Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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.

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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.

Mrs Broon - Can I Come Round For My Tea?, 23 Oct 2008
The scrapbooker in me loves this book for the pure visual experience I got as soon as I opened my Amazon parcel.

Certainly not your average cookbook - it really is set out like Maw Broons very own recipe book from magazine clippings, scribbles & doodles from the kids, tea stains and squished spiders between the pages! This by no means detracts from the very real recipes - good proper recipes that the family will eat not the fancy shmancy stuff that looks pretty but wouldn't fill a gnats belly.

I actually bought this for my sister for Christmas - purely for the nostalgia value as she collected the Broons and Oor Wullie books as a kid. I've now told her she isn't getting it unless she buys me one in return! :D

A beautiful, beautiful book in it's own right and some drool inducing recipes to boot.

Nostalgia on a plate, 10 Oct 2008
Having been a recipient of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals every Christmas for the past 50+ years, I was enchanted by this book.
It combines sensible, every day recipes with a window into the family life.

More importantly, it settles a long-running Scottish argument - as can be seen from the address on a postcard, the Broons very definitely reside in Dundee!

Everyone should have this book!, 01 Sep 2008
What a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes, wonderfully chosen,
charmingly illustrated.
Great comfort stuff, takes you back to childhood. I've sent
many copies to all my expat Scottish friends and family. My
own copy keeps on being borrowed so I'm buying myself another
one for Christmas!
Dinnae miss it!

Maw Broon's Cookbook, 19 Aug 2008
Thanks! I found Maw Broon's Cookbook recipes very amazing and oldest recipes i ever read! I will going to try them out as I am chef for six years. Reckon it will bring customers old memories back from years ago of foods they never thought will eat them again! Thanks a million!

A Braw Book, 16 Aug 2008
I was given this book as for a joke but I must admit its a cracking cookbook to boot, real stick to yer ribs food with all the extras you'd expect from the Broons (Scotland's premier cartoon family)

A great book for all whether you are familiar with the Broons antics in the Sunday Post or not, its packed with traditional Scottish fare just like granny used to make.

Can't wait for the But n Ben cookbook full of holiday fare!!

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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.

Mrs Broon - Can I Come Round For My Tea?, 23 Oct 2008
The scrapbooker in me loves this book for the pure visual experience I got as soon as I opened my Amazon parcel.

Certainly not your average cookbook - it really is set out like Maw Broons very own recipe book from magazine clippings, scribbles & doodles from the kids, tea stains and squished spiders between the pages! This by no means detracts from the very real recipes - good proper recipes that the family will eat not the fancy shmancy stuff that looks pretty but wouldn't fill a gnats belly.

I actually bought this for my sister for Christmas - purely for the nostalgia value as she collected the Broons and Oor Wullie books as a kid. I've now told her she isn't getting it unless she buys me one in return! :D

A beautiful, beautiful book in it's own right and some drool inducing recipes to boot.

Nostalgia on a plate, 10 Oct 2008
Having been a recipient of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals every Christmas for the past 50+ years, I was enchanted by this book.
It combines sensible, every day recipes with a window into the family life.

More importantly, it settles a long-running Scottish argument - as can be seen from the address on a postcard, the Broons very definitely reside in Dundee!

Everyone should have this book!, 01 Sep 2008
What a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes, wonderfully chosen,
charmingly illustrated.
Great comfort stuff, takes you back to childhood. I've sent
many copies to all my expat Scottish friends and family. My
own copy keeps on being borrowed so I'm buying myself another
one for Christmas!
Dinnae miss it!

Maw Broon's Cookbook, 19 Aug 2008
Thanks! I found Maw Broon's Cookbook recipes very amazing and oldest recipes i ever read! I will going to try them out as I am chef for six years. Reckon it will bring customers old memories back from years ago of foods they never thought will eat them again! Thanks a million!

