailed information and diagrams of fish varieties complete with their latin names.

I truly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn new skills whether professional or amateur. It has helped me when producing new menus

Seafood Bible, 11 Dec 2007
I was totally impressed with the extensive information and variety of different seafood in this book. Even my husband can't get his nose out of the book. It truly is a must have for all seafood lovers! Thanks a lot Rick!

Marvellous!, 28 Nov 2007
This book has made cooking fish so much easier. The recipes are as good as any I have had in fish restaurants both here and abroad. The range of different cooking and preperation techniques has given me the confidence to try new types of fish that I would not have cooked before. Who knew Ray had cheeks?

Most of the recipes are easily carried out and I have discovered some quick and tasty meals for the week day in addition to the more complex preperation that I am happy to do at weeken

The Best Reference Manual, 01 May 2007
As non meat eaters, fish is a very important staple in our household. This book is a great reference manual, particularly if you want to be more adventurous with different types of fish. It gives great advice on how to fillet all types of fish, with clear instructions.
The recipes are simple to follow, well written, and much in the same style as Rick delivers in his TV shows. Even the most basic recipe, like fish pie, is outstanding, and I am always asked for the recipe when I cook any of his dishes for dinner parties. Of all my fish cookery books (and believe me, I have quite a few!), this is the one that I refer to time and time again, and the one that I know will deliver consistently good results.
Bon appetit!

Yes it is Good!, 29 Dec 2006
Great book if you want to know the basic techniques for preparing fish plus some rather over complicated recipes. It is an excellent reference book and a must for those who like fish and want to know how to prepare it. Less good on the recipes but the photography and presentation more than makes up for this.

L'air du temps ... , 09 Jun 2007
It is always a sheer pleasure to read his books. But this one stands out: it starts off with his diary, and gradually shows you traditional French cuisine (and a few exotic dishes French people eat). The book itself has a calm and nostalgic tone in the background (one pity is not all recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So unless you have seen the programme, it is difficult to see if you got it right)

I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, and I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine and by contrast slugged off Britain and its food culture a little ... specially this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce and producers.

However, in real life, we appreciate both French and traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You really cannot say which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
Apart from referring to the recipes, I sometimes read this book when I want to forget all the troubles and feel better about things. It is nice to know there are places where the time passes at a different pace from where you are.

The reason why I love his books and his TV programmes is you can sense his passions for food, and his enthusiasm to share them with you. I specially love when he appears on telly when he is a bit tipsy - he looks more relaxed and gets even more passionate about food! What a great man he is.

But there is one HUGE disappointment. The TV programme was so very well made, and was unforgettably stunning. But, oh why, is it NOT available on DVD?

(PS: DVD will be available on the 1st of October 2007. Hurray!! Now what I hope is BBC publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' and 'Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon!! 7/Sept 07)


Impress your friends!, 09 Jan 2006
I received a grand total of three of these books for Christmas (which just shows how well my husband and friends know me!)and was delighted as it was definitely on my Christmas list.

Having spent the weekend actually using it I can honestly say it is brilliant. The recipes are impressive enough to become a talking point at dinner parties (we made the little ragu of seafood) but easy enough to follow. Once tasted you can't understand how you used to make do with pasta or boring sausages and mash!

The pictures are beautiful - just make sure you don't read it when you are hungry! And each time you pick it up you are inspired to get in the kitchen - even though my kitchen is actually a building site at the moment and my City job doesn't enable me the time spend hours in the kitchen. It is a total pleasure and real relaxant to follow Rick's wonderfully traditional recipes. Together with the glorious photography and imagery of France it is a joy.

I highly recommend this to lovers of France and lovers of food!

Excellent, 08 Dec 2005
One of my favorite books. Filled with excellent French recipes. I also enjoy and recommend Simple and Simply Delicious by Sylvie Rocher as another excellent French cookbook. I think these are the best of the lot.

Visual and gustatory feast in Steinworld, 02 Oct 2005
To say that this book is an essential accompaniment to the television series is to do it a disservice, because it is a delightful publication in its own right. But combined with the television, it creates another wonderful window into Steinworld. Oh how I wish I were Rick Stein rather than a city solicitor! I would far rather get paid to drift down the Canal du Midi than drive through wretched Livingstone's congestion zone to a City office: what a wonderful world Rick inhabits. The TV series is a gem: the sights, the sounds, the people, the landscapes; one can almost smell and taste the foods he buys and prepares. Rather fun, too, is watching as he (and the crew) slosh their way through a hearty French country lunch with lashings of good vin de pays, all ending up glowing and bibulous -- often a prompt for some Stein philosophical musings to camera. Where the book, which is beautifully produced and printed, really shines is to allow one to read at leisure the recipes that flash by all too quickly on the TV screen, too quickly to scribble down anyway. And the recipes are a delightfully eclectic collection; none seems to be beyond the abilities of a reasonably experienced home cook, and everything is written with the characteristic Stein good humour and practicality. Steinworld has its food heroes in the UK, but those encounters are so often earnest and ponderous; in France, and this book, everything, including recipes, is infused with a passion and enthusiasm that is inspiring. Welcome to Steinworld.

