A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

Very tasty!!, 26 Oct 2008
This is an excellent book. I have made quite a few of the recipes and every one has been a winner. I have used the sweet cream bases and created my own flavours based on their recommendations.
Please make sure that you whip the cream as the book doesn't state that you have to!
All receipes are very simple and easy to follow.

Great but..., 29 Jul 2008
Great book, loads of delicious recipes, and explains how ice cream works. Also has a good (if belt-busting) section of cakes and biscuits (presumably so that you can bash them into bits afterwards and add them to your ice cream). The beginning of this short book is a history of Ben and Jerry's which was interesting but a bit twee.

My only complaint is that all quantities are given in the rather vague US 'cups' rather than millilitres or grams (or even pounds and ounces). So you're told to put a quarter cup of this, with a half cup of that.

Don't suppose a bit more or a bit less of anything will hurt your ice cream, but slightly annoying to have to convert quantities every time.



A truly great book!, 03 Jul 2008
This is the best book ever! I hadn't even taken delivery of the icecream maker before my son snatched the book from me and made Chocolate Brownies and Giant Cookies.
THe recipes are simple, fun and very tasty. Great for all the family!

Best out of 3 books purchased, 03 Jul 2008
After buying my Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream maker I ordered three books from Amazon to help me in creating ice cream to die for!

I find that the Ben & Jerry's book is the one I use the most. I was initially put off by the use of raw eggs rather than a traditional custard base but realised that as ice cream is frozen it is not the same as using raw eggs in say a mousse or mayonnaise.

The method for making the most of the ice creams is very quick - no waiting around to chill cooked custard. I find that I can reduce the quantity of sugar slightly in the recipes with no effect on the results.

Lastly the texture of the ice cream after being hardened in the freezer for a little while is the better than the recipes in my other books.

I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone making an ice cream maker as Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Das and Green & Blacks ice creams are probably what you are tring to recreate.

Not very impressed, 30 Jun 2008
All in all I wish I hadn't ticked the box and opted to take this as a suggested extra when I bought an ice-cream maker. Quite apart from strange US measures (cups) and odd descriptions of different types of cream (that don't chime with our UK system of single, double etc), the recipes are riddled with odd licquers and ingredients you would never go out of your way to buy. For my tastes, a lot of the recipes are over the top in cloying sweetness. If you're buying an ice-cream maker, you'll get some basic recipes with the machine anyway and then you can download plenty for free once you have worked out the basics. Still, at least it wasn't very much money wasted!

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

Very tasty!!, 26 Oct 2008
This is an excellent book. I have made quite a few of the recipes and every one has been a winner. I have used the sweet cream bases and created my own flavours based on their recommendations.
Please make sure that you whip the cream as the book doesn't state that you have to!
All receipes are very simple and easy to follow.

Great but..., 29 Jul 2008
Great book, loads of delicious recipes, and explains how ice cream works. Also has a good (if belt-busting) section of cakes and biscuits (presumably so that you can bash them into bits afterwards and add them to your ice cream). The beginning of this short book is a history of Ben and Jerry's which was interesting but a bit twee.

My only complaint is that all quantities are given in the rather vague US 'cups' rather than millilitres or grams (or even pounds and ounces). So you're told to put a quarter cup of this, with a half cup of that.

Don't suppose a bit more or a bit less of anything will hurt your ice cream, but slightly annoying to have to convert quantities every time.



A truly great book!, 03 Jul 2008
This is the best book ever! I hadn't even taken delivery of the icecream maker before my son snatched the book from me and made Chocolate Brownies and Giant Cookies.
THe recipes are simple, fun and very tasty. Great for all the family!

Best out of 3 books purchased, 03 Jul 2008
After buying my Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream maker I ordered three books from Amazon to help me in creating ice cream to die for!

I find that the Ben & Jerry's book is the one I use the most. I was initially put off by the use of raw eggs rather than a traditional custard base but realised that as ice cream is frozen it is not the same as using raw eggs in say a mousse or mayonnaise.

The method for making the most of the ice creams is very quick - no waiting around to chill cooked custard. I find that I can reduce the quantity of sugar slightly in the recipes with no effect on the results.

Lastly the texture of the ice cream after being hardened in the freezer for a little while is the better than the recipes in my other books.

I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone making an ice cream maker as Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Das and Green & Blacks ice creams are probably what you are tring to recreate.

Not very impressed, 30 Jun 2008
All in all I wish I hadn't ticked the box and opted to take this as a suggested extra when I bought an ice-cream maker. Quite apart from strange US measures (cups) and odd descriptions of different types of cream (that don't chime with our UK system of single, double etc), the recipes are riddled with odd licquers and ingredients you would never go out of your way to buy. For my tastes, a lot of the recipes are over the top in cloying sweetness. If you're buying an ice-cream maker, you'll get some basic recipes with the machine anyway and then you can download plenty for free once you have worked out the basics. Still, at least it wasn't very much money wasted!

There are no better books for soup lovers, 16 Aug 2008
I've had this book (the older edition) for almost 10 years now and I'm still using it. The recipes always work perfectly, the short little stories over each recipe are fun to read and I've never made any soup from this or the other two books without people asking for second, third and in one case even fourth helpings (and most of the time the soup was supposed to be the starter!). Normally, I make at least double the quantities because of that. Can you say more to show just how yummy the recipes are? This definitely is a book I couln't live without. Everybody should have it!

Best ever soup cookbook!! Buy now!!!, 28 Oct 2007
I absolutly love this soup cookbook. Every soup I have made (about half of all in book) turn out fab and there are several that I have made over and over. Definatly one I would recomend to everyone.

I have now also purchased the soup & beyond cookbook and made my first soup from that the other day...Parsnip, leek & Lemon. It was superb.

One of the best cookbooks I have ever owned.

The best book of soups in 10 years, 10 Jun 2007
I've owned this book for about 10 years and it is still the only book I use for making soup. My favourite is the Tuscan Bean soup, but I've made most of them over the years.

The only thing that stops me giving it a 5/5 is the print which still annoys me and has done since I bought it. The black on green is difficult to read, and sometimes the lettering all blends into one. If they made a reprint with standard type I would be the first to buy it!

super soup book, 11 Jan 2007
I can only say that any foodie will be delighted and inspired by the soups in the book. You can take the theme and develop it and produce tailor made specials to suit you and your family. My favorite is the spicy peanut soup, it is a real winner. My best tip is to make a large pot of stock and freeze in meal size bags. then when you want to make a soup it only takes a short while with not too much preparation. My children love the soups and keep trying to persuade us to try new ones.
A real winner!

