One of the best cook books around today ***** , 27 Nov 2008
I bought this book two years ago and am forever recommending it. As other reviewers have said, too many cook books assume a level of knowledge/skill that we don't all possess. If you're an older cook, you might, like me, have forgotten many of the more simple recipes that Sophie Grigson presents so clearly and with such good photographs.
My current favourite is the one for Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Guinness. Don't be put off by the title, it's not just for beginners.

Best recipe book purchased, 06 Sep 2008
I recently purchased this book at Waterstones for £12.99 for a friend that had no idea how to cook (I personally did not put myself in that category- at first). I came home and browsed through it and was totally amazed at how many recipes that were usable. (Most cookery books I have bought I may have used half a dozen recipes at the most), I immediately got on to amazon to order it and realised I could save over £4.00. The chocolate cake is absolutely divine. It was the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, the shortbread really is gorgeous. There are so many recipes I cannot wait to try as they are all pretty simple with accessible ingredients. This book definately sits at the top of my cookery books.

Great!, 05 Sep 2007
Fab book, lovely recipes. Really simple recipes that turn out tasting amazing. Great ways of taking a basic recipes, and turning them into something else, e.g. beef casserole into daube de beouf. Really good for cooks of all levels. Would recommend it to anyone.

'.... fills the gap left by conventional cookbooks which assume a knowledge most people don't possess' , 22 Jun 2007
`Sophie`s accessible approach and ability to communicate both classic and contemporary cooking styles have made her a hugely popular figure in food today.'

`Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but don't know where to start?....Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could achieve....
Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, `The First-time Cook' will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.'


240 high quality shiny pages, split over 7 main chapters:-

Soups, Starters and Eggs
Pasta, Pizza and Rice
Meat & Poultry
Stir-frying
Fish
Vegetables & Salads
Puddings, Cakes and Biscuits

sandwiched between sections entitled `Why Cook?' and `Techniques & General Tips' and a full index.
The Techniques and General Tips section includes `How to Read a Recipe', `Preparing Common Vegetables and Other Ingredients', 'Cooking Terms' and 'Recommended Kitchen Utensils'.

Each chapter opens with relevant text in Sophie's typically descriptive, often humorous style, e.g.

`Soups
I'm a great believer in soup. Here is a dish that fulfils a multitude of functions, the prime amongst them being that it satisfies the soul. Oh - and the stomach.
A big steaming bowlful of soup can really hit the spot. It makes a good first course and it makes the heart of a handsome lunch or supper, eked out with loads of soft-centred, crisp-crusted bread, a big hunk of cheese, and healthy fruit or something more indulgent to follow.
Make one big batch and it will feed a crowd, or just feed you on your own quickly and easily over several days.'

Then follows all the information you will ever need re types of soup, tips and techniques, `sweating without perspiration', `thick, thicker, thickest`, liquid essentials', `thinning down', `dressing up' and 'machinery'.

Headed in red, each recipe has an opening note and is clearly laid out with servings, list of ingredients - often split into 'base' and `main' - plus a step-by-step method, along with any extras e.g. `dressing up', `aromatics', seasonings etc.

The book also has informative `need to know' sections, easily found by their blue headings.

And there's more... much, much more........if you need to `prepare an egg`, it's all here:-

Boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, separating, folding in or whisking, after a guide to buying freshness, even salmonella advice.
But, if the childhood memory of `scrambled eggs on toast' is enough to get you to turn the page - please do so - for Sophie's twist on a theme - the most superb recipe for `Lemon Scrambled Eggs on Toasted Bagels'!

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Roast Tomato and Onion Soup
Mushroom Omelette
Pasta Frittata
Salsa Cruda (Raw Sauce)
Tagliatelle Bolognaise
Good Pizza Dough
Egg-fried Rice
Grilled Steak - has summary of the timings for `blue`, `rare`, `medium-rare`, `medium' and `well-done'
Chicken Fajitas
Roast Leg of Lamb
Parsley and Lemon Stuffing
The Best Easy Roast Chicken
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai)
Tuna Fishcakes
Roast Salmon with Lime
Fundamental Fish Pie
White Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Tomato and Basil Salad
Simple Chocolate Mousse
Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Lemon Ice Cream
Custard
Victoria Sponge
Shortbread

plus the most delicious `Double Chocolate Cake' -
`This chocolate cake boasts a double helping of chocolate (in the form of real chocolate and cocoa powder) for a `wildly big hit of chocolate heaven`. Swathed in a fudgy chocolate cream all over the outside and the inside, it becomes a king amongst chocolate cakes.
And with such tempting, mouth-watering description I do wonder, if Ms Grigson might turn her attention to the boxed chocolate market, in the near future!

Coming to a sweetshop near you....................., if so, you read it first at Amazon!


Simply Fabulous!, 12 Aug 2006
As a self-confessed cookbook-addict, I feel I can say with some authority that Sophie Grigson's "First Time Cook" is one of the best out there.

Accessible without being over-simplified, educational without being patronising, this is a book that covers all the basics and a lot more besides. The recipes are easy to follow and, more importantly, utterly delicious, taking inspiration from many different cultures and food traditions, without forgetting homely British fare (I particularly reccommend her recipe for beef stew).

Amongst all this, Sophie still manages to take you through the correct boiling of an egg, how to make the perfect roast potatoes and all other manner of useful advice.

My only criticism of this fantastic book is that there is not more of it!

One of the best cook books around today ***** , 27 Nov 2008
I bought this book two years ago and am forever recommending it. As other reviewers have said, too many cook books assume a level of knowledge/skill that we don't all possess. If you're an older cook, you might, like me, have forgotten many of the more simple recipes that Sophie Grigson presents so clearly and with such good photographs.
My current favourite is the one for Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Guinness. Don't be put off by the title, it's not just for beginners.

Best recipe book purchased, 06 Sep 2008
I recently purchased this book at Waterstones for £12.99 for a friend that had no idea how to cook (I personally did not put myself in that category- at first). I came home and browsed through it and was totally amazed at how many recipes that were usable. (Most cookery books I have bought I may have used half a dozen recipes at the most), I immediately got on to amazon to order it and realised I could save over £4.00. The chocolate cake is absolutely divine. It was the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, the shortbread really is gorgeous. There are so many recipes I cannot wait to try as they are all pretty simple with accessible ingredients. This book definately sits at the top of my cookery books.

Great!, 05 Sep 2007
Fab book, lovely recipes. Really simple recipes that turn out tasting amazing. Great ways of taking a basic recipes, and turning them into something else, e.g. beef casserole into daube de beouf. Really good for cooks of all levels. Would recommend it to anyone.

'.... fills the gap left by conventional cookbooks which assume a knowledge most people don't possess' , 22 Jun 2007
`Sophie`s accessible approach and ability to communicate both classic and contemporary cooking styles have made her a hugely popular figure in food today.'

`Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but don't know where to start?....Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could achieve....
Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, `The First-time Cook' will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.'