A Braw Book, 16 Aug 2008
I was given this book as for a joke but I must admit its a cracking cookbook to boot, real stick to yer ribs food with all the extras you'd expect from the Broons (Scotland's premier cartoon family)

A great book for all whether you are familiar with the Broons antics in the Sunday Post or not, its packed with traditional Scottish fare just like granny used to make.

Can't wait for the But n Ben cookbook full of holiday fare!!



From the basic to the brilliant, 11 Sep 2008
Everything you could possibly need to know in one handy compact book. Every cook should have a copy of this on their shelf - it is like having a mini delia in your kitchen which you can refer to as and when you need it. Fab!

AMAZIN, 01 Apr 2008
Ths book is fantastic, I could not have got through my teens without it..
The things Delia can do with a Cucumber and a flacid piece of meat are tremdous and a must see..

The pictures and diagrams are particularly helpful and arousing


The New Mrs Beeton!!, 06 Mar 2008
I have had this book since it first came out and it is falling apart now, thus I have to get another!!!

The most sensible Cookbook ever written!, 03 Jan 2008
If I ever end up on that desert island with my eight records, I only hope and pray that this book makes it with me too!

I have just ordered a new (hardback) copy, my 20 year old paperback must needs be pensioned off - not thrown away, I haven't the heart to consign a faithful friend to the bin. I have used it so often, its loose pages even smell of the very recepies they describe! When I bought this book I could hardly boil an egg - twenty years on, I relish having a dozen or so friends round for dinner. Verily, this is The Gospel according to St Delia! An absolute must for any kitchen!

I can't praise this enough - the most used of my cookbooks!, 30 Dec 2007
I bought this book about five years ago and it is the book to which my husband and I refer over and over for guidance as well as recipes - for cooking cuts of meat, poaching eggs etc. I still use Delia's recipe for Christmas cake and Christmas pudding, not to mention her recipe for roast leg of lamb (a butter and herb coating). Even just for the definitions and descriptions of cooking methods, along with recommended equipment for cooking, I would recommend this book. May it be as well-thumbed a volume in your kitchen as it is in mine.

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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.

Mrs Broon - Can I Come Round For My Tea?, 23 Oct 2008
The scrapbooker in me loves this book for the pure visual experience I got as soon as I opened my Amazon parcel.

Certainly not your average cookbook - it really is set out like Maw Broons very own recipe book from magazine clippings, scribbles & doodles from the kids, tea stains and squished spiders between the pages! This by no means detracts from the very real recipes - good proper recipes that the family will eat not the fancy shmancy stuff that looks pretty but wouldn't fill a gnats belly.

I actually bought this for my sister for Christmas - purely for the nostalgia value as she collected the Broons and Oor Wullie books as a kid. I've now told her she isn't getting it unless she buys me one in return! :D

A beautiful, beautiful book in it's own right and some drool inducing recipes to boot.

Nostalgia on a plate, 10 Oct 2008
Having been a recipient of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals every Christmas for the past 50+ years, I was enchanted by this book.
It combines sensible, every day recipes with a window into the family life.

More importantly, it settles a long-running Scottish argument - as can be seen from the address on a postcard, the Broons very definitely reside in Dundee!

Everyone should have this book!, 01 Sep 2008
What a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes, wonderfully chosen,
charmingly illustrated.
Great comfort stuff, takes you back to childhood. I've sent
many copies to all my expat Scottish friends and family. My
own copy keeps on being borrowed so I'm buying myself another
one for Christmas!
Dinnae miss it!

Maw Broon's Cookbook, 19 Aug 2008
Thanks! I found Maw Broon's Cookbook recipes very amazing and oldest recipes i ever read! I will going to try them out as I am chef for six years. Reckon it will bring customers old memories back from years ago of foods they never thought will eat them again! Thanks a million!