New Covent Garden Soup Book, 08 Jan 2006
I have owned this book for... ooooh... well it seems like forever but I'm guessing since 1996! This is esily the most used recipe book on my shelf, and I have a few. Never have I offered a soup from this book without a chorus of praise, I've altered some of the recipes, I object to buying a chicken just to make stock for a soup for example, so I've used Chicken Oxo. Where I've made a predominantly vegetable soup which has asked for Chicken Stock I've used Green Oxo. So appreciative have my friends been of the soups from this book that I must have bought 6 or 7 copies of it just as presents. Buy it, use it, love it... but be adventurous and change the odd thing here and there and see what you think of the alterations, the book even has a grid at the back for you to record the changes you have made and your verdict on the outcome.

As you would expect from the quirky and strong-minded Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, The River Cottage Meat Book is a quirky and strong-minded book. This arm-straining volume (weighing in at an impressive and well illustrated 543 pages) is quite the most ambitious volume yet by an author who absolutely refuses to be categorised. Is he a cookery writer? An expert on the sociology and history of food? An eccentric TV personality? Actually, of course, he's all three (and more); and all of his various skills find expression in this, his magnum opus.

The first intriguing question that The River Cottage Meat Book inspires is: what is the author's agenda? The book has so many aims it's difficult to know where to begin. First of all, this is a definitive guide to the preparation and cooking of meat, in all its various forms. Fearnley-Whittingstall deals (in assiduous detail) with such topics as roasting, grilling and preserving everything from turkey to trotters, in a variety of recipes that he obviously knows and loves. But there is far more to the book than this--fascinating sections on the many different types of meat (lamb, pork and so on) are crammed with information on the different cuts of meat and what they should be used for.

But as someone who raises and utilises his own livestock at the River Cottage, Fearnley-Whittingstall is clearly passionate about the welfare of animals bred for food, and provides some unpalatable information on widespread misdemeanours in these areas. If nothing else, this book will persuade you that it's a good idea to buy your meat from butchers who are equally passionate about these issues, or even direct from reputable farms. The concept makes sound ideological sense, but also ensures that your meat dishes will have an unrivalled depth of flavour. --Barry Forshaw

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

Very tasty!!, 26 Oct 2008
This is an excellent book. I have made quite a few of the recipes and every one has been a winner. I have used the sweet cream bases and created my own flavours based on their recommendations.
Please make sure that you whip the cream as the book doesn't state that you have to!
All receipes are very simple and easy to follow.

Great but..., 29 Jul 2008
Great book, loads of delicious recipes, and explains how ice cream works. Also has a good (if belt-busting) section of cakes and biscuits (presumably so that you can bash them into bits afterwards and add them to your ice cream). The beginning of this short book is a history of Ben and Jerry's which was interesting but a bit twee.

My only complaint is that all quantities are given in the rather vague US 'cups' rather than millilitres or grams (or even pounds and ounces). So you're told to put a quarter cup of this, with a half cup of that.

Don't suppose a bit more or a bit less of anything will hurt your ice cream, but slightly annoying to have to convert quantities every time.



A truly great book!, 03 Jul 2008
This is the best book ever! I hadn't even taken delivery of the icecream maker before my son snatched the book from me and made Chocolate Brownies and Giant Cookies.
THe recipes are simple, fun and very tasty. Great for all the family!

Best out of 3 books purchased, 03 Jul 2008
After buying my Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream maker I ordered three books from Amazon to help me in creating ice cream to die for!

I find that the Ben & Jerry's book is the one I use the most. I was initially put off by the use of raw eggs rather than a traditional custard base but realised that as ice cream is frozen it is not the same as using raw eggs in say a mousse or mayonnaise.

The method for making the most of the ice creams is very quick - no waiting around to chill cooked custard. I find that I can reduce the quantity of sugar slightly in the recipes with no effect on the results.

Lastly the texture of the ice cream after being hardened in the freezer for a little while is the better than the recipes in my other books.

I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone making an ice cream maker as Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Das and Green & Blacks ice creams are probably what you are tring to recreate.

Not very impressed, 30 Jun 2008
All in all I wish I hadn't ticked the box and opted to take this as a suggested extra when I bought an ice-cream maker. Quite apart from strange US measures (cups) and odd descriptions of different types of cream (that don't chime with our UK system of single, double etc), the recipes are riddled with odd licquers and ingredients you would never go out of your way to buy. For my tastes, a lot of the recipes are over the top in cloying sweetness. If you're buying an ice-cream maker, you'll get some basic recipes with the machine anyway and then you can download plenty for free once you have worked out the basics. Still, at least it wasn't very much money wasted!

There are no better books for soup lovers, 16 Aug 2008
I've had this book (the older edition) for almost 10 years now and I'm still using it. The recipes always work perfectly, the short little stories over each recipe are fun to read and I've never made any soup from this or the other two books without people asking for second, third and in one case even fourth helpings (and most of the time the soup was supposed to be the starter!). Normally, I make at least double the quantities because of that. Can you say more to show just how yummy the recipes are? This definitely is a book I couln't live without. Everybody should have it!

Best ever soup cookbook!! Buy now!!!, 28 Oct 2007
I absolutly love this soup cookbook. Every soup I have made (about half of all in book) turn out fab and there are several that I have made over and over. Definatly one I would recomend to everyone.

I have now also purchased the soup & beyond cookbook and made my first soup from that the other day...Parsnip, leek & Lemon. It was superb.

One of the best cookbooks I have ever owned.

The best book of soups in 10 years, 10 Jun 2007
I've owned this book for about 10 years and it is still the only book I use for making soup. My favourite is the Tuscan Bean soup, but I've made most of them over the years.

The only thing that stops me giving it a 5/5 is the print which still annoys me and has done since I bought it. The black on green is difficult to read, and sometimes the lettering all blends into one. If they made a reprint with standard type I would be the first to buy it!

super soup book, 11 Jan 2007
I can only say that any foodie will be delighted and inspired by the soups in the book. You can take the theme and develop it and produce tailor made specials to suit you and your family. My favorite is the spicy peanut soup, it is a real winner. My best tip is to make a large pot of stock and freeze in meal size bags. then when you want to make a soup it only takes a short while with not too much preparation. My children love the soups and keep trying to persuade us to try new ones.
A real winner!