240 high quality shiny pages, split over 7 main chapters:-

Soups, Starters and Eggs
Pasta, Pizza and Rice
Meat & Poultry
Stir-frying
Fish
Vegetables & Salads
Puddings, Cakes and Biscuits

sandwiched between sections entitled `Why Cook?' and `Techniques & General Tips' and a full index.
The Techniques and General Tips section includes `How to Read a Recipe', `Preparing Common Vegetables and Other Ingredients', 'Cooking Terms' and 'Recommended Kitchen Utensils'.

Each chapter opens with relevant text in Sophie's typically descriptive, often humorous style, e.g.

`Soups
I'm a great believer in soup. Here is a dish that fulfils a multitude of functions, the prime amongst them being that it satisfies the soul. Oh - and the stomach.
A big steaming bowlful of soup can really hit the spot. It makes a good first course and it makes the heart of a handsome lunch or supper, eked out with loads of soft-centred, crisp-crusted bread, a big hunk of cheese, and healthy fruit or something more indulgent to follow.
Make one big batch and it will feed a crowd, or just feed you on your own quickly and easily over several days.'

Then follows all the information you will ever need re types of soup, tips and techniques, `sweating without perspiration', `thick, thicker, thickest`, liquid essentials', `thinning down', `dressing up' and 'machinery'.

Headed in red, each recipe has an opening note and is clearly laid out with servings, list of ingredients - often split into 'base' and `main' - plus a step-by-step method, along with any extras e.g. `dressing up', `aromatics', seasonings etc.

The book also has informative `need to know' sections, easily found by their blue headings.

And there's more... much, much more........if you need to `prepare an egg`, it's all here:-

Boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, separating, folding in or whisking, after a guide to buying freshness, even salmonella advice.
But, if the childhood memory of `scrambled eggs on toast' is enough to get you to turn the page - please do so - for Sophie's twist on a theme - the most superb recipe for `Lemon Scrambled Eggs on Toasted Bagels'!

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Roast Tomato and Onion Soup
Mushroom Omelette
Pasta Frittata
Salsa Cruda (Raw Sauce)
Tagliatelle Bolognaise
Good Pizza Dough
Egg-fried Rice
Grilled Steak - has summary of the timings for `blue`, `rare`, `medium-rare`, `medium' and `well-done'
Chicken Fajitas
Roast Leg of Lamb
Parsley and Lemon Stuffing
The Best Easy Roast Chicken
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai)
Tuna Fishcakes
Roast Salmon with Lime
Fundamental Fish Pie
White Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Tomato and Basil Salad
Simple Chocolate Mousse
Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Lemon Ice Cream
Custard
Victoria Sponge
Shortbread

plus the most delicious `Double Chocolate Cake' -
`This chocolate cake boasts a double helping of chocolate (in the form of real chocolate and cocoa powder) for a `wildly big hit of chocolate heaven`. Swathed in a fudgy chocolate cream all over the outside and the inside, it becomes a king amongst chocolate cakes.
And with such tempting, mouth-watering description I do wonder, if Ms Grigson might turn her attention to the boxed chocolate market, in the near future!

Coming to a sweetshop near you....................., if so, you read it first at Amazon!


Simply Fabulous!, 12 Aug 2006
As a self-confessed cookbook-addict, I feel I can say with some authority that Sophie Grigson's "First Time Cook" is one of the best out there.

Accessible without being over-simplified, educational without being patronising, this is a book that covers all the basics and a lot more besides. The recipes are easy to follow and, more importantly, utterly delicious, taking inspiration from many different cultures and food traditions, without forgetting homely British fare (I particularly reccommend her recipe for beef stew).

Amongst all this, Sophie still manages to take you through the correct boiling of an egg, how to make the perfect roast potatoes and all other manner of useful advice.

My only criticism of this fantastic book is that there is not more of it!

absolutely scrummy!, 21 Jun 2008
This book is excellent. I am fairly average at cooking and have enjoyed making a number of the recipes which are simplier than they first appear.
Because the recipes are mainly from "normal" people throughout the country (rather than chefs and cooking experts) they are not complicated and do not rely on odd ingredients that are difficult to come by.
The basis for the book is that we should be using (as far as possible) ingredients from the fairtrade scheme which is an excellent scheme providing growers/farmers light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not the best person to explain the fairtrade system obviously but basically the farmers are ensured a fair price for their produce ensuring that they (an their community) are not living in poverty. The book is a collection of recipes which include one or more fair trade product.
As the previous reviewer mentioned, the recipes lean heavily on bananas... that's not necesarily a bad thing and when you have tasted the Banana Choco Mocha cake you'll be so glad you bought the book!
The book has not only opened my eyes to new recipes but also the amount of fair trade products out there that you perhaps don't notice in the supermarket but will certainly start looking for!
I bought this book as a birthday present to myself and now I'm being forced to buy another since my sister (who's an excellent cook) "borrowed" mine!

A Fair-ly Good Cookbook, 10 Mar 2008
I should declare at the outset that I have a recipe in this cookbook, but assure you that this has not influenced my opinion of the book (honest!).
The Fairtrade Foundation, who have published this item through Dorling Kindersley, ran a national competition to find simple but tasty recipes using as many fairtrade ingredients as possible; I was one of the lucky winners selected for inclusion. This means that the recipes found here are accesible and not too 'chefy'. There are, however, contributions from the inevitable Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Antony Worrall Thompson, as well as some from faitrade producers themselves and other supporters such as George Alagiah and Sir Steve Redgrave.

This is, as far as I'm aware, the first cookbook on the market soley to focus on fairtrade food. One hopes we are all, by now, aware of the importance of supporting farmers and workers who are paid fairly for their products - this cookbook provides plenty of inspiration of how to do so through day-to-day cooking. And whilst bananas, coffee and chocolate are the ingredients to have had the most publicity as fairtrade items, the book uses a huge variety of the products now available, from dried mango to mace (the book also includes a full list of this ever-increasing range).

I have rated the book as four stars primarily because there is a heavy bias towards sweet over savoury recipes (about 3:1) and there IS a chocolate and banana bias. But overall I recommend it to you as a beautifully produced, well-illustrated book full of 'do-able' recipes that will allow you to create delicious dishes with a clear conscience.

One of the best cook books around today ***** , 27 Nov 2008
I bought this book two years ago and am forever recommending it. As other reviewers have said, too many cook books assume a level of knowledge/skill that we don't all possess. If you're an older cook, you might, like me, have forgotten many of the more simple recipes that Sophie Grigson presents so clearly and with such good photographs.
My current favourite is the one for Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Guinness. Don't be put off by the title, it's not just for beginners.

Best recipe book purchased, 06 Sep 2008
I recently purchased this book at Waterstones for £12.99 for a friend that had no idea how to cook (I personally did not put myself in that category- at first). I came home and browsed through it and was totally amazed at how many recipes that were usable. (Most cookery books I have bought I may have used half a dozen recipes at the most), I immediately got on to amazon to order it and realised I could save over £4.00. The chocolate cake is absolutely divine. It was the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, the shortbread really is gorgeous. There are so many recipes I cannot wait to try as they are all pretty simple with accessible ingredients. This book definately sits at the top of my cookery books.