Over 100 recipes, 18 Sep 2005
inspired by the flavours of France........

From the D/J inner flap:-

'Intrigued by a little book by a yachtsman who preferred to use the canal system to get to the Mediterranean rather than sailing round Spain and Portugal, Rick embarks on his own journey of gastronomic discovery from Padstow, Cornwall, to Bordeaux and then to Marseille.
On the way he browses in French markets, meets the producers of wine and food and eats in family-run cafés.....Fully illustrated with beautiful food and landscape photography, this book is both a souvenir of an unusual and idyllic journey through rural France and an inspiring collection of classic and original recipes.....
The good news is that the French rural gastronomic dream is still a reality and the best of its food can be reproduced at home.'

216 shiny high quality pages split over 2 main parts:-

(1) Diary - `Notes from a Journey'

(2) The Recipes:-

Soups and Starters
Light Lunches
Fish and Shellfish
Poultry and Game
Meat and Offal
Desserts
Accompaniments and Basics

with a full index, enhanced by italics denoting pictured dishes.

Each recipe opens with typical Rick text, the title/s and number of servings, clear ingredients and the clearly laid out method.

'Why yet another recipe for 'French Onion Soup', you may ask?
The simple answer is that I have an enthusiasm for rescuing previously special recipes that have become too popular and thus subject to corner-cutting or over-inventiveness.
The main constituents of a good onion soup to me are onions - lots of them - slowly cooked over a long period to make them sweet, caramel brown and soft, a good beef stock and Gruyère cheese, which must be served bubbling and aromatic on top of the whole soup.'


A taste of the other recipes within:-

Cream of Mussel Soup *
Charentais Melon Salad
Seared Foie Gras on Sweetcorn Pancakes
Buckwheat Galettes
Steak Tartare
Cep Omelette
Roasted Sea Bass with Pastis
Zander Braised in Pinot Noir
Duck Confit with Braised Red Cabbage
Roast Partridge with Dubonnet *
Salt Pork with Lentils
Cassoulet
Bullfighter's Beef Stew with Macaronade
Roast Rack of Lamb
Griddled Spatchcock Quail
Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Roast Loin of Veal with Madeira Sauce
Ribeye Steaks cooked over an open fire
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Tarte Tatin
Hazelnut and Chocolate Dacquoise
Crunchy Walnut Tart *
Hot Vanilla Soufflés
Petits Pots au Chocolat
Normandy Cider and Apple Sorbet
Crème Caramel
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée

* - pictured on 'Amazon Images' above

With, Rick's noble acknowledging of others along the way:-

'Egg Mayonnaise'
'This recipe is from 'Simon Hopkinson', who joined us for part of the filming while we were in Marseille. You might almost be asking yourself, do we really need a recipe for something so simple? Yet this is one of those classic dishes that has been forgotten, and yet is fantastic when done well, which is sadly not always the case.'

and a bit of history, here and there:-

'Henry IV Poule au Pot'
Henry IV of France was born in Gascony, and as I have become to really like the Gascon enthusiasm for good, honest cooking, so has Henry IV become a bit of a hero to me.
First because in the 15th Century, as King, he said during his coronation speech, 'I want every peasant to have a chicken in the pot on Sundays.'
Secondly, in true Gascon style, he had such a love of garlic, particularly raw, that his bride Marguérite de Valois refused to share his bed on one occasion because of his bad breath.
Would that this recipe from those times, a masterpiece of flavour, sensible nutrition and economy, could be as popular again in a world gone mad on fast food..........'

this is far more that just another superb cookery book, published to accompany the BBC TV series of the same name.

Hitherto, the contents of Rick Stein's Seafood have been accessible only to students of the Padstow Seafood School, as course notes in a loose-leaf binder. Now the teachings of this remarkable establishment are made available to a wider public, in amply illustrated form at once lucid and sumptuous. This is both a technical manual and an extraordinarily comprehensive collection of recipes; and the tone throughout is correspondingly sober and professional. The first hundred pages cover technique--not just cooking seafood, but buying and preparing it, too--in great thoroughness, from scaling and gutting fish, skinning eels (requiring a butcher's hook and a pair of pliers, if you can face it), through deep-frying, poaching, steaming, grilling, to opening oysters and tenderising octopus (not, as you might suppose, by bashing it repeatedly against a rock, but in the oven).