New Covent Garden Soup Book, 08 Jan 2006
I have owned this book for... ooooh... well it seems like forever but I'm guessing since 1996! This is esily the most used recipe book on my shelf, and I have a few. Never have I offered a soup from this book without a chorus of praise, I've altered some of the recipes, I object to buying a chicken just to make stock for a soup for example, so I've used Chicken Oxo. Where I've made a predominantly vegetable soup which has asked for Chicken Stock I've used Green Oxo. So appreciative have my friends been of the soups from this book that I must have bought 6 or 7 copies of it just as presents. Buy it, use it, love it... but be adventurous and change the odd thing here and there and see what you think of the alterations, the book even has a grid at the back for you to record the changes you have made and your verdict on the outcome.

Informative and inspiring, 29 Oct 2008
This massive tome has a wealth of information about everything to do with the meat we buy and eat. The pictures of what happens in abatoirs are salutary and remind one that to eat meat is a privilege. It's much more than a recipe book: more an instruction manual about which cuts to choose and how to cook them.

The author is convincing in his discussion of the ethical issues connected with different types of farming and the necessity to use every part of a carcass if an animal has been reared in a humane way. But it's far from being a polemical book: one can almost smell the aroma as he describes meat sizzling and browning and there are loads of inviting recipes that inspire one to get in the kitchen.

There's also a long list of suppliers of good meat.

Outstanding book, more of a meat encyclopedia than recipe book, 08 Jul 2008
As many others have mentioned this is a truly outstanding book. Aside from the chapters on the ethics of meat, which many others have covered, this really is an encyclopedia of meat. The various chapters explain all the different cuts of meat, what good cuts look and feel like and the appropriate way of cooking. It does have many recipes but its much more than that it gives a great overall idea of all the different cooking processes. These sections are particularly useful and give great background info on each method the likes of which i have found in no other cookbook. It has increased my confidence in choosing, buying and cooking meat no end. Since buying this I have had the skills to cook much more varied species and cuts of meat, cooking them using many different methods. Whilst i have made many of the tasty recipes, I use the book almost daily as a reference title. If your a meat eater and can only buy one cookbook this is the one.

I really need this book., 22 Jan 2008
Fantastic book. I have learned so much from this book and I have developed a whole new respect for the meat I eat.
This book is an eye opener educating about...
animal farming/welfare
what cuts of meat work for what purpose
how to recognise good quality
pricipals of different styles of cooking and why they work.

I also highly value the chapter on meat thrift. Using leftovers to their best advantage. There is no doubt that this book deserves all the praise it gets..well done hugh!

A Wonderful Book!, 11 Jan 2008
Please please please - everyone buy this book. Infact, everyone buy every book Hugh has published about food! This man is a hero. Yes, it is a cookbook but it is also soooooooo much more. A real education about meat - the whole process and not just skirting around the issues. Hugh states that he is a meat eater but that he is not a meat eater at ANY cost. He cares passionately about the conditions animals are kept in and how they are treated/live their lives whilst they are among us. Added to this - the recipes are absolutely fantastic. This book is a must for anyone who loves to cook, wants varied, interesting and easy to follow recipes and also cares about what they put on their plates. Fantastic book - I shall be adding ALL of his other books to my shelves.

Beware - this book could change you for life, 13 Dec 2007
I've had this book for a year and it's changed my meat shopping and cooking patterns for good. Out of over 150 cookbooks currently on my shelves, it comes out time and time again (and it's beginning to look like its been marinated). A combination of lifestyle philosophy, meaty reference book, polemic and evangelical call to ethical shopping and cooking, it is so much more than a cookbook. Hugh has a great easy and lucid writing style and the recipes really work (his tortilla mix has become my standard). Hugh's persuasive arguments for thinking about what we eat, how meat is produced and on animal welfare issues provide a powerful force for pricking the conscience. A major weapon in pushing back the fast food and processed food culture and the inhumane and poor production values that currently dominate. Read this together with Joanna Blytheman's Bad Food Britain and you may just start to seriously re-evaluate how you shop and eat. It may have increased the amount I spend on good quality ethically produced meat but its also made me respect good produce and eat better. Oh and its handsomely illustrated and well laid out as well - just a little difficult to read in bed and carry because of its size.

As you would expect from the quirky and strong-minded Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, The River Cottage Meat Book is a quirky and strong-minded book. This arm-straining volume (weighing in at an impressive and well illustrated 543 pages) is quite the most ambitious volume yet by an author who absolutely refuses to be categorised. Is he a cookery writer? An expert on the sociology and history of food? An eccentric TV personality? Actually, of course, he's all three (and more); and all of his various skills find expression in this, his magnum opus.

The first intriguing question that The River Cottage Meat Book inspires is: what is the author's agenda? The book has so many aims it's difficult to know where to begin. First of all, this is a definitive guide to the preparation and cooking of meat, in all its various forms. Fearnley-Whittingstall deals (in assiduous detail) with such topics as roasting, grilling and preserving everything from turkey to trotters, in a variety of recipes that he obviously knows and loves. But there is far more to the book than this--fascinating sections on the many different types of meat (lamb, pork and so on) are crammed with information on the different cuts of meat and what they should be used for.

But as someone who raises and utilises his own livestock at the River Cottage, Fearnley-Whittingstall is clearly passionate about the welfare of animals bred for food, and provides some unpalatable information on widespread misdemeanours in these areas. If nothing else, this book will persuade you that it's a good idea to buy your meat from butchers who are equally passionate about these issues, or even direct from reputable farms. The concept makes sound ideological sense, but also ensures that your meat dishes will have an unrivalled depth of flavour. --Barry Forshaw

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

Very tasty!!, 26 Oct 2008
This is an excellent book. I have made quite a few of the recipes and every one has been a winner. I have used the sweet cream bases and created my own flavours based on their recommendations.
Please make sure that you whip the cream as the book doesn't state that you have to!
All receipes are very simple and easy to follow.