Great!, 05 Sep 2007
Fab book, lovely recipes. Really simple recipes that turn out tasting amazing. Great ways of taking a basic recipes, and turning them into something else, e.g. beef casserole into daube de beouf. Really good for cooks of all levels. Would recommend it to anyone.

'.... fills the gap left by conventional cookbooks which assume a knowledge most people don't possess' , 22 Jun 2007
`Sophie`s accessible approach and ability to communicate both classic and contemporary cooking styles have made her a hugely popular figure in food today.'

`Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but don't know where to start?....Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could achieve....
Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, `The First-time Cook' will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.'


240 high quality shiny pages, split over 7 main chapters:-

Soups, Starters and Eggs
Pasta, Pizza and Rice
Meat & Poultry
Stir-frying
Fish
Vegetables & Salads
Puddings, Cakes and Biscuits

sandwiched between sections entitled `Why Cook?' and `Techniques & General Tips' and a full index.
The Techniques and General Tips section includes `How to Read a Recipe', `Preparing Common Vegetables and Other Ingredients', 'Cooking Terms' and 'Recommended Kitchen Utensils'.

Each chapter opens with relevant text in Sophie's typically descriptive, often humorous style, e.g.

`Soups
I'm a great believer in soup. Here is a dish that fulfils a multitude of functions, the prime amongst them being that it satisfies the soul. Oh - and the stomach.
A big steaming bowlful of soup can really hit the spot. It makes a good first course and it makes the heart of a handsome lunch or supper, eked out with loads of soft-centred, crisp-crusted bread, a big hunk of cheese, and healthy fruit or something more indulgent to follow.
Make one big batch and it will feed a crowd, or just feed you on your own quickly and easily over several days.'

Then follows all the information you will ever need re types of soup, tips and techniques, `sweating without perspiration', `thick, thicker, thickest`, liquid essentials', `thinning down', `dressing up' and 'machinery'.

Headed in red, each recipe has an opening note and is clearly laid out with servings, list of ingredients - often split into 'base' and `main' - plus a step-by-step method, along with any extras e.g. `dressing up', `aromatics', seasonings etc.

The book also has informative `need to know' sections, easily found by their blue headings.

And there's more... much, much more........if you need to `prepare an egg`, it's all here:-

Boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, separating, folding in or whisking, after a guide to buying freshness, even salmonella advice.
But, if the childhood memory of `scrambled eggs on toast' is enough to get you to turn the page - please do so - for Sophie's twist on a theme - the most superb recipe for `Lemon Scrambled Eggs on Toasted Bagels'!

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Roast Tomato and Onion Soup
Mushroom Omelette
Pasta Frittata
Salsa Cruda (Raw Sauce)
Tagliatelle Bolognaise
Good Pizza Dough
Egg-fried Rice
Grilled Steak - has summary of the timings for `blue`, `rare`, `medium-rare`, `medium' and `well-done'
Chicken Fajitas
Roast Leg of Lamb
Parsley and Lemon Stuffing
The Best Easy Roast Chicken
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai)
Tuna Fishcakes
Roast Salmon with Lime
Fundamental Fish Pie
White Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Tomato and Basil Salad
Simple Chocolate Mousse
Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Lemon Ice Cream
Custard
Victoria Sponge
Shortbread

plus the most delicious `Double Chocolate Cake' -
`This chocolate cake boasts a double helping of chocolate (in the form of real chocolate and cocoa powder) for a `wildly big hit of chocolate heaven`. Swathed in a fudgy chocolate cream all over the outside and the inside, it becomes a king amongst chocolate cakes.
And with such tempting, mouth-watering description I do wonder, if Ms Grigson might turn her attention to the boxed chocolate market, in the near future!

Coming to a sweetshop near you....................., if so, you read it first at Amazon!


Simply Fabulous!, 12 Aug 2006
As a self-confessed cookbook-addict, I feel I can say with some authority that Sophie Grigson's "First Time Cook" is one of the best out there.

Accessible without being over-simplified, educational without being patronising, this is a book that covers all the basics and a lot more besides. The recipes are easy to follow and, more importantly, utterly delicious, taking inspiration from many different cultures and food traditions, without forgetting homely British fare (I particularly reccommend her recipe for beef stew).

Amongst all this, Sophie still manages to take you through the correct boiling of an egg, how to make the perfect roast potatoes and all other manner of useful advice.

My only criticism of this fantastic book is that there is not more of it!

absolutely scrummy!, 21 Jun 2008
This book is excellent. I am fairly average at cooking and have enjoyed making a number of the recipes which are simplier than they first appear.
Because the recipes are mainly from "normal" people throughout the country (rather than chefs and cooking experts) they are not complicated and do not rely on odd ingredients that are difficult to come by.
The basis for the book is that we should be using (as far as possible) ingredients from the fairtrade scheme which is an excellent scheme providing growers/farmers light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not the best person to explain the fairtrade system obviously but basically the farmers are ensured a fair price for their produce ensuring that they (an their community) are not living in poverty. The book is a collection of recipes which include one or more fair trade product.
As the previous reviewer mentioned, the recipes lean heavily on bananas... that's not necesarily a bad thing and when you have tasted the Banana Choco Mocha cake you'll be so glad you bought the book!
The book has not only opened my eyes to new recipes but also the amount of fair trade products out there that you perhaps don't notice in the supermarket but will certainly start looking for!
I bought this book as a birthday present to myself and now I'm being forced to buy another since my sister (who's an excellent cook) "borrowed" mine!

A Fair-ly Good Cookbook, 10 Mar 2008
I should declare at the outset that I have a recipe in this cookbook, but assure you that this has not influenced my opinion of the book (honest!).
The Fairtrade Foundation, who have published this item through Dorling Kindersley, ran a national competition to find simple but tasty recipes using as many fairtrade ingredients as possible; I was one of the lucky winners selected for inclusion. This means that the recipes found here are accesible and not too 'chefy'. There are, however, contributions from the inevitable Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Antony Worrall Thompson, as well as some from faitrade producers themselves and other supporters such as George Alagiah and Sir Steve Redgrave.

This is, as far as I'm aware, the first cookbook on the market soley to focus on fairtrade food. One hopes we are all, by now, aware of the importance of supporting farmers and workers who are paid fairly for their products - this cookbook provides plenty of inspiration of how to do so through day-to-day cooking. And whilst bananas, coffee and chocolate are the ingredients to have had the most publicity as fairtrade items, the book uses a huge variety of the products now available, from dried mango to mace (the book also includes a full list of this ever-increasing range).

I have rated the book as four stars primarily because there is a heavy bias towards sweet over savoury recipes (about 3:1) and there IS a chocolate and banana bias. But overall I recommend it to you as a beautifully produced, well-illustrated book full of 'do-able' recipes that will allow you to create delicious dishes with a clear conscience.

