2 comments about Delia's Winter Collection: 150 Recipes for Winter.

1. especially in light of the overshelming popularity of other British "cookery" writers like Nigella, Jamie, Nigel - all of whom only need to be identified by their first names. Anyone who likes them should immediately become familiar with Delia Smith. She might not be as glamerous or as much "fun" to read, but she is definitely as much fun to cook with, and her food is delicious, her writing is clear, her recipes are well-written and very easy to follow guaranteeing excellent results. This book is a good place to start getting to know Delia!



2. This is one of the best cook books I own. There are so many flavorful, interesting recipies using healthy ingredients in unique ways. Everything I have made has been a hit.

2 comments about Complete Traditional Recipe Book.

1. Love this book- many fine recipes. Only problems I found was the need for a food glossary, as many items contained in the book are not found in the US. (i.e.) Golden Syrup, blood pudding, ratafia biscuits. I was able to go online and search most of these out though, so it was ok, and really interesting to hunt ingredients down. The color photos are wonderful, and it is a high quality book, produced by the National Trust.



2. I have found that British food - especially the traditional foods that have stood the test of time - have much more to offer than the blanket dismissal of them would suggest. Have you ever had a well-made "Toad-In-The-Hole?" or a great "Sherry Trifle?" How about a nice Pork Pie or Eel Stew. Well, done right, these dishes can change the way you think about British food and British food traditions. Not sure, start with something foolproof like Kedgeree - really just rice, smoked haddock, hard-boiled eggs and spices. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! And quite a treat! Some cookbook features include: Nice pictures and quite a few of them. A crazy 70's font that seems to be just right for the subject. Comprehensive collection of recipes covering every "discipline" from soups and meat dishes to hot and cold puddings to drinks and confectionery. Some quick and interesting historical context is thrown in for those who require and enjoy it. Perfect for the anglophile or international cook in your household.

4 comments about The Haggis: A Little History.

1. Clarissa Dickson Wright fans will love her little book of history about one of Scotland's culinary products. Except for its whiskey, if one mentions "haggis" one immediate thinks of Scotland. The book is brief and to the point with suttle humour peppered throughout the piece. Ms. Wright shows her culinary knowledge and her well read background in this delicious piece of work.



2. I'm so tired of all these yuppie cooking shows. I think that the "Two Fat Ladies" is such a refreshing breath of fresh air! Whenever I see it on the television, I stop what I'm doing and get ready to learn something and have a great laugh. I appreciate it even more now that Jennifer has passed on.- Kristina Jansz



3. Haggis is the legendary national dish of Scotland. It is, when well-made, surprisingly delicious. We served an excellent one to friends from Nova Scotia that we bought in Scotland, and our guests were delighted by its spicy richness.

   Clarissa Disckon Wright, the witty co-host of the Two Fat Ladies cooking show, wrote this book with her wry humor but also with authority. It is an excellent work and fun to read. The illustrations are charming.

   Be warned, however; making a haggis yourself is not for the faint-of-heart, nor is a detailed recipe included here--the initial stages of making haggis resemble a post-mortem more than a culinary exercise. Dickson Wright gently suggests you buy yours, as most people do. This is surprising, as she once described a recipe for beef tongue stuffed in sausage casing explaining, "just as simple really as applying a condom, though, of course, less fun."




4. Clarissa Dickson Wright, The Haggis: A Little History (Pelican Press, 1998)
   
   Books like this make me wonder: what is the publishing industry thinking jacking up their prices every year, like clockwork, assuming we're going to buy this "cost of living increase" nonsense?
   
   Clarissa Dickson Wright's The Haggis: A Little History is a small, lavishly-illustrated hardback priced such that, if the carpings of other publishers are to be believed, Pelican must have taken a major loss printing and selling it for the price they do. One would expect to see a book of this beauty selling for at least three times this price solely to break even. (Heed well, poetry fans. You're getting screwed on those fifteen-dollar trade paperbacks of less than an hundred pages. Not that you're surprised, but now you have hard evidence.)
   