A Braw Book, 16 Aug 2008
I was given this book as for a joke but I must admit its a cracking cookbook to boot, real stick to yer ribs food with all the extras you'd expect from the Broons (Scotland's premier cartoon family)

A great book for all whether you are familiar with the Broons antics in the Sunday Post or not, its packed with traditional Scottish fare just like granny used to make.

Can't wait for the But n Ben cookbook full of holiday fare!!



From the basic to the brilliant, 11 Sep 2008
Everything you could possibly need to know in one handy compact book. Every cook should have a copy of this on their shelf - it is like having a mini delia in your kitchen which you can refer to as and when you need it. Fab!

AMAZIN, 01 Apr 2008
Ths book is fantastic, I could not have got through my teens without it..
The things Delia can do with a Cucumber and a flacid piece of meat are tremdous and a must see..

The pictures and diagrams are particularly helpful and arousing


The New Mrs Beeton!!, 06 Mar 2008
I have had this book since it first came out and it is falling apart now, thus I have to get another!!!

The most sensible Cookbook ever written!, 03 Jan 2008
If I ever end up on that desert island with my eight records, I only hope and pray that this book makes it with me too!

I have just ordered a new (hardback) copy, my 20 year old paperback must needs be pensioned off - not thrown away, I haven't the heart to consign a faithful friend to the bin. I have used it so often, its loose pages even smell of the very recepies they describe! When I bought this book I could hardly boil an egg - twenty years on, I relish having a dozen or so friends round for dinner. Verily, this is The Gospel according to St Delia! An absolute must for any kitchen!

I can't praise this enough - the most used of my cookbooks!, 30 Dec 2007
I bought this book about five years ago and it is the book to which my husband and I refer over and over for guidance as well as recipes - for cooking cuts of meat, poaching eggs etc. I still use Delia's recipe for Christmas cake and Christmas pudding, not to mention her recipe for roast leg of lamb (a butter and herb coating). Even just for the definitions and descriptions of cooking methods, along with recommended equipment for cooking, I would recommend this book. May it be as well-thumbed a volume in your kitchen as it is in mine.

Good if you like his style, 14 Oct 2008
I have to say that this is the first ever cookbook I've owned & was inspired by watching Gordon on The F Word. It's pretty good, although it isn't my most used cookbook in truth (bit too much fish for my liking. Worth a look though, but if you're looking for more inspired recipes, I'd look elsewhere in my humble opinion.

I'd give it an 8 out of 10 (I do quite like Gordon, but since I've got into cooking properly, I've realised he's not quite as good as I thought he was).

Disappointed, 24 Sep 2008
I bought this book because it's Gordon Ramsay and it was on special on Amazon. I found the book badly laid out and the pages too busy looking. The recipes are good but I've hardly used it because I don't like the look (or feel!) of the book.

Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food, 12 Aug 2008
Don't buy this book uness you're sure you like Gordon's style. As with most fast food stuff, it doesn't present a realistic timescale which can cover everything you need to put into a meal. I don't usually eat my carbo stuff separately from the rest, but find eg spuds are presented as a separate recipe. Most of the recipes need contstant attention to the main ingredients to get quick timing. Unless you're going for size 0 this is normal length cookery.

Great Tasting fast food, 28 May 2008
This is the book to turn to after a long day at work, but you want something tasty for dinner.Put away the takeaway menus, almost all the dishes in this book are quicker and tastier.Not to mention a whole lot better for you.Stock up with a few essentials, follow the recipies, and you can have great food on the table, and still have time to "play".
Excellent

Great book, 04 May 2008
I bought this book and received the Silverspoon as a gift.
I ended up making more from this one and sold the Silverspoon.
It's a great book. I tried many recipes and they are really tasty, easy to make (no exotic ingredients difficult to find as in others book) and overall quick. Believe me, I am italian and food must be tasty for me.

I went from starters to pudding and all was up to expectations. I recommend this book to anyone and will buy more from Gordon. He's is the n.1 in UK.

Buon appettito!