Simply more than a recipe book - Jane Grigson`s `English Food`!, 30 Mar 2007
`In this classic work, Jane Grigson reveals the richness and surprising diversity of England's culinary heritage.
From modest dishes such as `Gloucestershire Cheese and Ale`, and `Toad-in-the-Hole', to grander ones using roast game, local fish and fresh vegetables, as well as traditional puddings, teatime cakes and preserves, this joyful celebration of our national cuisine is a pleasure to cook from and a delight to read.'

Penguin Cookery Library format - paperback with 384 pages, split over chapters:-

Soups
Cheese and egg dishes
Vegetables
Meat, poultry and game
Puddings
Teatime: - bread, cake, griddle cakes and pancakes, biscuits
Stuffings, sauces and preserves

sandwiched between a foreword, from daughter Sophie plus an introduction, and a concise index.
Interspersed with just the odd black and white line drawing this chunky paperback is serious reading material, with acknowledgements and endearing references to other great cooks and cookery writers including Elizabeth David and the reproduction of three of her famous recipes:-

Elizabeth David's Potted Crab
Elizabeth David's Prawn Paste
Elizabeth David's Everlasting Syllabub

Each chapter opens with general information and observations, as does each recipe, e.g.

Soused Herrings:-
Herring cooked this way makes a good cold dish, so long as you don't overdo the vinegar. I recommend you follow the Scandinavian practice of serving them with a bowl of cream, beaten with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and flavoured with chives.

Other delicious recipes include:-

Roast Rack of Lamb with Laverbread
Isle of Man Herring Pie
Venison Pasty
Chilled Mange Tout Creams
Chicken with Leek Pie from Wales
Bloater and Potato Salad
Jellied Stock
Pork Pie Filling
English Game Pie
Raspberry Pie
Chocolate Pie
Mussel and Leek Roly Poly
Queen of Puddings
Salmon in Pastry with a Herb Sauce
Sedgemoor Eel Stew
Mushrooms in Snuffboxes
Anchovy Matchsticks
Liver and Bacon Salad
Little Cheese Soufflé
Rice Bread
Cinnamon Toast
Oyster Sauce
Ginger Cake

Each recipe is clearly laid out with number of servings, ingredients lists and method.

Oh hooray for Jane Grigson, 01 Nov 2004
It is so good that Jane Grigson remains in print. Supremely unfussy, fabulously unpretentious, her books are invaluable. last night I decided to bone and stuff a chicken for roasting and sifted through piles of more contemporary cookbooks looking for an interesting stuffing recipe. They were few and far between - then I remembered the Sainted Jane and hooray a whole chapter of stuffing recipes. I plumped for a hazelnut stuffing and it was fabulous. Now she's been dusted off, I'm going to be using her a lot more again - perfect for the winter months!

Excellent book, with an honest, back to basics outlook., 14 Aug 2001
An excellent book, full of the author's own opinion regarding food preparation and ingredient suggestions. Having tried several of the recipees, they all have had excellent results; however, there is plenty of value added through the author's own "editorial" sections, which are available at the introduction of new chapters and often as a prelude to the recipees themselves.

A must for any kitchen/cooking lover.

One of the best cook books around today ***** , 27 Nov 2008
I bought this book two years ago and am forever recommending it. As other reviewers have said, too many cook books assume a level of knowledge/skill that we don't all possess. If you're an older cook, you might, like me, have forgotten many of the more simple recipes that Sophie Grigson presents so clearly and with such good photographs.
My current favourite is the one for Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Guinness. Don't be put off by the title, it's not just for beginners.

Best recipe book purchased, 06 Sep 2008
I recently purchased this book at Waterstones for £12.99 for a friend that had no idea how to cook (I personally did not put myself in that category- at first). I came home and browsed through it and was totally amazed at how many recipes that were usable. (Most cookery books I have bought I may have used half a dozen recipes at the most), I immediately got on to amazon to order it and realised I could save over £4.00. The chocolate cake is absolutely divine. It was the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, the shortbread really is gorgeous. There are so many recipes I cannot wait to try as they are all pretty simple with accessible ingredients. This book definately sits at the top of my cookery books.

Great!, 05 Sep 2007
Fab book, lovely recipes. Really simple recipes that turn out tasting amazing. Great ways of taking a basic recipes, and turning them into something else, e.g. beef casserole into daube de beouf. Really good for cooks of all levels. Would recommend it to anyone.

'.... fills the gap left by conventional cookbooks which assume a knowledge most people don't possess' , 22 Jun 2007
`Sophie`s accessible approach and ability to communicate both classic and contemporary cooking styles have made her a hugely popular figure in food today.'

`Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but don't know where to start?....Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could achieve....
Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, `The First-time Cook' will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.'


240 high quality shiny pages, split over 7 main chapters:-

Soups, Starters and Eggs
Pasta, Pizza and Rice
Meat & Poultry
Stir-frying
Fish
Vegetables & Salads
Puddings, Cakes and Biscuits

sandwiched between sections entitled `Why Cook?' and `Techniques & General Tips' and a full index.
The Techniques and General Tips section includes `How to Read a Recipe', `Preparing Common Vegetables and Other Ingredients', 'Cooking Terms' and 'Recommended Kitchen Utensils'.

Each chapter opens with relevant text in Sophie's typically descriptive, often humorous style, e.g.

`Soups
I'm a great believer in soup. Here is a dish that fulfils a multitude of functions, the prime amongst them being that it satisfies the soul. Oh - and the stomach.
A big steaming bowlful of soup can really hit the spot. It makes a good first course and it makes the heart of a handsome lunch or supper, eked out with loads of soft-centred, crisp-crusted bread, a big hunk of cheese, and healthy fruit or something more indulgent to follow.
Make one big batch and it will feed a crowd, or just feed you on your own quickly and easily over several days.'

Then follows all the information you will ever need re types of soup, tips and techniques, `sweating without perspiration', `thick, thicker, thickest`, liquid essentials', `thinning down', `dressing up' and 'machinery'.

Headed in red, each recipe has an opening note and is clearly laid out with servings, list of ingredients - often split into 'base' and `main' - plus a step-by-step method, along with any extras e.g. `dressing up', `aromatics', seasonings etc.

The book also has informative `need to know' sections, easily found by their blue headings.

And there's more... much, much more........if you need to `prepare an egg`, it's all here:-

Boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, separating, folding in or whisking, after a guide to buying freshness, even salmonella advice.
But, if the childhood memory of `scrambled eggs on toast' is enough to get you to turn the page - please do so - for Sophie's twist on a theme - the most superb recipe for `Lemon Scrambled Eggs on Toasted Bagels'!