The recipes group fish not just by species, but by shape: large fleshy fish, flat fish, small round fish, crustaceans and so on--a sensible approach, since within these categories the fish are to an extent interchangeable. Austerely, the recipes are neither prefaced with an introductory blurb nor sourced, but they are of the most distinguished provenance. Salmon en Croute with Currants and Ginger, for example is a famous George Perry-Smith recipe; the neighbouring Escalopes of Salmon with Sorrel Sauce derives from the Triosgros brother; while the interestingly strange Pernod and olive oil dressing with which Stein anoints grilled Dublin Bay prawns comes from Alexandre Dumas by way of Elizabeth David (it also includes mustard, soy sauce and tarragon). This is not to accuse Stein of plagiarism: he has simply collected the very finest seafood recipes and filtered everything through his characteristic simplicity and emphasis on freshness, quality and flavour. The result is a book of quite exceptional quality and usefulness. One hesitates to use the word bible, but if seafood can have one, this may be it. --Robin Davidson

Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

Brilliant, 25 Nov 2008
This is one of the best recipe books that I have ever bought. There are so many gorgeous recipes in here and many are extremely easy to make. The pictures are lovely and the recipes really clear and easy to follow. I cook from this book at least once a week and there are never any complaints!

A feast for the senses, and inspiration to travel..., 06 Mar 2008
There's no greater way to inspire the wanton traveller than books about the places he wishes to visit. I came across this book at the exact time I began planning an upcoming trip around the med.

I've been engrossing myself in Mediterranean cooking for some years now, and wanted to expand my culinary knowledge of the area. While I don't watch much TV, I am well aware of Rick Stein's reputation and capabilities, but am simply in awe of the attitude he takes to food.

Every recipe is introduced by the story of its origin or how he discovered it, introducing the local people who create them, and even the history of the dish. The Med is a very diverse area covering parts of Europe, North Africa and the Middle-east, so the diversity of flavours is astonishing.

A read through the pages is in itself like a short journey. The pages are filled with colour photos of the food and locations where they can be found, all fresh looking feasts filled with mouth-watering ingredients interspersed with sun-drenched vistas with blue skies and amazing architectures, scenes of local culture and natural wonders.

The recipes themselves are wondrous and arrange themselves into colourful and nutritious dishes to suit every pallet. Mediteranean cooking is among the healthiest and most vibrant in the world and caters literally to every taste sensation, from mild to spicy, meaty, fishy and veggie...

This book covers everything from the familiars like pastas, salads and cheeses to the more exotic flavours like souvlaki, stifado and Moroccan chicken.

In fact this has given me quite an appetite so I'll leave you with my recommendation to try this book.

When I shut my eyes I am almost there..., 16 Jan 2008
This is an awesome book. Beautifully written, photographed and printed.

I love the Mediterranean which in truth does help, when reading a book such as this.

The recipes are easy to follow, and give good results.

The story is engaging.

But best of all after reading the book, and tasting the food, if I close my eyes I am there....looking at the sun setting, boats bobbing in the sea, and glowing from the sun.

Until I open my eyes, and see washing up, pots and pans everywhere, but then you cant expect a book to wash up for you as well can you!

beautiful book, 21 Dec 2007
The price does not prepare you for the quality of this book. The binding, paper etc are top quality and the photography is stunning and original. Haven't tried any recipes yet, but they look easy and very tempting.

Just fabulous!, 03 Nov 2007
Scheduling of the show was a bit weird so I missed half of the tv series but bought the book on the few episodes I saw alone and I have not been disappointed. I have to say I have never cooked so many receipes in such a short space of time from one book.

Alot of the dishes are one pot wonders. The photography of the food and the way Stein enthuses just has you planning a week of dinners in 5 minutes flat while the photography of the regions has me planning my next holiday!

I can't recommend it highly enough.


Professional or amateur, 30 Jan 2008
As a Professional chef, I am pleased that I can still find books that are truly inspirational and helpful. If you need to learn basic fish teqniques then this book you should buy. Rick knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to fish.

The book is divided into 3 parts. It starts with easy step by step techniques with photos of how to prep, cut and cook a variety of fish. The second part gives you recipes to try when you have mastered the techiques and then follows the third part which is gives detailed information and diagrams of fish varieties complete with their latin names.

I truly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn new skills whether professional or amateur. It has helped me when producing new menus

Seafood Bible, 11 Dec 2007
I was totally impressed with the extensive information and variety of different seafood in this book. Even my husband can't get his nose out of the book. It truly is a must have for all seafood lovers! Thanks a lot Rick!

Marvellous!, 28 Nov 2007
This book has made cooking fish so much easier. The recipes are as good as any I have had in fish restaurants both here and abroad. The range of different cooking and preperation techniques has given me the confidence to try new types of fish that I would not have cooked before. Who knew Ray had cheeks?