It's a jungle out there. With the number of TV chefs vying for our attention (along with all their attendant books), we really need to hack our way through the foliage to discover those worthy of our attention. With Rachel's Food for Living, Rachel Allen moves effortlessly to the top of the pile, and this book (which accompanies a 13-part BBC prime-time series) does full justice to its video version. What distinguishes Rachel Allen from so many other chefs is the way in which she appreciates that food must be integrated into our lives, rather than just being fuel or a way of showing off our culinary skills. As Allen points out, food can be restorative, nurturing and emotionally fulfilling, even apart from its tastiness. As she reminds us, the ritual of eating may be formalised or spontaneous, and the appreciation of the way in which we can approach food in different ways is very much at the heart of Rachel's Food for Living

But if all of the above sounds a little forbidding, it should be noted that the book here functions admirably as a guide to the best available food -- and leaving aside any philosophical underpinnings, there are over 100 delicious recipes included here, from Perfect Lamb Stew and Chicken with Lemon and Honey to Banana and Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding. The recipes are presented in as user-friendly a fashion as possible, with full-page illustrations showing us just what we can aspire to in our own kitchens. When Allen says this book is filled with foods which have special meaning for her, her family and friends, it makes clear the personal nature of the recipes on offer here. But (in the end) such things don't matter: on a strictly utilitarian level, Rachel's Food for Living really delivers the goods. --Barry ForshawBestselling author and TV chef Rachel Allen is back with a celebration of favourite foods for making memories. Ever feel rapture over a pudding? Fall in love over a romantic meal? Can you remember the smell of baking in your grandmother's kitchen? Food ha

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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.

Mrs Broon - Can I Come Round For My Tea?, 23 Oct 2008
The scrapbooker in me loves this book for the pure visual experience I got as soon as I opened my Amazon parcel.

Certainly not your average cookbook - it really is set out like Maw Broons very own recipe book from magazine clippings, scribbles & doodles from the kids, tea stains and squished spiders between the pages! This by no means detracts from the very real recipes - good proper recipes that the family will eat not the fancy shmancy stuff that looks pretty but wouldn't fill a gnats belly.

I actually bought this for my sister for Christmas - purely for the nostalgia value as she collected the Broons and Oor Wullie books as a kid. I've now told her she isn't getting it unless she buys me one in return! :D

A beautiful, beautiful book in it's own right and some drool inducing recipes to boot.

Nostalgia on a plate, 10 Oct 2008
Having been a recipient of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals every Christmas for the past 50+ years, I was enchanted by this book.
It combines sensible, every day recipes with a window into the family life.

More importantly, it settles a long-running Scottish argument - as can be seen from the address on a postcard, the Broons very definitely reside in Dundee!

Everyone should have this book!, 01 Sep 2008
What a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes, wonderfully chosen,
charmingly illustrated.
Great comfort stuff, takes you back to childhood. I've sent
many copies to all my expat Scottish friends and family. My
own copy keeps on being borrowed so I'm buying myself another
one for Christmas!
Dinnae miss it!

Maw Broon's Cookbook, 19 Aug 2008
Thanks! I found Maw Broon's Cookbook recipes very amazing and oldest recipes i ever read! I will going to try them out as I am chef for six years. Reckon it will bring customers old memories back from years ago of foods they never thought will eat them again! Thanks a million!

A Braw Book, 16 Aug 2008
I was given this book as for a joke but I must admit its a cracking cookbook to boot, real stick to yer ribs food with all the extras you'd expect from the Broons (Scotland's premier cartoon family)

A great book for all whether you are familiar with the Broons antics in the Sunday Post or not, its packed with traditional Scottish fare just like granny used to make.

Can't wait for the But n Ben cookbook full of holiday fare!!



From the basic to the brilliant, 11 Sep 2008
Everything you could possibly need to know in one handy compact book. Every cook should have a copy of this on their shelf - it is like having a mini delia in your kitchen which you can refer to as and when you need it. Fab!