Great but..., 29 Jul 2008
Great book, loads of delicious recipes, and explains how ice cream works. Also has a good (if belt-busting) section of cakes and biscuits (presumably so that you can bash them into bits afterwards and add them to your ice cream). The beginning of this short book is a history of Ben and Jerry's which was interesting but a bit twee.

My only complaint is that all quantities are given in the rather vague US 'cups' rather than millilitres or grams (or even pounds and ounces). So you're told to put a quarter cup of this, with a half cup of that.

Don't suppose a bit more or a bit less of anything will hurt your ice cream, but slightly annoying to have to convert quantities every time.



A truly great book!, 03 Jul 2008
This is the best book ever! I hadn't even taken delivery of the icecream maker before my son snatched the book from me and made Chocolate Brownies and Giant Cookies.
THe recipes are simple, fun and very tasty. Great for all the family!

Best out of 3 books purchased, 03 Jul 2008
After buying my Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream maker I ordered three books from Amazon to help me in creating ice cream to die for!

I find that the Ben & Jerry's book is the one I use the most. I was initially put off by the use of raw eggs rather than a traditional custard base but realised that as ice cream is frozen it is not the same as using raw eggs in say a mousse or mayonnaise.

The method for making the most of the ice creams is very quick - no waiting around to chill cooked custard. I find that I can reduce the quantity of sugar slightly in the recipes with no effect on the results.

Lastly the texture of the ice cream after being hardened in the freezer for a little while is the better than the recipes in my other books.

I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone making an ice cream maker as Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Das and Green & Blacks ice creams are probably what you are tring to recreate.

Not very impressed, 30 Jun 2008
All in all I wish I hadn't ticked the box and opted to take this as a suggested extra when I bought an ice-cream maker. Quite apart from strange US measures (cups) and odd descriptions of different types of cream (that don't chime with our UK system of single, double etc), the recipes are riddled with odd licquers and ingredients you would never go out of your way to buy. For my tastes, a lot of the recipes are over the top in cloying sweetness. If you're buying an ice-cream maker, you'll get some basic recipes with the machine anyway and then you can download plenty for free once you have worked out the basics. Still, at least it wasn't very much money wasted!

There are no better books for soup lovers, 16 Aug 2008
I've had this book (the older edition) for almost 10 years now and I'm still using it. The recipes always work perfectly, the short little stories over each recipe are fun to read and I've never made any soup from this or the other two books without people asking for second, third and in one case even fourth helpings (and most of the time the soup was supposed to be the starter!). Normally, I make at least double the quantities because of that. Can you say more to show just how yummy the recipes are? This definitely is a book I couln't live without. Everybody should have it!

Best ever soup cookbook!! Buy now!!!, 28 Oct 2007
I absolutly love this soup cookbook. Every soup I have made (about half of all in book) turn out fab and there are several that I have made over and over. Definatly one I would recomend to everyone.

I have now also purchased the soup & beyond cookbook and made my first soup from that the other day...Parsnip, leek & Lemon. It was superb.

One of the best cookbooks I have ever owned.

The best book of soups in 10 years, 10 Jun 2007
I've owned this book for about 10 years and it is still the only book I use for making soup. My favourite is the Tuscan Bean soup, but I've made most of them over the years.

The only thing that stops me giving it a 5/5 is the print which still annoys me and has done since I bought it. The black on green is difficult to read, and sometimes the lettering all blends into one. If they made a reprint with standard type I would be the first to buy it!

super soup book, 11 Jan 2007
I can only say that any foodie will be delighted and inspired by the soups in the book. You can take the theme and develop it and produce tailor made specials to suit you and your family. My favorite is the spicy peanut soup, it is a real winner. My best tip is to make a large pot of stock and freeze in meal size bags. then when you want to make a soup it only takes a short while with not too much preparation. My children love the soups and keep trying to persuade us to try new ones.
A real winner!

New Covent Garden Soup Book, 08 Jan 2006
I have owned this book for... ooooh... well it seems like forever but I'm guessing since 1996! This is esily the most used recipe book on my shelf, and I have a few. Never have I offered a soup from this book without a chorus of praise, I've altered some of the recipes, I object to buying a chicken just to make stock for a soup for example, so I've used Chicken Oxo. Where I've made a predominantly vegetable soup which has asked for Chicken Stock I've used Green Oxo. So appreciative have my friends been of the soups from this book that I must have bought 6 or 7 copies of it just as presents. Buy it, use it, love it... but be adventurous and change the odd thing here and there and see what you think of the alterations, the book even has a grid at the back for you to record the changes you have made and your verdict on the outcome.

Informative and inspiring, 29 Oct 2008
This massive tome has a wealth of information about everything to do with the meat we buy and eat. The pictures of what happens in abatoirs are salutary and remind one that to eat meat is a privilege. It's much more than a recipe book: more an instruction manual about which cuts to choose and how to cook them.

The author is convincing in his discussion of the ethical issues connected with different types of farming and the necessity to use every part of a carcass if an animal has been reared in a humane way. But it's far from being a polemical book: one can almost smell the aroma as he describes meat sizzling and browning and there are loads of inviting recipes that inspire one to get in the kitchen.

There's also a long list of suppliers of good meat.

Outstanding book, more of a meat encyclopedia than recipe book, 08 Jul 2008
As many others have mentioned this is a truly outstanding book. Aside from the chapters on the ethics of meat, which many others have covered, this really is an encyclopedia of meat. The various chapters explain all the different cuts of meat, what good cuts look and feel like and the appropriate way of cooking. It does have many recipes but its much more than that it gives a great overall idea of all the different cooking processes. These sections are particularly useful and give great background info on each method the likes of which i have found in no other cookbook. It has increased my confidence in choosing, buying and cooking meat no end. Since buying this I have had the skills to cook much more varied species and cuts of meat, cooking them using many different methods. Whilst i have made many of the tasty recipes, I use the book almost daily as a reference title. If your a meat eater and can only buy one cookbook this is the one.

I really need this book., 22 Jan 2008
Fantastic book. I have learned so much from this book and I have developed a whole new respect for the meat I eat.
This book is an eye opener educating about...
animal farming/welfare
what cuts of meat work for what purpose
how to recognise good quality
pricipals of different styles of cooking and why they work.

I also highly value the chapter on meat thrift. Using leftovers to their best advantage. There is no doubt that this book deserves all the praise it gets..well done hugh!