   As to the content of the book itself, it's a short essay by Dickson Wright (the surviving member of the wonderful Two Fat Ladies) on the origins, history, and popularity of the dish that has come to be associated with Scotland more than any other, though it's been said the Scots invented whiskey because they had to eat haggis. With her trademark wit and charm, Dickson Wright sheds new light on the much-maligned supersausage. Maybe even enough new light to get a few folks to try the stuff. Maybe. Folks, if you have tried scrapple and thought you were eating something akin to haggis, think again. (One word: oatmeal.)
   
   A lovely little book. Granted, probably not for everyone, but giving a slew of these to children as birthday presents (you can remove the dust jacket; the actual book cover is just as beautiful and far more durable) may finally take the taint off the Scottish Hot Dog once and for all. ****

4 comments about Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down.

1. This book contains everything you need to know about tea and biscuits when visiting Britain. Never again have the Brits looking down at you in disgust when you don't know the proper protocol for afternoon tea.
   
   Buy it. Read it on the plane on the way over. Never look out of place again at those important business meetings.



2. It has quickly become one of my favorite books. I happen to be a tea fanatic, so obviously a book about tea and biscuits would suit me just fine. However, I am also quite particular about the books I adore, and this one fits the bill. Well written by an obviously intelligent human being, but also extremely witty and informative. I have purchased a copy for my adult brit-loving/tea-loving daughter. She wanted to borrow my copy, but there is no way I am letting it go! Buy it...devour it...come back for more. You won't be sorry.



3. Loved this book. Nicey has a wonderful, witty tone and covers the essentials to British tea drinking and biscuit dunking. Wonderful review of the various biscuits with photos, good guide for those who are new to the art of biscuit buying. Wifey manages to keep everything on topic.



4. i'm a brit living in the us and my sister gave me this book as a birthday gift. i absolutely love it. very well written, super funny and oh so true!

1 comments about A Little Book of Scottish Baking.

1. "Oh Aye, I et a bap! The other OTHER white bread It's hwats fer dinner! Get in mah belly! Ahm higher on the food chain than you!"

   Even if you aren't Fat B***std from Austin Powers sequel film, you'll appreciate good Scottish baking. And unlike Fat B***std, this book does not weigh a metric ton or have unusual eating habits (like Haggis.) It's TINY! But it has everything you need to make the most popular Scottish treats. These little cookbooks are amazing in how they pack in the most essential recipes from around the world, yet fit nicely in an overhead shelf in the smallest galley kitchen. I especially like the Oatcakes, which are easy to make and taste marvelous with butter and honey. (Heather honey if you can get it.) But be careful, if you overindulge in these recipes, and boy can the Scots bake or what, you may end up looking like a certain villain from a Mike Meyers film.

1 comments about Maw Broon's Cookbook: The Nation's Favourites.

1. Anyone who grew up in Scotland in the post-war era, or who has parents who grew up there during that time, should order this book immediately. It is brilliantly written and put together with affection and humor. It looks just like my mother's real cookbook, with cutout recipes, bits of advice, slivers of dried herbs and comments written in the margin by all and sundry. but it is the family cookbook of the Broons, that archetypal Scottish family, whose dinner table conversations were brought into our homes with the evening newspapers for decades, and whose comments on life, love, politics and post-war conditions fueled many a spirited conversation around our own dinner tables. But, in addition to bringing back all those memories of the whole funny family, including the twins and The Bairn, it is filled with real, authentic Scottish recipes, from tablet to Cullen Skink, from tattie scones to fish cakes, from victoria sponge to cloutie dumpling.
   Order, read it and laugh, and then cook yourself and your family up some memorable, and memory-laden, dishes.

5 comments about Michael Jackson's Complete Guide To Single Malt Scotch 4th Ed.

1. I gave my husband this book for Christmas and he loves it. We are traveling to Scotland in August and he plans to be ready to search out the best whisky from the descriptions in the book.