AMAZIN, 01 Apr 2008
Ths book is fantastic, I could not have got through my teens without it..
The things Delia can do with a Cucumber and a flacid piece of meat are tremdous and a must see..

The pictures and diagrams are particularly helpful and arousing


The New Mrs Beeton!!, 06 Mar 2008
I have had this book since it first came out and it is falling apart now, thus I have to get another!!!

The most sensible Cookbook ever written!, 03 Jan 2008
If I ever end up on that desert island with my eight records, I only hope and pray that this book makes it with me too!

I have just ordered a new (hardback) copy, my 20 year old paperback must needs be pensioned off - not thrown away, I haven't the heart to consign a faithful friend to the bin. I have used it so often, its loose pages even smell of the very recepies they describe! When I bought this book I could hardly boil an egg - twenty years on, I relish having a dozen or so friends round for dinner. Verily, this is The Gospel according to St Delia! An absolute must for any kitchen!

I can't praise this enough - the most used of my cookbooks!, 30 Dec 2007
I bought this book about five years ago and it is the book to which my husband and I refer over and over for guidance as well as recipes - for cooking cuts of meat, poaching eggs etc. I still use Delia's recipe for Christmas cake and Christmas pudding, not to mention her recipe for roast leg of lamb (a butter and herb coating). Even just for the definitions and descriptions of cooking methods, along with recommended equipment for cooking, I would recommend this book. May it be as well-thumbed a volume in your kitchen as it is in mine.

Good if you like his style, 14 Oct 2008
I have to say that this is the first ever cookbook I've owned & was inspired by watching Gordon on The F Word. It's pretty good, although it isn't my most used cookbook in truth (bit too much fish for my liking. Worth a look though, but if you're looking for more inspired recipes, I'd look elsewhere in my humble opinion.

I'd give it an 8 out of 10 (I do quite like Gordon, but since I've got into cooking properly, I've realised he's not quite as good as I thought he was).

Disappointed, 24 Sep 2008
I bought this book because it's Gordon Ramsay and it was on special on Amazon. I found the book badly laid out and the pages too busy looking. The recipes are good but I've hardly used it because I don't like the look (or feel!) of the book.

Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food, 12 Aug 2008
Don't buy this book uness you're sure you like Gordon's style. As with most fast food stuff, it doesn't present a realistic timescale which can cover everything you need to put into a meal. I don't usually eat my carbo stuff separately from the rest, but find eg spuds are presented as a separate recipe. Most of the recipes need contstant attention to the main ingredients to get quick timing. Unless you're going for size 0 this is normal length cookery.

Great Tasting fast food, 28 May 2008
This is the book to turn to after a long day at work, but you want something tasty for dinner.Put away the takeaway menus, almost all the dishes in this book are quicker and tastier.Not to mention a whole lot better for you.Stock up with a few essentials, follow the recipies, and you can have great food on the table, and still have time to "play".
Excellent

Great book, 04 May 2008
I bought this book and received the Silverspoon as a gift.
I ended up making more from this one and sold the Silverspoon.
It's a great book. I tried many recipes and they are really tasty, easy to make (no exotic ingredients difficult to find as in others book) and overall quick. Believe me, I am italian and food must be tasty for me.

I went from starters to pudding and all was up to expectations. I recommend this book to anyone and will buy more from Gordon. He's is the n.1 in UK.

Buon appettito!

Some of the best ways I know to get your calories...., 10 Oct 2008
A lot of the recipes can be got from the web but for the pictures and the recipes themselves buy yourself the book (or better still, buy for he/she who lurks in the kitchen area). The chocolate brownie recipe is a personal favourite featuring their inspired use of raspberries and (as they keep for ages) you don't really have to share them with anyone else.