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Roast Tomato and Onion Soup
Mushroom Omelette
Pasta Frittata
Salsa Cruda (Raw Sauce)
Tagliatelle Bolognaise
Good Pizza Dough
Egg-fried Rice
Grilled Steak - has summary of the timings for `blue`, `rare`, `medium-rare`, `medium' and `well-done'
Chicken Fajitas
Roast Leg of Lamb
Parsley and Lemon Stuffing
The Best Easy Roast Chicken
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai)
Tuna Fishcakes
Roast Salmon with Lime
Fundamental Fish Pie
White Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Tomato and Basil Salad
Simple Chocolate Mousse
Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Lemon Ice Cream
Custard
Victoria Sponge
Shortbread

plus the most delicious `Double Chocolate Cake' -
`This chocolate cake boasts a double helping of chocolate (in the form of real chocolate and cocoa powder) for a `wildly big hit of chocolate heaven`. Swathed in a fudgy chocolate cream all over the outside and the inside, it becomes a king amongst chocolate cakes.
And with such tempting, mouth-watering description I do wonder, if Ms Grigson might turn her attention to the boxed chocolate market, in the near future!

Coming to a sweetshop near you....................., if so, you read it first at Amazon!


Simply Fabulous!, 12 Aug 2006
As a self-confessed cookbook-addict, I feel I can say with some authority that Sophie Grigson's "First Time Cook" is one of the best out there.

Accessible without being over-simplified, educational without being patronising, this is a book that covers all the basics and a lot more besides. The recipes are easy to follow and, more importantly, utterly delicious, taking inspiration from many different cultures and food traditions, without forgetting homely British fare (I particularly reccommend her recipe for beef stew).

Amongst all this, Sophie still manages to take you through the correct boiling of an egg, how to make the perfect roast potatoes and all other manner of useful advice.

My only criticism of this fantastic book is that there is not more of it!

absolutely scrummy!, 21 Jun 2008
This book is excellent. I am fairly average at cooking and have enjoyed making a number of the recipes which are simplier than they first appear.
Because the recipes are mainly from "normal" people throughout the country (rather than chefs and cooking experts) they are not complicated and do not rely on odd ingredients that are difficult to come by.
The basis for the book is that we should be using (as far as possible) ingredients from the fairtrade scheme which is an excellent scheme providing growers/farmers light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not the best person to explain the fairtrade system obviously but basically the farmers are ensured a fair price for their produce ensuring that they (an their community) are not living in poverty. The book is a collection of recipes which include one or more fair trade product.
As the previous reviewer mentioned, the recipes lean heavily on bananas... that's not necesarily a bad thing and when you have tasted the Banana Choco Mocha cake you'll be so glad you bought the book!
The book has not only opened my eyes to new recipes but also the amount of fair trade products out there that you perhaps don't notice in the supermarket but will certainly start looking for!
I bought this book as a birthday present to myself and now I'm being forced to buy another since my sister (who's an excellent cook) "borrowed" mine!

A Fair-ly Good Cookbook, 10 Mar 2008
I should declare at the outset that I have a recipe in this cookbook, but assure you that this has not influenced my opinion of the book (honest!).
The Fairtrade Foundation, who have published this item through Dorling Kindersley, ran a national competition to find simple but tasty recipes using as many fairtrade ingredients as possible; I was one of the lucky winners selected for inclusion. This means that the recipes found here are accesible and not too 'chefy'. There are, however, contributions from the inevitable Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Antony Worrall Thompson, as well as some from faitrade producers themselves and other supporters such as George Alagiah and Sir Steve Redgrave.

This is, as far as I'm aware, the first cookbook on the market soley to focus on fairtrade food. One hopes we are all, by now, aware of the importance of supporting farmers and workers who are paid fairly for their products - this cookbook provides plenty of inspiration of how to do so through day-to-day cooking. And whilst bananas, coffee and chocolate are the ingredients to have had the most publicity as fairtrade items, the book uses a huge variety of the products now available, from dried mango to mace (the book also includes a full list of this ever-increasing range).

I have rated the book as four stars primarily because there is a heavy bias towards sweet over savoury recipes (about 3:1) and there IS a chocolate and banana bias. But overall I recommend it to you as a beautifully produced, well-illustrated book full of 'do-able' recipes that will allow you to create delicious dishes with a clear conscience.

Simply more than a recipe book - Jane Grigson`s `English Food`!, 30 Mar 2007
`In this classic work, Jane Grigson reveals the richness and surprising diversity of England's culinary heritage.
From modest dishes such as `Gloucestershire Cheese and Ale`, and `Toad-in-the-Hole', to grander ones using roast game, local fish and fresh vegetables, as well as traditional puddings, teatime cakes and preserves, this joyful celebration of our national cuisine is a pleasure to cook from and a delight to read.'

Penguin Cookery Library format - paperback with 384 pages, split over chapters:-

Soups
Cheese and egg dishes
Vegetables
Meat, poultry and game
Puddings
Teatime: - bread, cake, griddle cakes and pancakes, biscuits
Stuffings, sauces and preserves

sandwiched between a foreword, from daughter Sophie plus an introduction, and a concise index.
Interspersed with just the odd black and white line drawing this chunky paperback is serious reading material, with acknowledgements and endearing references to other great cooks and cookery writers including Elizabeth David and the reproduction of three of her famous recipes:-

Elizabeth David's Potted Crab
Elizabeth David's Prawn Paste
Elizabeth David's Everlasting Syllabub

Each chapter opens with general information and observations, as does each recipe, e.g.

Soused Herrings:-
Herring cooked this way makes a good cold dish, so long as you don't overdo the vinegar. I recommend you follow the Scandinavian practice of serving them with a bowl of cream, beaten with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and flavoured with chives.

Other delicious recipes include:-

Roast Rack of Lamb with Laverbread
Isle of Man Herring Pie
Venison Pasty
Chilled Mange Tout Creams
Chicken with Leek Pie from Wales
Bloater and Potato Salad
Jellied Stock
Pork Pie Filling
English Game Pie
Raspberry Pie
Chocolate Pie
Mussel and Leek Roly Poly
Queen of Puddings
Salmon in Pastry with a Herb Sauce
Sedgemoor Eel Stew
Mushrooms in Snuffboxes
Anchovy Matchsticks
Liver and Bacon Salad
Little Cheese Soufflé
Rice Bread
Cinnamon Toast
Oyster Sauce
Ginger Cake

Each recipe is clearly laid out with number of servings, ingredients lists and method.

Oh hooray for Jane Grigson, 01 Nov 2004
It is so good that Jane Grigson remains in print. Supremely unfussy, fabulously unpretentious, her books are invaluable. last night I decided to bone and stuff a chicken for roasting and sifted through piles of more contemporary cookbooks looking for an interesting stuffing recipe. They were few and far between - then I remembered the Sainted Jane and hooray a whole chapter of stuffing recipes. I plumped for a hazelnut stuffing and it was fabulous. Now she's been dusted off, I'm going to be using her a lot more again - perfect for the winter months!

Excellent book, with an honest, back to basics outlook., 14 Aug 2001
An excellent book, full of the author's own opinion regarding food preparation and ingredient suggestions. Having tried several of the recipees, they all have had excellent results; however, there is plenty of value added through the author's own "editorial" sections, which are available at the introduction of new chapters and often as a prelude to the recipees themselves.