2. One of the greatest books to read on the can. My only complaint is that Michael Jackson hasn't been drinking enough. There are still many single malts out there that aren't in the book. i.e. Glenlivet Nadurra 16, which is an absolute stunner. However, if you're just entering the world of single malts, this book is like having Sam Wise Gamji by your side to stop you from imbibing grocery store labeled alcohol.



3. He loves this book and refers to it often when he has purchased another different single malt scotch. Highly recommend.



4. Jackson approaches his subject with equal measures of knowledgeability and love--and both are abundantly reflected in this latest edition of a now standard guide. After perusing the work, I relinquished it for the purpose of my purchase: as a birthday gift for a good friend. He reports that he was in no way disappointed. I doubt that many readers would be.



5. Each of Jackson's Guides to Single Malt have been extremely informative and useful as well as a good read.

5 comments about Naked Chef Takes Off, The.

1. This book shows you the way to cook fusion food, mixing english, spanish, tai and italian food in a special way.



2. This cookbook is just The Return of the Naked Chef with a new title. I already owned The Return of the Naked Chef, so now I have two. I really dislike publishers who mislead us by changing titles or changing covers just to get us to buy that which we already own.



3. Of all the Jamie Oliver cookbooks, this is my favorite. Its full of recipes that make you feel like a grown-up, but are wonderfully simple. His enthusiasm makes the recipes a fun read and the pictures will make your tummy talk. An added bonus is that my kids will eat anything that I make from this book. They love Jamie as much as I do. Naked Chef Takes Off is an essential primer for the inexperienced and the seasoned cook alike.



4. This book is a great addition to both our cooking library and our gardening library... Jamie's recipes are fabulously simple and delicious... We highly recommend this book.



5. I like this cookbook a lot. It is better that most others I own. Pictures give one a good sense of how the food should turn out.

5 comments about Cooking With the Two Fat Ladies.

1. The Two Fat Ladies have compiled some of their best recipes to form this cookbook. Some of the dishes have odd names, but are usually good eating. Anyone looking for an interesting dish to try, will need to own this book. A true combination of wit and good food.



2. I actually taught myself to cook using this book. I had never been much of a cook before I discovered the Two Fat Ladies television program, but was so intrigued that I ordered their cookbook after seeing only a few episodes. The recipes it contains offer genuine flavor and not the tasteless slimmed-down "light" cuisine I find almost inedible. The desserts are particularly good, and I have successfully made the Adult Chocolate Cake, the Danish Apple and Prune Cake, and the Galette Des Trois Roix. Unlike other cookbooks I have tried, these recipes actually worked. Moreover, the ladies' overall cooking philosophy comes through in the book, emphasizing organic ingredients and better quality meats over bland supermarket-stocked products. You'll also benefit from the interesting food history cited throughout that comes from Clarissa Dicksen-Wright's vast knowledge of earlier cooking techniques, and the tremendous good humor of the memorable and beloved Jennifer Paterson. I highly recommend the book, together with the sequals from the follow on series.



3. This is a must have for any collection, even if you don't ever cook out of it. It's a shame it is out of print.



4. A fun read, but the recipes aren't reliable. I've used this book for an enjoyable read, and to come up with ideas for things to cook, but I don't cook from it any more -- most of the dishes I have tried either were not particularly good or they didn't come out right at all.



5. I'm a fan of the TFL's. I love their show and their cook books. They are funny to read and reliable good eats. They approach foodin a style that tells you not to be afraid of food and in an age of ultra-health awareness they challenge the status quoe, and will, As one BBc producer declared, they take an almost pornagraphic joy in spreading real butter on bread, and they want their readers to share this joy.
   
   That having been said this is the weakest of the 4 cook books to come out of the series. Although the anecdotes are wonderful the recipies themsleves could have used a little more editing. Appearing in later books the recipies are so easy to follow that any novice will feel up to trying them, but in this first outing things are not quite so well presented. This results in more of a challenge and a sense that maybe a little more pracitce will be needed by novice's.
   