A Wonderful Book!, 11 Jan 2008
Please please please - everyone buy this book. Infact, everyone buy every book Hugh has published about food! This man is a hero. Yes, it is a cookbook but it is also soooooooo much more. A real education about meat - the whole process and not just skirting around the issues. Hugh states that he is a meat eater but that he is not a meat eater at ANY cost. He cares passionately about the conditions animals are kept in and how they are treated/live their lives whilst they are among us. Added to this - the recipes are absolutely fantastic. This book is a must for anyone who loves to cook, wants varied, interesting and easy to follow recipes and also cares about what they put on their plates. Fantastic book - I shall be adding ALL of his other books to my shelves.

Beware - this book could change you for life, 13 Dec 2007
I've had this book for a year and it's changed my meat shopping and cooking patterns for good. Out of over 150 cookbooks currently on my shelves, it comes out time and time again (and it's beginning to look like its been marinated). A combination of lifestyle philosophy, meaty reference book, polemic and evangelical call to ethical shopping and cooking, it is so much more than a cookbook. Hugh has a great easy and lucid writing style and the recipes really work (his tortilla mix has become my standard). Hugh's persuasive arguments for thinking about what we eat, how meat is produced and on animal welfare issues provide a powerful force for pricking the conscience. A major weapon in pushing back the fast food and processed food culture and the inhumane and poor production values that currently dominate. Read this together with Joanna Blytheman's Bad Food Britain and you may just start to seriously re-evaluate how you shop and eat. It may have increased the amount I spend on good quality ethically produced meat but its also made me respect good produce and eat better. Oh and its handsomely illustrated and well laid out as well - just a little difficult to read in bed and carry because of its size.

Informative and inspiring, 29 Oct 2008
This massive tome has a wealth of information about everything to do with the meat we buy and eat. The pictures of what happens in abatoirs are salutary and remind one that to eat meat is a privilege. It's much more than a recipe book: more an instruction manual about which cuts to choose and how to cook them.

The author is convincing in his discussion of the ethical issues connected with different types of farming and the necessity to use every part of a carcass if an animal has been reared in a humane way. But it's far from being a polemical book: one can almost smell the aroma as he describes meat sizzling and browning and there are loads of inviting recipes that inspire one to get in the kitchen.

There's also a long list of suppliers of good meat.

Outstanding book, more of a meat encyclopedia than recipe book, 08 Jul 2008
As many others have mentioned this is a truly outstanding book. Aside from the chapters on the ethics of meat, which many others have covered, this really is an encyclopedia of meat. The various chapters explain all the different cuts of meat, what good cuts look and feel like and the appropriate way of cooking. It does have many recipes but its much more than that it gives a great overall idea of all the different cooking processes. These sections are particularly useful and give great background info on each method the likes of which i have found in no other cookbook. It has increased my confidence in choosing, buying and cooking meat no end. Since buying this I have had the skills to cook much more varied species and cuts of meat, cooking them using many different methods. Whilst i have made many of the tasty recipes, I use the book almost daily as a reference title. If your a meat eater and can only buy one cookbook this is the one.

I really need this book., 22 Jan 2008
Fantastic book. I have learned so much from this book and I have developed a whole new respect for the meat I eat.
This book is an eye opener educating about...
animal farming/welfare
what cuts of meat work for what purpose
how to recognise good quality
pricipals of different styles of cooking and why they work.

I also highly value the chapter on meat thrift. Using leftovers to their best advantage. There is no doubt that this book deserves all the praise it gets..well done hugh!

A Wonderful Book!, 11 Jan 2008
Please please please - everyone buy this book. Infact, everyone buy every book Hugh has published about food! This man is a hero. Yes, it is a cookbook but it is also soooooooo much more. A real education about meat - the whole process and not just skirting around the issues. Hugh states that he is a meat eater but that he is not a meat eater at ANY cost. He cares passionately about the conditions animals are kept in and how they are treated/live their lives whilst they are among us. Added to this - the recipes are absolutely fantastic. This book is a must for anyone who loves to cook, wants varied, interesting and easy to follow recipes and also cares about what they put on their plates. Fantastic book - I shall be adding ALL of his other books to my shelves.

Beware - this book could change you for life, 13 Dec 2007
I've had this book for a year and it's changed my meat shopping and cooking patterns for good. Out of over 150 cookbooks currently on my shelves, it comes out time and time again (and it's beginning to look like its been marinated). A combination of lifestyle philosophy, meaty reference book, polemic and evangelical call to ethical shopping and cooking, it is so much more than a cookbook. Hugh has a great easy and lucid writing style and the recipes really work (his tortilla mix has become my standard). Hugh's persuasive arguments for thinking about what we eat, how meat is produced and on animal welfare issues provide a powerful force for pricking the conscience. A major weapon in pushing back the fast food and processed food culture and the inhumane and poor production values that currently dominate. Read this together with Joanna Blytheman's Bad Food Britain and you may just start to seriously re-evaluate how you shop and eat. It may have increased the amount I spend on good quality ethically produced meat but its also made me respect good produce and eat better. Oh and its handsomely illustrated and well laid out as well - just a little difficult to read in bed and carry because of its size.

The Electronic 4 in 1 Rice Cooker has 4 exclusive cooking settings that alllow you to cook rice, steam, slow cook and rice pudding or porridge. There is no compromise on style with a renewed control panel design with blue LED and brushed stainless steel housing, this rice cooker will fit into any kitchen. The automatic keep warm function switches on at the end of cooking so the food is ready to eat when you are. Please Note: All electrical products sold by cookinstyle (InStyle Products Limited) are supplied with a UK 3 pin plug.

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 Oct 2008
I had read a lot about El Bulli and Ferran Adria in newspapers and magazines, but his restaurant always seemed remote and mysterious. This book goes into great detail to show how "the world's number one restaurant" actually works, from 6am when the sun comes up to 2am when the customers have left and the door is locked. It's fascinating (and a little frightening) to see the lengths that Adria and his team go to in order to ensure that every guest has the best experience. There are some recipes, but you'd need a candyfloss machine and various other arcane bits of kit to make them all. The food looks delicious, sometimes familiar and often wierd, but the pictures of the guests eating show that they're having fun. Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to get a table, they are just about to open reservations for the 2009 season. In the meantime I've got the book to keep me dreaming of culinary heaven.