Easy recipes for every occasion, 14 Aug 2008
As always with Rachel's books, the recipes are easy to follow and turn out the way you expect them to - so you get great results with a minimum of fuss. There is something for every occasion in this book, as the chapter titles show: "Food for the Soul", "Childhood Favourites", "Making Memories", "Something to Celebrate", "The Lazy Sunday", "An Elegant Afternoon", Pleasure Without the Guilt", "Food for Romance", "For the Love of Chocolate" and "Classic Dishes". I tried the "White Chocolate Buns" and they were dead easy to make, I even managed to whip them up before going to work, something I normally wouldn't be able to do, since I'm not exactly a member of the rise and shine party. They tasted great (funnily like macaroons - very yummy and a bit sticky) and disappeared really quickly once my colleagues tasted them. I can only recommend this book, especially if you're looking for something to make the whole family happy. Since it is beautifully laid out (with an added pink ribbon to mark your page) it also makes a nice present.

Reliable, 11 Mar 2008
I now own two of Rachel Allen's books and have tried many of the recipes from each (Food for Living & Food for Friends), they have worked every time and are very reliable and easy to make. At last a 'proper' cookbook and Rachel seems to be a very likeable person - well done.

absolutely invaluable!, 23 Feb 2008
this is such a fab recipe book! i got it for xmas and i use it alot. so far have made the spanish chorizo (used veggie sausage instead) and chickpea soup, blue cheese potato and leek soup (which is so gorgeous), heart shaped toast with egg and the cheesy soda bread, and some of the smoothies! they all turned out really well. i can't wait to make so many different things and next on my list is the chocolate and banana bread and butter pud! the book is written in such a simple and lovely way and is not pretencious atall. it also has great illustrations and feels very good quality. i particularly like the different sections such as food for the soul and the lazy sundays section, as there is something for any occasion. i would DEFINITELY recommend this!

A Beautiful Book full of Real Food, 21 Sep 2007
I was so excited to see Rachel Allen has published another cookbook!
It's a beautiful book, full of lovely colourful photos and most of the recipes are things I will actually use.

She's always great on Saturday Kitchen so I made sure to watch her new show and I love it - she's very easy to watch and her accent is lovely to listen to. It's refreshing that there are no pointless self-obsessed innuendos like Nigella or tired cliches like Gordon and Jamie. I get the impression she's just a real woman with a real family and real clothes who likes really good food!

Superb Feel Good Christmas Book, 30 Nov 2008
Nigella does it again. She writes great recipes with such relish and personality to her writing.

I just love her mince pie recipes, the pastry is just superb!!!
Also try the Rocky Road recipe, I have tried this from her Nigella Express book but the Xmas recipe for this is even richer!!

Sound good recipes, tested and tried out. Great artwork and illustrations, for me it is the best Christmas recipe book I have to date!!

Mad love for Nigella, 30 Nov 2008
I'm such a whore for Nigella and feel no shame in admitting it. That being said, there was no way I was waiting for this to be released in the US so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Whilst I'd love to give it five stars on its sheer beauty and great whacking heft, I have to agree with other reviewers that I am a bit put off by the repetition of recipes from all her previous books. Still, though, it is nice to have them all in one handy holiday tome and this is a luscious way to spend time, in my case with a vat of coffee in the living room, a plate of biscotti at the dining table, and a ton of fluffy pillows for propping in the bedroom. I've always had luck with her recipes so I am hoping that this time around will be no different. It's one of the most beautiful books in my collection and I think it's worth every penny.

Trick or Treat?, 28 Nov 2008
I'm a Nigella fan and like her no-nonsense approach to cooking despite her somewhat florid prose. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and contains plenty of indulgent recipes for the festive season which are easy to follow and beautifully photographed. However, as other reviewer's have said there are a lot of familiar Nigella recipes here with a few tweaks to make them more "Christmassy" She seems to have a particular obsession with cranberries. I'm sure I will be serving a few of these dishes over the holidays but I somehow doubt they will make it an unforgettable Christmas. A triumph of style over substance perhaps? However, this book will make a wonderful Christmas present to cooks of all abilities and tastes, even if they only leave it on the coffee table to be admired.