Most of the recipes are easily carried out and I have discovered some quick and tasty meals for the week day in addition to the more complex preperation that I am happy to do at weeken

The Best Reference Manual, 01 May 2007
As non meat eaters, fish is a very important staple in our household. This book is a great reference manual, particularly if you want to be more adventurous with different types of fish. It gives great advice on how to fillet all types of fish, with clear instructions.
The recipes are simple to follow, well written, and much in the same style as Rick delivers in his TV shows. Even the most basic recipe, like fish pie, is outstanding, and I am always asked for the recipe when I cook any of his dishes for dinner parties. Of all my fish cookery books (and believe me, I have quite a few!), this is the one that I refer to time and time again, and the one that I know will deliver consistently good results.
Bon appetit!

Yes it is Good!, 29 Dec 2006
Great book if you want to know the basic techniques for preparing fish plus some rather over complicated recipes. It is an excellent reference book and a must for those who like fish and want to know how to prepare it. Less good on the recipes but the photography and presentation more than makes up for this.

L'air du temps ... , 09 Jun 2007
It is always a sheer pleasure to read his books. But this one stands out: it starts off with his diary, and gradually shows you traditional French cuisine (and a few exotic dishes French people eat). The book itself has a calm and nostalgic tone in the background (one pity is not all recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So unless you have seen the programme, it is difficult to see if you got it right)

I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, and I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine and by contrast slugged off Britain and its food culture a little ... specially this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce and producers.

However, in real life, we appreciate both French and traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You really cannot say which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
Apart from referring to the recipes, I sometimes read this book when I want to forget all the troubles and feel better about things. It is nice to know there are places where the time passes at a different pace from where you are.

The reason why I love his books and his TV programmes is you can sense his passions for food, and his enthusiasm to share them with you. I specially love when he appears on telly when he is a bit tipsy - he looks more relaxed and gets even more passionate about food! What a great man he is.

But there is one HUGE disappointment. The TV programme was so very well made, and was unforgettably stunning. But, oh why, is it NOT available on DVD?

(PS: DVD will be available on the 1st of October 2007. Hurray!! Now what I hope is BBC publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' and 'Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon!! 7/Sept 07)


Impress your friends!, 09 Jan 2006
I received a grand total of three of these books for Christmas (which just shows how well my husband and friends know me!)and was delighted as it was definitely on my Christmas list.

Having spent the weekend actually using it I can honestly say it is brilliant. The recipes are impressive enough to become a talking point at dinner parties (we made the little ragu of seafood) but easy enough to follow. Once tasted you can't understand how you used to make do with pasta or boring sausages and mash!

The pictures are beautiful - just make sure you don't read it when you are hungry! And each time you pick it up you are inspired to get in the kitchen - even though my kitchen is actually a building site at the moment and my City job doesn't enable me the time spend hours in the kitchen. It is a total pleasure and real relaxant to follow Rick's wonderfully traditional recipes. Together with the glorious photography and imagery of France it is a joy.

I highly recommend this to lovers of France and lovers of food!

Excellent, 08 Dec 2005
One of my favorite books. Filled with excellent French recipes. I also enjoy and recommend Simple and Simply Delicious by Sylvie Rocher as another excellent French cookbook. I think these are the best of the lot.

Visual and gustatory feast in Steinworld, 02 Oct 2005
To say that this book is an essential accompaniment to the television series is to do it a disservice, because it is a delightful publication in its own right. But combined with the television, it creates another wonderful window into Steinworld. Oh how I wish I were Rick Stein rather than a city solicitor! I would far rather get paid to drift down the Canal du Midi than drive through wretched Livingstone's congestion zone to a City office: what a wonderful world Rick inhabits. The TV series is a gem: the sights, the sounds, the people, the landscapes; one can almost smell and taste the foods he buys and prepares. Rather fun, too, is watching as he (and the crew) slosh their way through a hearty French country lunch with lashings of good vin de pays, all ending up glowing and bibulous -- often a prompt for some Stein philosophical musings to camera. Where the book, which is beautifully produced and printed, really shines is to allow one to read at leisure the recipes that flash by all too quickly on the TV screen, too quickly to scribble down anyway. And the recipes are a delightfully eclectic collection; none seems to be beyond the abilities of a reasonably experienced home cook, and everything is written with the characteristic Stein good humour and practicality. Steinworld has its food heroes in the UK, but those encounters are so often earnest and ponderous; in France, and this book, everything, including recipes, is infused with a passion and enthusiasm that is inspiring. Welcome to Steinworld.

Over 100 recipes, 18 Sep 2005
inspired by the flavours of France........

From the D/J inner flap:-

'Intrigued by a little book by a yachtsman who preferred to use the canal system to get to the Mediterranean rather than sailing round Spain and Portugal, Rick embarks on his own journey of gastronomic discovery from Padstow, Cornwall, to Bordeaux and then to Marseille.
On the way he browses in French markets, meets the producers of wine and food and eats in family-run cafés.....Fully illustrated with beautiful food and landscape photography, this book is both a souvenir of an unusual and idyllic journey through rural France and an inspiring collection of classic and original recipes.....
The good news is that the French rural gastronomic dream is still a reality and the best of its food can be reproduced at home.'