Good Recipes - excellent value, 14 Nov 2008
Cooking for two is harder than you think. First of all, we don't mind splashing the cash for an eight people get together, or even a family sunday roast, but how much do you actually want to spend on you and your other half on a wednesday night.

This book will help you eat well and save money. The recipes are basic in terms of technique but never bland and boring.

I highly recommend it.

excellent and usable book, 01 Nov 2008
no need to buy expensive cookery books written by mega rich celeb chefs, this is a really handy and inexpensive little book, so user friendly too. highly recommended range of books.

`SO WHEN IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU - GO ON, COOK SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND SPOIL YOURSELVES' , 06 Sep 2006
Good Food Magazine 101 Meals for Two - Tried and Tasted Recipes

Approximately 14 cm x 15.5 cm, this is a handy size of book with 215 good quality, shiny pages, split over 6 main chapters:-

Starters, Salads and Snacks
Simple Suppers on the Run
Special Occasion Meals
Veggie-Friendly Dishes
Low-Fat & Healthy
Something Sweet

sandwiched between an introduction from Angela Nilsen (Editor - Good Food Mag), conversion tables, and a concise index.
Full colour photography - for each and every recipe, along with a clear ingredient list, instructions and time required.

`Cooking for two is just as rewarding as cooking for four or more - often even more so.........
...... a collection of specially designed recipes for two, all tried and tested in the `Good Food Kitchen' for ease, simplicity and taste.'

Favourite Recipes:-

Lamb and Orange Salad

Posh Cheese on Toast
Open Turkey BLT
Mozzarella, Ham and Pesto Pizzas
Curried Chicken with Cashew Rice
Mustardy Pork Chops
Steak and Noodle Stir Fry
Spaghetti with 5 minute Tomato Sauce
Stir-fry Prawns with Spinach
Italian-style Beef Stew
Roast Duck with Wine Sauce
Sole Meunière
Healthy Fish & Chips
Strawberry Mess
Valentine's Molten Chocolate Pots
Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Crème Brulées

(-) Amazon Review Tracker

Very tasty!!, 26 Oct 2008
This is an excellent book. I have made quite a few of the recipes and every one has been a winner. I have used the sweet cream bases and created my own flavours based on their recommendations.
Please make sure that you whip the cream as the book doesn't state that you have to!
All receipes are very simple and easy to follow.

Great but..., 29 Jul 2008
Great book, loads of delicious recipes, and explains how ice cream works. Also has a good (if belt-busting) section of cakes and biscuits (presumably so that you can bash them into bits afterwards and add them to your ice cream). The beginning of this short book is a history of Ben and Jerry's which was interesting but a bit twee.

My only complaint is that all quantities are given in the rather vague US 'cups' rather than millilitres or grams (or even pounds and ounces). So you're told to put a quarter cup of this, with a half cup of that.

Don't suppose a bit more or a bit less of anything will hurt your ice cream, but slightly annoying to have to convert quantities every time.



A truly great book!, 03 Jul 2008
This is the best book ever! I hadn't even taken delivery of the icecream maker before my son snatched the book from me and made Chocolate Brownies and Giant Cookies.
THe recipes are simple, fun and very tasty. Great for all the family!

Best out of 3 books purchased, 03 Jul 2008
After buying my Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream maker I ordered three books from Amazon to help me in creating ice cream to die for!

I find that the Ben & Jerry's book is the one I use the most. I was initially put off by the use of raw eggs rather than a traditional custard base but realised that as ice cream is frozen it is not the same as using raw eggs in say a mousse or mayonnaise.

The method for making the most of the ice creams is very quick - no waiting around to chill cooked custard. I find that I can reduce the quantity of sugar slightly in the recipes with no effect on the results.

Lastly the texture of the ice cream after being hardened in the freezer for a little while is the better than the recipes in my other books.

I think this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone making an ice cream maker as Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Das and Green & Blacks ice creams are probably what you are tring to recreate.

Not very impressed, 30 Jun 2008
All in all I wish I hadn't ticked the box and opted to take this as a suggested extra when I bought an ice-cream maker. Quite apart from strange US measures (cups) and odd descriptions of different types of cream (that don't chime with our UK system of single, double etc), the recipes are riddled with odd licquers and ingredients you would never go out of your way to buy. For my tastes, a lot of the recipes are over the top in cloying sweetness. If you're buying an ice-cream maker, you'll get some basic recipes with the machine anyway and then you can download plenty for free once you have worked out the basics. Still, at least it wasn't very much money wasted!

There are no better books for soup lovers, 16 Aug 2008
I've had this book (the older edition) for almost 10 years now and I'm still using it. The recipes always work perfectly, the short little stories over each recipe are fun to read and I've never made any soup from this or the other two books without people asking for second, third and in one case even fourth helpings (and most of the time the soup was supposed to be the starter!). Normally, I make at least double the quantities because of that. Can you say more to show just how yummy the recipes are? This definitely is a book I couln't live without. Everybody should have it!

Best ever soup cookbook!! Buy now!!!, 28 Oct 2007
I absolutly love this soup cookbook. Every soup I have made (about half of all in book) turn out fab and there are several that I have made over and over. Definatly one I would recomend to everyone.

I have now also purchased the soup & beyond cookbook and made my first soup from that the other day...Parsnip, leek & Lemon. It was superb.

One of the best cookbooks I have ever owned.

The best book of soups in 10 years, 10 Jun 2007
I've owned this book for about 10 years and it is still the only book I use for making soup. My favourite is the Tuscan Bean soup, but I've made most of them over the years.

The only thing that stops me giving it a 5/5 is the print which still annoys me and has done since I bought it. The black on green is difficult to read, and sometimes the lettering all blends into one. If they made a reprint with standard type I would be the first to buy it!

super soup book, 11 Jan 2007
I can only say that any foodie will be delighted and inspired by the soups in the book. You can take the theme and develop it and produce tailor made specials to suit you and your family. My favorite is the spicy peanut soup, it is a real winner. My best tip is to make a large pot of stock and freeze in meal size bags. then when you want to make a soup it only takes a short while with not too much preparation. My children love the soups and keep trying to persuade us to try new ones.
A real winner!