A must for any kitchen/cooking lover.

wonderful reading., 22 Jan 2008
I took this book out of the library many times before finally buying my own copy. This is beatifully laid out and well written. Sophies way of writing persuades me every time that I just have to try new foods and recipes.
Last autumn I moved into a more rural area and was amazed by the abundance of damsons and elder berries and buckets full of windfall quince and cooking apples. Thanks to this book I will know what to do now when those things are set before me once more.

I am really looking forward to trying her elderflower cordial and have a long list of other must try recipes . A lovely book that doesn't try to baffle you with fancy ingredients or make you feel silly for not knowing how to do complicate manouvres. It simply reminds you of the beauty of the changing seasons and encourages you to get out and see what's out there.
Even if you live in the city there are many recipes that can still be made use of. A benefit of this book is that it is one of those recipe books that make good bedtime reading.

This is my first ever sophie grigson recipe book and I know it wont be the last.

Seasonal Food - 'Get ready to run to your nearest farmer's market.....', 02 Aug 2006
With over 120 delicious recipes, `Sophie Grigson's Country Kitchen' will have you running to your nearest farmer's market, hunting for seasonal ingredients............or getting your own hands dirty in no time.'

246 high quality, shiny pages split over 4 chapters:-

Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

sandwiched between an introduction and a concise index.
Photography from William Shaw throughout including ingredients and a high percentage of recipe shots.

Useful one-page notes on seasonal items are littered throughout, from the more common such as `Sorrel' and `Asparagus`, to the least, such as `Samphire', `Tamarind`, or `How to Cook A Giant Puffball`.

Each recipe has a relevant informative narrative written in the typical SG style that is so endearing, e.g. from page 152,

`Apple and Bacon Mash`:-
`There's a magic moment in the early autumn when the first of the garden's main crop potatoes and the first of the apples coincide. The children disappear outside to gather produce and earthworms, and soon a basket of potatoes, topped with a few sour cooking apples, appears on the kitchen table. Occasionally the earthworms are included, but it is not something I encourage!..............'

e.g. from page 218:-
`A Very Good Cauliflower Cheese'
`The idea is simple and familiar - cauliflower baked in a cheese sauce - but it is the execution that counts. Casual inattention is the death knell. Vigilance and respect are the passwords to success. This is a fabulous dish, worthy of main course status when it is cooked well.......'

Favourite recipes:-

Grilled Trout with Horseradish, Mint & Lemon Cream
Rich & Sinful Baked Bay & Honey Custards
Daffodil Cake
Summer Lasagne with Goat's Cheese
Tagine of Chicken, Chickpeas & Apricots
Lemon Barley Water
Maple Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup
Pheasant Pate
Spiced Venison & Chestnut Stew
Double Cheese Flatbreads
Daube of Beef with Parsnips & Red Wine
Rhubarb & Apple Crumble (`serves 6 unless you are all very greedy!')
Vanilla Pain Perdu with Quince Jelly
Christmas Tree Biscuits
Murrambridgee Cake - `I don't care for Christmas Cake. I don't hate it either, but I really wouldn't mind if I never tasted one again. As a result I have never cooked one, either. Instead, we make this Murrambridgee Cake, which is nothing more than a big mass of mixed whole glace fruits and nuts, glued together with the minimum of batter. Far nicer, if you ask me.'




great cookery book - well worth the time, 04 Nov 2003
there's definitely something about this book.

the 120 recipes are very cookable, very comforting, and use ingredients that can easily be sourced from your local supermarket (if that's not an ASDA). they are mostly easy to prepare and taste great. it's split into the seasons of the year to facilitate seasonal buying. and there are some pages of grigson's familiar brand of homespun wisdom. as well as that, the book includes some of the most gorgeously photographed and reproduced prints i have seen in a recipe book.

(avoid the real baked beans recipe though. i didn't like them.)

One of the best cook books around today ***** , 27 Nov 2008
I bought this book two years ago and am forever recommending it. As other reviewers have said, too many cook books assume a level of knowledge/skill that we don't all possess. If you're an older cook, you might, like me, have forgotten many of the more simple recipes that Sophie Grigson presents so clearly and with such good photographs.
My current favourite is the one for Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Guinness. Don't be put off by the title, it's not just for beginners.

Best recipe book purchased, 06 Sep 2008
I recently purchased this book at Waterstones for £12.99 for a friend that had no idea how to cook (I personally did not put myself in that category- at first). I came home and browsed through it and was totally amazed at how many recipes that were usable. (Most cookery books I have bought I may have used half a dozen recipes at the most), I immediately got on to amazon to order it and realised I could save over £4.00. The chocolate cake is absolutely divine. It was the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, the shortbread really is gorgeous. There are so many recipes I cannot wait to try as they are all pretty simple with accessible ingredients. This book definately sits at the top of my cookery books.

Great!, 05 Sep 2007
Fab book, lovely recipes. Really simple recipes that turn out tasting amazing. Great ways of taking a basic recipes, and turning them into something else, e.g. beef casserole into daube de beouf. Really good for cooks of all levels. Would recommend it to anyone.

'.... fills the gap left by conventional cookbooks which assume a knowledge most people don't possess' , 22 Jun 2007
`Sophie`s accessible approach and ability to communicate both classic and contemporary cooking styles have made her a hugely popular figure in food today.'

`Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but don't know where to start?....Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could achieve....
Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, `The First-time Cook' will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.'


240 high quality shiny pages, split over 7 main chapters:-

Soups, Starters and Eggs
Pasta, Pizza and Rice
Meat & Poultry
Stir-frying
Fish
Vegetables & Salads
Puddings, Cakes and Biscuits

sandwiched between sections entitled `Why Cook?' and `Techniques & General Tips' and a full index.
The Techniques and General Tips section includes `How to Read a Recipe', `Preparing Common Vegetables and Other Ingredients', 'Cooking Terms' and 'Recommended Kitchen Utensils'.

Each chapter opens with relevant text in Sophie's typically descriptive, often humorous style, e.g.

`Soups
I'm a great believer in soup. Here is a dish that fulfils a multitude of functions, the prime amongst them being that it satisfies the soul. Oh - and the stomach.
A big steaming bowlful of soup can really hit the spot. It makes a good first course and it makes the heart of a handsome lunch or supper, eked out with loads of soft-centred, crisp-crusted bread, a big hunk of cheese, and healthy fruit or something more indulgent to follow.
Make one big batch and it will feed a crowd, or just feed you on your own quickly and easily over several days.'

Then follows all the information you will ever need re types of soup, tips and techniques, `sweating without perspiration', `thick, thicker, thickest`, liquid essentials', `thinning down', `dressing up' and 'machinery'.

Headed in red, each recipe has an opening note and is clearly laid out with servings, list of ingredients - often split into 'base' and `main' - plus a step-by-step method, along with any extras e.g. `dressing up', `aromatics', seasonings etc.

The book also has informative `need to know' sections, easily found by their blue headings.