216 shiny high quality pages split over 2 main parts:-

(1) Diary - `Notes from a Journey'

(2) The Recipes:-

Soups and Starters
Light Lunches
Fish and Shellfish
Poultry and Game
Meat and Offal
Desserts
Accompaniments and Basics

with a full index, enhanced by italics denoting pictured dishes.

Each recipe opens with typical Rick text, the title/s and number of servings, clear ingredients and the clearly laid out method.

'Why yet another recipe for 'French Onion Soup', you may ask?
The simple answer is that I have an enthusiasm for rescuing previously special recipes that have become too popular and thus subject to corner-cutting or over-inventiveness.
The main constituents of a good onion soup to me are onions - lots of them - slowly cooked over a long period to make them sweet, caramel brown and soft, a good beef stock and Gruyère cheese, which must be served bubbling and aromatic on top of the whole soup.'


A taste of the other recipes within:-

Cream of Mussel Soup *
Charentais Melon Salad
Seared Foie Gras on Sweetcorn Pancakes
Buckwheat Galettes
Steak Tartare
Cep Omelette
Roasted Sea Bass with Pastis
Zander Braised in Pinot Noir
Duck Confit with Braised Red Cabbage
Roast Partridge with Dubonnet *
Salt Pork with Lentils
Cassoulet
Bullfighter's Beef Stew with Macaronade
Roast Rack of Lamb
Griddled Spatchcock Quail
Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Roast Loin of Veal with Madeira Sauce
Ribeye Steaks cooked over an open fire
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Tarte Tatin
Hazelnut and Chocolate Dacquoise
Crunchy Walnut Tart *
Hot Vanilla Soufflés
Petits Pots au Chocolat
Normandy Cider and Apple Sorbet
Crème Caramel
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée

* - pictured on 'Amazon Images' above

With, Rick's noble acknowledging of others along the way:-

'Egg Mayonnaise'
'This recipe is from 'Simon Hopkinson', who joined us for part of the filming while we were in Marseille. You might almost be asking yourself, do we really need a recipe for something so simple? Yet this is one of those classic dishes that has been forgotten, and yet is fantastic when done well, which is sadly not always the case.'

and a bit of history, here and there:-

'Henry IV Poule au Pot'
Henry IV of France was born in Gascony, and as I have become to really like the Gascon enthusiasm for good, honest cooking, so has Henry IV become a bit of a hero to me.
First because in the 15th Century, as King, he said during his coronation speech, 'I want every peasant to have a chicken in the pot on Sundays.'
Secondly, in true Gascon style, he had such a love of garlic, particularly raw, that his bride Marguérite de Valois refused to share his bed on one occasion because of his bad breath.
Would that this recipe from those times, a masterpiece of flavour, sensible nutrition and economy, could be as popular again in a world gone mad on fast food..........'

this is far more that just another superb cookery book, published to accompany the BBC TV series of the same name.

Professional or amateur, 30 Jan 2008
As a Professional chef, I am pleased that I can still find books that are truly inspirational and helpful. If you need to learn basic fish teqniques then this book you should buy. Rick knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to fish.

The book is divided into 3 parts. It starts with easy step by step techniques with photos of how to prep, cut and cook a variety of fish. The second part gives you recipes to try when you have mastered the techiques and then follows the third part which is gives detailed information and diagrams of fish varieties complete with their latin names.

I truly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn new skills whether professional or amateur. It has helped me when producing new menus

Seafood Bible, 11 Dec 2007
I was totally impressed with the extensive information and variety of different seafood in this book. Even my husband can't get his nose out of the book. It truly is a must have for all seafood lovers! Thanks a lot Rick!

Marvellous!, 28 Nov 2007
This book has made cooking fish so much easier. The recipes are as good as any I have had in fish restaurants both here and abroad. The range of different cooking and preperation techniques has given me the confidence to try new types of fish that I would not have cooked before. Who knew Ray had cheeks?

Most of the recipes are easily carried out and I have discovered some quick and tasty meals for the week day in addition to the more complex preperation that I am happy to do at weeken

The Best Reference Manual, 01 May 2007
As non meat eaters, fish is a very important staple in our household. This book is a great reference manual, particularly if you want to be more adventurous with different types of fish. It gives great advice on how to fillet all types of fish, with clear instructions.
The recipes are simple to follow, well written, and much in the same style as Rick delivers in his TV shows. Even the most basic recipe, like fish pie, is outstanding, and I am always asked for the recipe when I cook any of his dishes for dinner parties. Of all my fish cookery books (and believe me, I have quite a few!), this is the one that I refer to time and time again, and the one that I know will deliver consistently good results.
Bon appetit!