New Covent Garden Soup Book, 08 Jan 2006
I have owned this book for... ooooh... well it seems like forever but I'm guessing since 1996! This is esily the most used recipe book on my shelf, and I have a few. Never have I offered a soup from this book without a chorus of praise, I've altered some of the recipes, I object to buying a chicken just to make stock for a soup for example, so I've used Chicken Oxo. Where I've made a predominantly vegetable soup which has asked for Chicken Stock I've used Green Oxo. So appreciative have my friends been of the soups from this book that I must have bought 6 or 7 copies of it just as presents. Buy it, use it, love it... but be adventurous and change the odd thing here and there and see what you think of the alterations, the book even has a grid at the back for you to record the changes you have made and your verdict on the outcome.

Informative and inspiring, 29 Oct 2008
This massive tome has a wealth of information about everything to do with the meat we buy and eat. The pictures of what happens in abatoirs are salutary and remind one that to eat meat is a privilege. It's much more than a recipe book: more an instruction manual about which cuts to choose and how to cook them.

The author is convincing in his discussion of the ethical issues connected with different types of farming and the necessity to use every part of a carcass if an animal has been reared in a humane way. But it's far from being a polemical book: one can almost smell the aroma as he describes meat sizzling and browning and there are loads of inviting recipes that inspire one to get in the kitchen.

There's also a long list of suppliers of good meat.

Outstanding book, more of a meat encyclopedia than recipe book, 08 Jul 2008
As many others have mentioned this is a truly outstanding book. Aside from the chapters on the ethics of meat, which many others have covered, this really is an encyclopedia of meat. The various chapters explain all the different cuts of meat, what good cuts look and feel like and the appropriate way of cooking. It does have many recipes but its much more than that it gives a great overall idea of all the different cooking processes. These sections are particularly useful and give great background info on each method the likes of which i have found in no other cookbook. It has increased my confidence in choosing, buying and cooking meat no end. Since buying this I have had the skills to cook much more varied species and cuts of meat, cooking them using many different methods. Whilst i have made many of the tasty recipes, I use the book almost daily as a reference title. If your a meat eater and can only buy one cookbook this is the one.

I really need this book., 22 Jan 2008
Fantastic book. I have learned so much from this book and I have developed a whole new respect for the meat I eat.
This book is an eye opener educating about...
animal farming/welfare
what cuts of meat work for what purpose
how to recognise good quality
pricipals of different styles of cooking and why they work.

I also highly value the chapter on meat thrift. Using leftovers to their best advantage. There is no doubt that this book deserves all the praise it gets..well done hugh!

A Wonderful Book!, 11 Jan 2008
Please please please - everyone buy this book. Infact, everyone buy every book Hugh has published about food! This man is a hero. Yes, it is a cookbook but it is also soooooooo much more. A real education about meat - the whole process and not just skirting around the issues. Hugh states that he is a meat eater but that he is not a meat eater at ANY cost. He cares passionately about the conditions animals are kept in and how they are treated/live their lives whilst they are among us. Added to this - the recipes are absolutely fantastic. This book is a must for anyone who loves to cook, wants varied, interesting and easy to follow recipes and also cares about what they put on their plates. Fantastic book - I shall be adding ALL of his other books to my shelves.

Beware - this book could change you for life, 13 Dec 2007
I've had this book for a year and it's changed my meat shopping and cooking patterns for good. Out of over 150 cookbooks currently on my shelves, it comes out time and time again (and it's beginning to look like its been marinated). A combination of lifestyle philosophy, meaty reference book, polemic and evangelical call to ethical shopping and cooking, it is so much more than a cookbook. Hugh has a great easy and lucid writing style and the recipes really work (his tortilla mix has become my standard). Hugh's persuasive arguments for thinking about what we eat, how meat is produced and on animal welfare issues provide a powerful force for pricking the conscience. A major weapon in pushing back the fast food and processed food culture and the inhumane and poor production values that currently dominate. Read this together with Joanna Blytheman's Bad Food Britain and you may just start to seriously re-evaluate how you shop and eat. It may have increased the amount I spend on good quality ethically produced meat but its also made me respect good produce and eat better. Oh and its handsomely illustrated and well laid out as well - just a little difficult to read in bed and carry because of its size.

Informative and inspiring, 29 Oct 2008
This massive tome has a wealth of information about everything to do with the meat we buy and eat. The pictures of what happens in abatoirs are salutary and remind one that to eat meat is a privilege. It's much more than a recipe book: more an instruction manual about which cuts to choose and how to cook them.

The author is convincing in his discussion of the ethical issues connected with different types of farming and the necessity to use every part of a carcass if an animal has been reared in a humane way. But it's far from being a polemical book: one can almost smell the aroma as he describes meat sizzling and browning and there are loads of inviting recipes that inspire one to get in the kitchen.

There's also a long list of suppliers of good meat.

Outstanding book, more of a meat encyclopedia than recipe book, 08 Jul 2008
As many others have mentioned this is a truly outstanding book. Aside from the chapters on the ethics of meat, which many others have covered, this really is an encyclopedia of meat. The various chapters explain all the different cuts of meat, what good cuts look and feel like and the appropriate way of cooking. It does have many recipes but its much more than that it gives a great overall idea of all the different cooking processes. These sections are particularly useful and give great background info on each method the likes of which i have found in no other cookbook. It has increased my confidence in choosing, buying and cooking meat no end. Since buying this I have had the skills to cook much more varied species and cuts of meat, cooking them using many different methods. Whilst i have made many of the tasty recipes, I use the book almost daily as a reference title. If your a meat eater and can only buy one cookbook this is the one.

I really need this book., 22 Jan 2008
Fantastic book. I have learned so much from this book and I have developed a whole new respect for the meat I eat.
This book is an eye opener educating about...
animal farming/welfare
what cuts of meat work for what purpose
how to recognise good quality
pricipals of different styles of cooking and why they work.

I also highly value the chapter on meat thrift. Using leftovers to their best advantage. There is no doubt that this book deserves all the praise it gets..well done hugh!

A Wonderful Book!, 11 Jan 2008
Please please please - everyone buy this book. Infact, everyone buy every book Hugh has published about food! This man is a hero. Yes, it is a cookbook but it is also soooooooo much more. A real education about meat - the whole process and not just skirting around the issues. Hugh states that he is a meat eater but that he is not a meat eater at ANY cost. He cares passionately about the conditions animals are kept in and how they are treated/live their lives whilst they are among us. Added to this - the recipes are absolutely fantastic. This book is a must for anyone who loves to cook, wants varied, interesting and easy to follow recipes and also cares about what they put on their plates. Fantastic book - I shall be adding ALL of his other books to my shelves.