And there's more... much, much more........if you need to `prepare an egg`, it's all here:-

Boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, separating, folding in or whisking, after a guide to buying freshness, even salmonella advice.
But, if the childhood memory of `scrambled eggs on toast' is enough to get you to turn the page - please do so - for Sophie's twist on a theme - the most superb recipe for `Lemon Scrambled Eggs on Toasted Bagels'!

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Roast Tomato and Onion Soup
Mushroom Omelette
Pasta Frittata
Salsa Cruda (Raw Sauce)
Tagliatelle Bolognaise
Good Pizza Dough
Egg-fried Rice
Grilled Steak - has summary of the timings for `blue`, `rare`, `medium-rare`, `medium' and `well-done'
Chicken Fajitas
Roast Leg of Lamb
Parsley and Lemon Stuffing
The Best Easy Roast Chicken
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai)
Tuna Fishcakes
Roast Salmon with Lime
Fundamental Fish Pie
White Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Tomato and Basil Salad
Simple Chocolate Mousse
Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Lemon Ice Cream
Custard
Victoria Sponge
Shortbread

plus the most delicious `Double Chocolate Cake' -
`This chocolate cake boasts a double helping of chocolate (in the form of real chocolate and cocoa powder) for a `wildly big hit of chocolate heaven`. Swathed in a fudgy chocolate cream all over the outside and the inside, it becomes a king amongst chocolate cakes.
And with such tempting, mouth-watering description I do wonder, if Ms Grigson might turn her attention to the boxed chocolate market, in the near future!

Coming to a sweetshop near you....................., if so, you read it first at Amazon!


Simply Fabulous!, 12 Aug 2006
As a self-confessed cookbook-addict, I feel I can say with some authority that Sophie Grigson's "First Time Cook" is one of the best out there.

Accessible without being over-simplified, educational without being patronising, this is a book that covers all the basics and a lot more besides. The recipes are easy to follow and, more importantly, utterly delicious, taking inspiration from many different cultures and food traditions, without forgetting homely British fare (I particularly reccommend her recipe for beef stew).

Amongst all this, Sophie still manages to take you through the correct boiling of an egg, how to make the perfect roast potatoes and all other manner of useful advice.

My only criticism of this fantastic book is that there is not more of it!

absolutely scrummy!, 21 Jun 2008
This book is excellent. I am fairly average at cooking and have enjoyed making a number of the recipes which are simplier than they first appear.
Because the recipes are mainly from "normal" people throughout the country (rather than chefs and cooking experts) they are not complicated and do not rely on odd ingredients that are difficult to come by.
The basis for the book is that we should be using (as far as possible) ingredients from the fairtrade scheme which is an excellent scheme providing growers/farmers light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not the best person to explain the fairtrade system obviously but basically the farmers are ensured a fair price for their produce ensuring that they (an their community) are not living in poverty. The book is a collection of recipes which include one or more fair trade product.
As the previous reviewer mentioned, the recipes lean heavily on bananas... that's not necesarily a bad thing and when you have tasted the Banana Choco Mocha cake you'll be so glad you bought the book!
The book has not only opened my eyes to new recipes but also the amount of fair trade products out there that you perhaps don't notice in the supermarket but will certainly start looking for!
I bought this book as a birthday present to myself and now I'm being forced to buy another since my sister (who's an excellent cook) "borrowed" mine!

A Fair-ly Good Cookbook, 10 Mar 2008
I should declare at the outset that I have a recipe in this cookbook, but assure you that this has not influenced my opinion of the book (honest!).
The Fairtrade Foundation, who have published this item through Dorling Kindersley, ran a national competition to find simple but tasty recipes using as many fairtrade ingredients as possible; I was one of the lucky winners selected for inclusion. This means that the recipes found here are accesible and not too 'chefy'. There are, however, contributions from the inevitable Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Antony Worrall Thompson, as well as some from faitrade producers themselves and other supporters such as George Alagiah and Sir Steve Redgrave.

This is, as far as I'm aware, the first cookbook on the market soley to focus on fairtrade food. One hopes we are all, by now, aware of the importance of supporting farmers and workers who are paid fairly for their products - this cookbook provides plenty of inspiration of how to do so through day-to-day cooking. And whilst bananas, coffee and chocolate are the ingredients to have had the most publicity as fairtrade items, the book uses a huge variety of the products now available, from dried mango to mace (the book also includes a full list of this ever-increasing range).

I have rated the book as four stars primarily because there is a heavy bias towards sweet over savoury recipes (about 3:1) and there IS a chocolate and banana bias. But overall I recommend it to you as a beautifully produced, well-illustrated book full of 'do-able' recipes that will allow you to create delicious dishes with a clear conscience.

Simply more than a recipe book - Jane Grigson`s `English Food`!, 30 Mar 2007
`In this classic work, Jane Grigson reveals the richness and surprising diversity of England's culinary heritage.
From modest dishes such as `Gloucestershire Cheese and Ale`, and `Toad-in-the-Hole', to grander ones using roast game, local fish and fresh vegetables, as well as traditional puddings, teatime cakes and preserves, this joyful celebration of our national cuisine is a pleasure to cook from and a delight to read.'

Penguin Cookery Library format - paperback with 384 pages, split over chapters:-

Soups
Cheese and egg dishes
Vegetables
Meat, poultry and game
Puddings
Teatime: - bread, cake, griddle cakes and pancakes, biscuits
Stuffings, sauces and preserves

sandwiched between a foreword, from daughter Sophie plus an introduction, and a concise index.
Interspersed with just the odd black and white line drawing this chunky paperback is serious reading material, with acknowledgements and endearing references to other great cooks and cookery writers including Elizabeth David and the reproduction of three of her famous recipes:-

Elizabeth David's Potted Crab
Elizabeth David's Prawn Paste
Elizabeth David's Everlasting Syllabub

Each chapter opens with general information and observations, as does each recipe, e.g.

Soused Herrings:-
Herring cooked this way makes a good cold dish, so long as you don't overdo the vinegar. I recommend you follow the Scandinavian practice of serving them with a bowl of cream, beaten with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and flavoured with chives.

Other delicious recipes include:-

Roast Rack of Lamb with Laverbread
Isle of Man Herring Pie
Venison Pasty
Chilled Mange Tout Creams
Chicken with Leek Pie from Wales
Bloater and Potato Salad
Jellied Stock
Pork Pie Filling
English Game Pie
Raspberry Pie
Chocolate Pie
Mussel and Leek Roly Poly
Queen of Puddings
Salmon in Pastry with a Herb Sauce
Sedgemoor Eel Stew
Mushrooms in Snuffboxes
Anchovy Matchsticks
Liver and Bacon Salad
Little Cheese Soufflé
Rice Bread
Cinnamon Toast
Oyster Sauce
Ginger Cake

Each recipe is clearly laid out with number of servings, ingredients lists and method.