Yes it is Good!, 29 Dec 2006
Great book if you want to know the basic techniques for preparing fish plus some rather over complicated recipes. It is an excellent reference book and a must for those who like fish and want to know how to prepare it. Less good on the recipes but the photography and presentation more than makes up for this.

Rick Stein, British TV seafood cooking instructor and seafood restaurant owner, wasn't able to get every recipe he loves into his first book, Taste of the Sea. So he wrote Fruits of the Sea.

Where Taste of the Sea was a kind of introduction to seafood cooking for those a bit hesitant about trying different kinds of fish, Fruits of the Sea is more like Stein's launching pad. He assumes he is preaching to an enthusiastic choir. Much of his information is right to the point, and his style of instruction is more refined. All the techniques for prepping different kinds of fish are described in clear language as well as illustrated in detailed photos. Included, too, is a discussion of many of the unusual ingredients Stein pulls into his recipes for that extra dash of brilliant flavour--preserved lemons, for example, or kaffir lime leaves. It comes as little surprise, then, that Stein opens with recipes like Basque Squid Stew, Moroccan Fish Tagine, Seafood in a Crab and Ginger Broth, and Mussels with Turmeric, Cumin, and Coriander.

He breaks his recipes into soup, stews, and clear broths; light lunch dishes; hot and spicy fish; deep-fried fish; summer fish and salads; fish from colder climates; elegant fish dishes; quick and simple fish; hand-held and party food; and food to finish with. As in the first book, you'll also find basic stocks and sauces and a list of alternative fish for the American and Australian markets. The user-friendly Fruits of the Sea will launch anyone, even a reader who may have been a bit reluctant to take the plunge, on a discovery of seafood. --Schuyler Ingle

Rick's writing style is the best - coast to coast, great value , 21 Dec 2008
Enjoy Rick Stein's cookery books....his written style is familiar and so enjoyable....beats all the noisy/in your face chef books out there by a mile.
His relaxed style engages everyone...even the none foodies in my family enjoy his programmes. As for this book, it is a great buy....and I would recommend it as a lovely gift for anyone who is fed up of cooking the same recipes week after week. Enjoy the layout of different regional foods...and again...Rick has me thinking about where to source local foods again....he makes me enjoy my cooking without making it a major task....exactly how it should be....the lamb curry recipe Wow!!! yummy!!!
Love your chicken and asparagus soup Rick....especially made with local Formby asparagus.....

For fish lovers the world over!, 07 Dec 2008
Rick stein is a seafood god among men. His worldly travels have inspired generations to cook and too cook with confidence using ingredients not usually on your average menu.

Coast to coast is a great collection of fantastic recipes and there not all fish! Rick's passion for locality, flavour and affordability has created some fantastic meals easiliy acheivable by even the most amature cook. The book is well layed out,clear and precise with fantastic images to make even the driest mouth water with anticipation.

The recipes are easy to follow the ingredients are (dependant on season) readily availible and the end result is nothing but perfection! this book is a great addition to my collection and would be a worthwhile present for any wanabe cook!

'Food from the land & sea inspired by travels across the world.....', 25 Nov 2008
....this super book is a COMPILATION of over 130 of his most popular dishes 'evoking the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast', coupled with his own travel stories - all written in the familiar, relaxed Stein way.

BBC Books/2008

'Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer.'

From the acknowledgements:-

Amongst others, Rick pays tribute to his new commissioning editor, 'who saw the sense of a book of recipes as a record of all the parts of the world that have influenced me in my cooking......'

From the introduction:-

'.....I'm just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that that's sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe....'

....and that is precisely what this chunky tome contains!

Colourful, simply appealing board covers open to 287 high quality pages, split over 7 chapters:-

Britain & Ireland
Western Europe
Mediterranean & Middle East
India
Far East
Australia & New Zealand
The Americas

plus

basic recipes (inc. dashi, duck confit, Thai red curry paste)
preparation techniques (inc. butterflied lamb)
specialist ingredients suppliers

sandwiched between an introduction and a full index.

Each chapter opens with a full page of typical RS banter giving the background to the recipes which follow.
Each recipe has a bold title, (with a translation, if applicable) followed by a general opening narrative, the full list of ingredients, the number of servings and a clear method.
The book has superb full colour photography throughout, but not all of the dishes are featured, which may prove slightly negative to those of us who like to see what they are aiming for on the plate!
However, I feel it is still not worth dropping a full star from five - maybe only a half!

From Pizza Margherita:-

'This isn't any old recipe for pizza - this is my recipe, and it's worth making for the following reasons.
Firstly, the dough will give you the lightest, crispiest, thinnest base.
The buffalo mozzarella will give you a very good-tasting cheese on a pizza, and the use of the best vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then concentrated in hot olive oil, will give you a really fresh tomato sauce.
I add a bit of oregano and garlic, too, but basically this is just a pizza Margherita , which is finished with fresh basil leaves and said to resemble the Italian flag - i.e. red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.......'

and the finished product is duly photographed on page 115!