Nigella does it again, 19 Nov 2008
This book enters without faltering into the Nigella Classics. I feared it might be a rush, flimsy job, like Forever Summer, or the slightly disappointing Nigella Bites. But I needn't have - this is a beautifully put together (you sort of want to sit there and stroke it) brilliantly written (I read mine cover to cover like a novel, a bit tragic, but there you go) and, needless to say, the essential thing, full of recipes and menus that make you feel crazily Christmassy, and greedy.

The red centre pages, marking the actual Christmas Day menu, are a well though out touch. Nigella is typically luscious and bosomy looking, I just want her to come and cook my Christmas lunch for me. Not least because I am, in an awestruck way, a bit terrified of her Christmas menu. It is so all-encompassing and grand and generous, that I feel daunted by even making the bread sauce - there's just so much to do! She helps the pathetic like me by putting in a very authoritative cooking schedule. But, still.

I'm going to let myself in gently by making goats cheese and pumpkin lasagne this weekend, followed by maple glazed cheesecake. How totally delicious.

Bravo Nigella! Please come and live with me.

Nigella's Espresso Martini-Todka Heaven!, 17 Nov 2008
Delighted to find that Nigella has incorporated the wonderful Todka Toffee Vodka into her Espresso Martini recipe! Many people know Todka is great on its own, but this version is a different kind of delicious! There are some reviews about this book that say it is difficult to find some of the more unusual ingredients.Products such as Todka can easily be sourced on-line from companies like thedrinkshop.com .Internet shopping makes many of these ingredients very accessible. I'm now quite looking forward to Christmas in the kitchen!


Its Helpful but too basic, 29 Nov 2008
An interesting book with humour and a few helpful hints but I have been cooking for a family for 30 years - probably of more use to the younger reader with limited kitchen skills - I will give this to my daughter in the hope that I might come home to a cooked meal that doesnt cost £5 a head and leave every pan and surface in the kitchen covered in goo! I am an optimist at heart.
Disappointingly several pages fell out as I read it so make sure you have sellotape to hand.

very very disappointed, 26 Nov 2008
The name of this book is exactly the opposite of what is inside. Anyone want to buy this book from me?

All you need for weekday meals, 24 Nov 2008
I normally don't like recipe books without pictures, but this isn't your average 'pretty to look at' recipe book. The format is as straightforward as the concept and the recipes. I'm not very confident about cooking meals (although I love baking), but the recipes and explanations are great. I love that there is a section on how to prepare vegetables too! Our first week of meals cost just under £30! This book has been just the thing to kickstart my way into making hearty healthy meals everyday after work without the stress or the long list of pricey ingredients. I love it!

I was disappointed, 23 Nov 2008
I bought this book as a present for my mum but i was very disappointed upon reading
The first quarter of the book is just jibber jabber rubbish talking about people and eating habits then you get your normal recipes which i expected from the book and lots of soup recipes. But for the Last HALF of the book it is desserts i thought this book was ment to be healthy diet Not all dessert if i wanted lots of dessert recipes i would have bought a dessert book. The main meal recipes that were in the book were good but nothing special, but as for the rest of the book i was dissappointed.

Finally! A book for real families., 18 Nov 2008
I can't praise this book enough.

I have accumulated plenty of cook books over the years that have been slowly gathering dust, as the receipes in them just don't fit my busy family life.
This book is different. Here, you will find a no nonsense practical approach to cooking affordable nutritious meals for the family, as well as hits and tips on tempting fussy children without giving them junk food.

You will not find gourmet recipes to feed a dinner party.
You will not find long lists of ingredients and even longer lists of preparation details.
What you will find are recipes for tasty meals with a minimum of fuss, and simple ingredients that are readily available.

I could go on and on about this book. Just take my advice. If you are the cook in a family or feeling the pinch or just generally too pushed for time to bother cooking decent food, buy this book!

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