Beware - this book could change you for life, 13 Dec 2007
I've had this book for a year and it's changed my meat shopping and cooking patterns for good. Out of over 150 cookbooks currently on my shelves, it comes out time and time again (and it's beginning to look like its been marinated). A combination of lifestyle philosophy, meaty reference book, polemic and evangelical call to ethical shopping and cooking, it is so much more than a cookbook. Hugh has a great easy and lucid writing style and the recipes really work (his tortilla mix has become my standard). Hugh's persuasive arguments for thinking about what we eat, how meat is produced and on animal welfare issues provide a powerful force for pricking the conscience. A major weapon in pushing back the fast food and processed food culture and the inhumane and poor production values that currently dominate. Read this together with Joanna Blytheman's Bad Food Britain and you may just start to seriously re-evaluate how you shop and eat. It may have increased the amount I spend on good quality ethically produced meat but its also made me respect good produce and eat better. Oh and its handsomely illustrated and well laid out as well - just a little difficult to read in bed and carry because of its size.

fantastic bit of kitchen kit, 14 Nov 2008
Am really pleased with my purchase of this item. I use it most days - make porridge in the morning, cook grains like quinoa and millet to make salads for my packed lunch, steam veggies and the occasional ready meal in the steamer basket and have made some really lovely winter stews on the slow cook function. I've never managed to cook quinoa in a pan, but the rice cooker does it to perfection. Am really looking forward to experimenting further with it, and will try to make polenta using the porridge function tomorrow. if it was a bit cheaper, I'd buy another one (so that I can cook my stew and my grains/veggies at the same time). The downsides are small, but the non-stick surface of the pot is VERY delicate, mine has a scratch already and if the pot goes then I won't think its such a good buy. Also the steamer basket is very shallow, so it is not such a good buy if the steaming aspect is very important to you. However - these are small complaints, and I would recommend one for every kitchen. Oh, and it's very easy and quick to clean (non-stick surface and all that!!).

Efficient Time Saver, 12 Nov 2008
I have been using this product for about six months and have found it to be excellent. It's efficient, flexible and easy to keep clean.

The alarm function and keep warm feature are really useful and the 4 cooking modes increase its utility several fold. I have never eaten more rice, porridge and rice pudding.

I also now eat a lot more vegetables because I can just clean and trim them and not have to watch a pan. This is a benefit that all steamers would give, however I find this model cooks vegetables perfectly, and the keep warm feature prevents them going soggy like veg left soaking in a pan often does. Even brussel sprouts come out firm.

My favourite discovery has been finding how much taster roast vegetables are that have been cooked in a steamer for 5 minutes prior to roasting, than those initially immersed in water or zapped in a microwave.

My last discovery will be the 4th mode - slow cooking - something to date for which I have not consider using this unit, however I'm sure it could do a hassle free stew or goulash.

Amazed by this product, 02 Oct 2008
Just received my Rice Cooker today & could not resist trying out tonight.
I know I have only used it once but wow. East to use rice cooked for 3 people in under 20mins to perfection. Could not belive how good it is.I've learn some Indian cooking and my rice always let the meal down. Not from now on. As previous users have said treat yourself. I took their advise and going to bed tonight pleased I did (and will get up tomorrow and go to the supermarket & stock up on Rice) This is one kitchen appliance that will get plenty of use. And at this price it is a bargin as I have seen it at £15 more elsewhere. A Must buy.

Keep it on the top..You will use it often., 21 Jul 2008
All too often we buy yet another gadget to add to our kitchen and then find that it disappears out of sight. This is one that I use contantly. Stew type dishes come to mind straight away because the food ends up being so tender and the taste is great because the cooking is contained in the pot. You can therefore, use the cheaper cuts of meat with great success
It is absolutely great for when you have guests. I prepare food in the slow cooker before they come and then I can then spend time enjoying the visit. Recently, we all went on a picnic and returned home to a hot supper stew with crusty bread. It was so appreciated. Another event was a party where I was nominated for producing a curry dish. I took the slo-cooker with me and it finished the cooking whilst we were all having fun.
One of the reasons I chose this model was because of the clip down lid. (My old crockpot tipped all it's contents into the boot of my car)It is not just for stew type dishes though. You can produce a whole chicken or joint of meat in it very successfully and puddings too!. There are hundreds of recipes out there on the internet under the heading of crockpot or slo-cooker so you will never be stuck for ideas. I do use the porridge maker too. In 9 minutes you have your porridge made. Just throw the ingredients in the pot press the button and hey presto!!(just time to take a shower)
Like the other owners, I have found the rice cooker great. I often make a bigger batch and freeze what I don't use on the day.
I have no hesitation in saying that this is worthy of the 5 stars that I have awarded it.

Well worth the money, 01 Jul 2008
We brought this cooker initially for the rice cooking function but now also use it for porridge making and slow cooking. Its a great bit of kit thats so easy to use and clean and makes amazing rice! If you are looking at a slow cooker anyway spend a few more pounds and buy this one!

A feast for the eyes, 05 Nov 2008
If you have ever wanted to experience the best food in the world (as has been voted), this book is for you. 'A Day at ElBulli' covers a single day in chronological order spanning over 600 captivating pages. Don't expect an extensive narrative or cookbook format from this volume (though they are both included - try his recipes and see how you compare); however, for those interested in experiencing what the world's best restaurant is like this is a must, especially at this price. The book is full of beautiful photographs that fill nearly every page with either shots of amazing food or the behind-the-scenes work in the kitchen.

A Day at elBulli clearly illustrates the genius and passion of Ferran Adria and offers a small glimpse at this world renowned restaurant for those of us not fortunate enough to dine there in person. Simply amazing!



Restaurant bible, 19 Oct 2008
this book is absolutely maqnificent. i've always been a fan of el bulli but the book has blown my mind open. the things they do there are amazing. i am a chef myself and although 99.99% of the recipes are impossible to do in the majority of kitchens, it just shows you how much they've raised the bar and why they are considered the best restaurant in the world. Even if you are not interested in food the pictures alone make this a perfect coffee table book.

El Bulli Explained, 10 O