Other recipes in this delightful book include:-

Hugo's breakfast fishcakes
Creamy chicken and asparagus soup
Cauliflower cheese
Poached salmon with cucumber and dill salad
North Atlantic prawn pilaf
Stein's classic Cornish pasty
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and roasties
Raspberry cranachan
Carbonnade of beef à la flammade
Sole Véronique
Beef Stroganoff with matchstick potatoes
Couers à la crème with raspberries
Crème brûlée ice cream
Moussaka
Crab linguine with parsley and chilli
Matar peneer
Keralan curry with prawns and kokum
Crisp Chinese roast pork
Sri Lankan fish curry
Cured duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger
Pavlova with cream and passion-fruit
Char-grilled beef tortillas
Hangtown fry
Strawberry and vanilla shortcake

......'Really good local dishes tell me more about the thoughts, habits and enthusiasms of a foreign country than museum visits or a walk round a famous cathedral.....'

Excellent, 14 Nov 2008
Beautiful book with the usual high standard of both recipes and other content. Rick Stein has excelled yet again, a great buy and fantastic addition for the kitchen or the collection.

Coast to Coast is the perfect gift this autumn/winter!, 08 Oct 2008
I purchased this as a present for a friend's birthday - she was over the moon with the book, and spent Sunday making dinner with recipes from the book. I shall definitely be purchasing this for others come Christmas due to the feedback i've received!

Brilliant, 25 Nov 2008
This is one of the best recipe books that I have ever bought. There are so many gorgeous recipes in here and many are extremely easy to make. The pictures are lovely and the recipes really clear and easy to follow. I cook from this book at least once a week and there are never any complaints!

A feast for the senses, and inspiration to travel..., 06 Mar 2008
There's no greater way to inspire the wanton traveller than books about the places he wishes to visit. I came across this book at the exact time I began planning an upcoming trip around the med.

I've been engrossing myself in Mediterranean cooking for some years now, and wanted to expand my culinary knowledge of the area. While I don't watch much TV, I am well aware of Rick Stein's reputation and capabilities, but am simply in awe of the attitude he takes to food.

Every recipe is introduced by the story of its origin or how he discovered it, introducing the local people who create them, and even the history of the dish. The Med is a very diverse area covering parts of Europe, North Africa and the Middle-east, so the diversity of flavours is astonishing.

A read through the pages is in itself like a short journey. The pages are filled with colour photos of the food and locations where they can be found, all fresh looking feasts filled with mouth-watering ingredients interspersed with sun-drenched vistas with blue skies and amazing architectures, scenes of local culture and natural wonders.

The recipes themselves are wondrous and arrange themselves into colourful and nutritious dishes to suit every pallet. Mediteranean cooking is among the healthiest and most vibrant in the world and caters literally to every taste sensation, from mild to spicy, meaty, fishy and veggie...

This book covers everything from the familiars like pastas, salads and cheeses to the more exotic flavours like souvlaki, stifado and Moroccan chicken.

In fact this has given me quite an appetite so I'll leave you with my recommendation to try this book.

When I shut my eyes I am almost there..., 16 Jan 2008
This is an awesome book. Beautifully written, photographed and printed.

I love the Mediterranean which in truth does help, when reading a book such as this.

The recipes are easy to follow, and give good results.

The story is engaging.

But best of all after reading the book, and tasting the food, if I close my eyes I am there....looking at the sun setting, boats bobbing in the sea, and glowing from the sun.

Until I open my eyes, and see washing up, pots and pans everywhere, but then you cant expect a book to wash up for you as well can you!

beautiful book, 21 Dec 2007
The price does not prepare you for the quality of this book. The binding, paper etc are top quality and the photography is stunning and original. Haven't tried any recipes yet, but they look easy and very tempting.

Just fabulous!, 03 Nov 2007
Scheduling of the show was a bit weird so I missed half of the tv series but bought the book on the few episodes I saw alone and I have not been disappointed. I have to say I have never cooked so many receipes in such a short space of time from one book.

Alot of the dishes are one pot wonders. The photography of the food and the way Stein enthuses just has you planning a week of dinners in 5 minutes flat while the photography of the regions has me planning my next holiday!

I can't recommend it highly enough.


Professional or amateur, 30 Jan 2008
As a Professional chef, I am pleased that I can still find books that are truly inspirational and helpful. If you need to learn basic fish teqniques then this book you should buy. Rick knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to fish.

The book is divided into 3 parts. It starts with easy step by step techniques with photos of how to prep, cut and cook a variety of fish. The second part gives you recipes to try when you have mastered the techiques and then follows the third part which is gives detailed information and diagrams of fish varieties complete with their latin names.