Oh hooray for Jane Grigson, 01 Nov 2004
It is so good that Jane Grigson remains in print. Supremely unfussy, fabulously unpretentious, her books are invaluable. last night I decided to bone and stuff a chicken for roasting and sifted through piles of more contemporary cookbooks looking for an interesting stuffing recipe. They were few and far between - then I remembered the Sainted Jane and hooray a whole chapter of stuffing recipes. I plumped for a hazelnut stuffing and it was fabulous. Now she's been dusted off, I'm going to be using her a lot more again - perfect for the winter months!

Excellent book, with an honest, back to basics outlook., 14 Aug 2001
An excellent book, full of the author's own opinion regarding food preparation and ingredient suggestions. Having tried several of the recipees, they all have had excellent results; however, there is plenty of value added through the author's own "editorial" sections, which are available at the introduction of new chapters and often as a prelude to the recipees themselves.

A must for any kitchen/cooking lover.

wonderful reading., 22 Jan 2008
I took this book out of the library many times before finally buying my own copy. This is beatifully laid out and well written. Sophies way of writing persuades me every time that I just have to try new foods and recipes.
Last autumn I moved into a more rural area and was amazed by the abundance of damsons and elder berries and buckets full of windfall quince and cooking apples. Thanks to this book I will know what to do now when those things are set before me once more.

I am really looking forward to trying her elderflower cordial and have a long list of other must try recipes . A lovely book that doesn't try to baffle you with fancy ingredients or make you feel silly for not knowing how to do complicate manouvres. It simply reminds you of the beauty of the changing seasons and encourages you to get out and see what's out there.
Even if you live in the city there are many recipes that can still be made use of. A benefit of this book is that it is one of those recipe books that make good bedtime reading.

This is my first ever sophie grigson recipe book and I know it wont be the last.

Seasonal Food - 'Get ready to run to your nearest farmer's market.....', 02 Aug 2006
With over 120 delicious recipes, `Sophie Grigson's Country Kitchen' will have you running to your nearest farmer's market, hunting for seasonal ingredients............or getting your own hands dirty in no time.'

246 high quality, shiny pages split over 4 chapters:-

Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

sandwiched between an introduction and a concise index.
Photography from William Shaw throughout including ingredients and a high percentage of recipe shots.

Useful one-page notes on seasonal items are littered throughout, from the more common such as `Sorrel' and `Asparagus`, to the least, such as `Samphire', `Tamarind`, or `How to Cook A Giant Puffball`.

Each recipe has a relevant informative narrative written in the typical SG style that is so endearing, e.g. from page 152,

`Apple and Bacon Mash`:-
`There's a magic moment in the early autumn when the first of the garden's main crop potatoes and the first of the apples coincide. The children disappear outside to gather produce and earthworms, and soon a basket of potatoes, topped with a few sour cooking apples, appears on the kitchen table. Occasionally the earthworms are included, but it is not something I encourage!..............'

e.g. from page 218:-
`A Very Good Cauliflower Cheese'
`The idea is simple and familiar - cauliflower baked in a cheese sauce - but it is the execution that counts. Casual inattention is the death knell. Vigilance and respect are the passwords to success. This is a fabulous dish, worthy of main course status when it is cooked well.......'

Favourite recipes:-

Grilled Trout with Horseradish, Mint & Lemon Cream
Rich & Sinful Baked Bay & Honey Custards
Daffodil Cake
Summer Lasagne with Goat's Cheese
Tagine of Chicken, Chickpeas & Apricots
Lemon Barley Water
Maple Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup
Pheasant Pate
Spiced Venison & Chestnut Stew
Double Cheese Flatbreads
Daube of Beef with Parsnips & Red Wine
Rhubarb & Apple Crumble (`serves 6 unless you are all very greedy!')
Vanilla Pain Perdu with Quince Jelly
Christmas Tree Biscuits
Murrambridgee Cake - `I don't care for Christmas Cake. I don't hate it either, but I really wouldn't mind if I never tasted one again. As a result I have never cooked one, either. Instead, we make this Murrambridgee Cake, which is nothing more than a big mass of mixed whole glace fruits and nuts, glued together with the minimum of batter. Far nicer, if you ask me.'




great cookery book - well worth the time, 04 Nov 2003
there's definitely something about this book.

the 120 recipes are very cookable, very comforting, and use ingredients that can easily be sourced from your local supermarket (if that's not an ASDA). they are mostly easy to prepare and taste great. it's split into the seasons of the year to facilitate seasonal buying. and there are some pages of grigson's familiar brand of homespun wisdom. as well as that, the book includes some of the most gorgeously photographed and reproduced prints i have seen in a recipe book.

(avoid the real baked beans recipe though. i didn't like them.)

The book for vegetables - not bland at all!, 12 Aug 2008
I got the book for christmas, immediately liked it and tried some recipes during the holidays. They all went down well, even with my parents who sometimes aren't the most adventurous eaters but rather prefer things the way they always were. The "Japanese cucumber salad" or the "Pink grapefruit and Chinese leaf salad with beetroot threads" (that really puts some sun into your winter days!) got no bad critics though and there are lots more recipes you should definitely try! A good gift too.

What every organic box owner needs, 28 Jun 2008
I was at the point of cancelling my organic box having become stuck for ideas (you don't see a lot of kohl rabi in the works of Jamie et al) This book provides inspiration and education - introducing you to some more novel ways of cooking veg as well as standard guidance. Really like Sophie's narrative style of writing. This book plus Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'Fish' and 'Meat' book forms my 'holy trinity' of cookbooks that I use all the time.


Great for Dealing With Veg. Boxes., 16 Dec 2007
What do you do with all the weird things that come in a winter veg. box? Jeruslaem Artichokes? Celeriac? We had no idea, so I bought this for my wife last year for Christmas, and it has proven to be hugely helpful, and become a staple of our kitchen. We find the excellent introductory sections about basic preparation and attributes of each vegetable/root to be even more useful than the full recipes themselves. An excellent purchase.

A very good book for those trying to eat more vegetables!, 11 Nov 2007
I like this book, and its style. The recipes are good and work all the time. It's just a pity that there isn't more of them. The description of the vegetables might seem lenghty at times, but often includes 'hidden' recipes. The Peperonata has become one of my family's all time favourites by now; try it!

A great Vegetable Encyclopaedia, 20 Jun 2007
Yes, as the reviewers below mention, it is true that the recipes are on the basic side. But this is a great great great book to have handy if you want to cook a wide range of vegetables + if you would like to give a try to something different. I had never cooked Yum potatoes before but was pleasantly surprised with its silky texture and nutty sweetness following her guidance.

This book explains each vegetable in details - when to buy, what to avoid, how to store and how to cook.

With this book, you can enjoy Kohlrabi (crunchy + juicy and refreshing), Edamame (beautiful little green gem) + Zucchini flowers (taste of the Italian summer) and many more.

I now enjoy going to small greengrocer's in Green Lanes near Harringay Railway station in London. Before Sophie's "Vegetables", I thought they sold wired vegetables, but I now think they sell treasures. If you live in London, visit there on weekend. My cooking is much more diverse and interesting now (at least to me), and it is nice to visit big supermarkets less.