   They correct that in the next books, but it's a shame no one went back to re-do this one. If you are confident in the kitchen or have their other books, this is a great add to the library, but if it's your first outing, you may want to pass this by and come back to it later. But do come back.

5 comments about The Jane Austen Cookbook.

1. If you call yourself a Janeite then you must have this book! It is a great recipe book from the period with many that can be easily reproduced in your own kitchen! (How better to experience the times than to try to recreate a touch of it?) The commentary is interesting and useful and each author, I find, sheds some light on the life and times of Jane in a way that no one else has quite managed, and Ms. Black is no exception. I am just beginning my culinary jaunts using recipes from this book, and I have already highlighted a great deal of "Must tries". If you like cooking, experimenting in your kitchen, vintage recipes, or JA herself, you will truly appreciate this book!
   Linore Rose Burkard
   Author, Before the Season Ends
   (A Regency Romance)



2. This is a lovely and shortish introduction to cooking and culture of eating and entertaining for the late Georgian period when Austen was alive. I loved the fact that this was about cooking and eating rather than some of the less universally approachable subjects (letters, literary criticism). Maggie Black and Deidre Le Faye have both written Jane Austen style and culture type books before so both understand the period and are able to draw on a large resource of appropriate information.
   
   The introduction is very much about how people ate - what was available, how it got to houses, and why this was so. There is some division by class (upper class, middle class and lower class are all discussed) but also the divisions by Geography - whether coastal with access to fresh fish, or inland - how food was transported, and even in terms of access to market towns. Even 5 miles away was almost impossible for those trying to get up a dinner from 'scratch' so to speak if someone was coming around.
   
   The introduction also talks about the types of food and dishes which were eaten, and that the whole culture of dining was completely different. Not only were meal times different, but how they dined. The explanations are simple and there is good use of quoted material throughout, the diaries and letters of the time providing a strong and occassionally humourous voice.
   
   Where possible leFaye and Black have used diaries and 'receipts' from Austen's friends and family and point out that in the days before recipe books were published these books of receipts would be handed down from mother to daughter and one family's speciality would be renowned - they were truly heirlooms.
   
   The last section of the book is a collection of recipes - these are taken from books of reciepts. The original receipt is usually fairly interpretative, that is the measurements are not generally noted, nor how to put them together or cook them. So there has been experimentation and the recipe is re-written with the details put in. These essentail details would have been handed down in a practical manner, but in the days before temperature gauges you would have needed to rely on simple temperature variations, quick, moderate and slow oven to dictate just when to cook it.
   
   Most of these recipes are actually very useable for today - they don't have many potted meats, but mostly roasted meats, cakes, egg dishes and still room crafts. There are some things we dont' see these days like Syllabub - which is quite tasty
   
   There are other books of this kind around - Margeretta Ackworth's cookbook for instance, which is interesting too - but I would recommend this is a good modern cookbook and an interesting historical look at the culture of food in this period.



3. This cookbook is charming. It has useful recipes in it, along with modern-day interpretations of the recipes, and interesting stories about food. It even explains how people preserved and bought food in Jane Austen's day. That is quite interesting, I love to learn more about lifestyles in different historical eras. It's not only a cookbook, it's a history book. It's worth it, you won't be disappointed!



4. I haven't tried any recipe yet, but any Jane Austen's reader will enjoy such a fun way to get into her world. It's a good reading and I hope it'll be practical too.



5. Any fan of Jane Austen's novels would do well to read, or at least sample, this book. Austen's work is the story of domestic life of her time, and this book provides a lot of useful information about an important context of her novels: food, meals, and dining. What is a nuncheon? How do cooks cope without refrigeration? And how, specifically, does one prepare many of the foods familiar to Austen's world? This book addresses these questions, in a well-written and well-researched style. It is physically attractive, and soundly based on contemporaneous records and recipes ('receipts') of the time, although these were recorded in ways foreign to us.