I truly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn new skills whether professional or amateur. It has helped me when producing new menus

Seafood Bible, 11 Dec 2007
I was totally impressed with the extensive information and variety of different seafood in this book. Even my husband can't get his nose out of the book. It truly is a must have for all seafood lovers! Thanks a lot Rick!

Marvellous!, 28 Nov 2007
This book has made cooking fish so much easier. The recipes are as good as any I have had in fish restaurants both here and abroad. The range of different cooking and preperation techniques has given me the confidence to try new types of fish that I would not have cooked before. Who knew Ray had cheeks?

Most of the recipes are easily carried out and I have discovered some quick and tasty meals for the week day in addition to the more complex preperation that I am happy to do at weeken

The Best Reference Manual, 01 May 2007
As non meat eaters, fish is a very important staple in our household. This book is a great reference manual, particularly if you want to be more adventurous with different types of fish. It gives great advice on how to fillet all types of fish, with clear instructions.
The recipes are simple to follow, well written, and much in the same style as Rick delivers in his TV shows. Even the most basic recipe, like fish pie, is outstanding, and I am always asked for the recipe when I cook any of his dishes for dinner parties. Of all my fish cookery books (and believe me, I have quite a few!), this is the one that I refer to time and time again, and the one that I know will deliver consistently good results.
Bon appetit!

Yes it is Good!, 29 Dec 2006
Great book if you want to know the basic techniques for preparing fish plus some rather over complicated recipes. It is an excellent reference book and a must for those who like fish and want to know how to prepare it. Less good on the recipes but the photography and presentation more than makes up for this.

L'air du temps ... , 09 Jun 2007
It is always a sheer pleasure to read his books. But this one stands out: it starts off with his diary, and gradually shows you traditional French cuisine (and a few exotic dishes French people eat). The book itself has a calm and nostalgic tone in the background (one pity is not all recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So unless you have seen the programme, it is difficult to see if you got it right)

I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, and I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine and by contrast slugged off Britain and its food culture a little ... specially this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce and producers.

However, in real life, we appreciate both French and traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You really cannot say which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
Apart from referring to the recipes, I sometimes read this book when I want to forget all the troubles and feel better about things. It is nice to know there are places where the time passes at a different pace from where you are.

The reason why I love his books and his TV programmes is you can sense his passions for food, and his enthusiasm to share them with you. I specially love when he appears on telly when he is a bit tipsy - he looks more relaxed and gets even more passionate about food! What a great man he is.

But there is one HUGE disappointment. The TV programme was so very well made, and was unforgettably stunning. But, oh why, is it NOT available on DVD?

(PS: DVD will be available on the 1st of October 2007. Hurray!! Now what I hope is BBC publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' and 'Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon!! 7/Sept 07)


Impress your friends!, 09 Jan 2006
I received a grand total of three of these books for Christmas (which just shows how well my husband and friends know me!)and was delighted as it was definitely on my Christmas list.

Having spent the weekend actually using it I can honestly say it is brilliant. The recipes are impressive enough to become a talking point at dinner parties (we made the little ragu of seafood) but easy enough to follow. Once tasted you can't understand how you used to make do with pasta or boring sausages and mash!

The pictures are beautiful - just make sure you don't read it when you are hungry! And each time you pick it up you are inspired to get in the kitchen - even though my kitchen is actually a building site at the moment and my City job doesn't enable me the time spend hours in the kitchen. It is a total pleasure and real relaxant to follow Rick's wonderfully traditional recipes. Together with the glorious photography and imagery of France it is a joy.

I highly recommend this to lovers of France and lovers of food!

Excellent, 08 Dec 2005
One of my favorite books. Filled with excellent French recipes. I also enjoy and recommend Simple and Simply Delicious by Sylvie Rocher as another excellent French cookbook. I think these are the best of the lot.

Visual and gustatory feast in Steinworld, 02 Oct 2005
To say that this book is an essential accompaniment to the television series is to do it a disservice, because it is a delightful publication in its own right. But combined with the television, it creates another wonderful window into Steinworld. Oh how I wish I were Rick Stein rather than a city solicitor! I would far rather get paid to drift down the Canal du Midi than drive through wretched Livingstone's congestion zone to a City office: what a wonderful world Rick inhabits. The TV series is a gem: the sights, the sounds, the people, the landscapes; one can almost smell and taste the foods he buys and prepares. Rather fun, too, is watching as he (and the crew) slosh their way through a hearty French country lunch with lashings of good vin de pays, all ending up glowing and bibulous -- often a prompt for some Stein philosophical musings to camera. Where the book, which is beautifully produced and printed, really shines is to allow one to read at leisure the recipes that flash by all too quickly on the TV screen, too quickly to scribble down anyway. And the recipes are a delightfully eclectic collection; none seems to be beyond the abilities of a reasonably experienced home cook, and ev