My first impression, having bought this book, was enthusiasm. All these great recipes, great ideas. But as I read through the recipes I found the lack of advice and explanation disapointing. I re-read the instructions for jointing a chicken about four times, and I still don't understand them. Why not illustrate the steps for something like this?
Anyway, I came away wondering if I should have got Jamie Oliver instead.
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I've only recently bought this book, but have already cooked a recipe from it. When I flicked through it in a shop a little while ago I thought it would be the ideal cookbook to have for quick reference (like the Delia Smith chocolate, italian, pork etc collections).
Like another reviewer said, this cookbook is full of many ideas that others books already contain. However, if you're in a rush, want a quick easy meal with ingredients already in your cupboard, and you basically know what you fancy, then this book is ideal. I bought it for that reason and think it will live up to its purpose.
For midweek meals when you havent got time to plan or flick through your other cookbooks this is ideal. If you want a challenge, ... Read More:
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I love this cookbook! It is not a cookbook that you would whip out on a weekday - although it is a mix of really easy dishes and more time consuming and advanced ones. Because of the latter I would probably not recommend it to a beginner. Some of its recipes have definitely become regulars with us.
We love the 'seasonal' approach & the recipes are all a treat to those who like Flavour with a capital F. What I mean by that is that most recipes taste like the basic ingredients/vegetables, and not like a mix of tons of ingredients (if that makes sense). What I also mean by that is that it also provokes you to taste something you may not have come up with yourself (within the Italian kitchen realm), such as a lemon salad... which ... Read More:
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This is a book about ingredients rather than cooking. If you buy your oil from Carluccios and your antipasta from the deli counter at Fortnums then anyone you cook for will enjoy the food. Also, a lot of butter and oil is used in the recipes and in one particular recipe, using dried mushrooms, I had to quarter the amount of melted butter used lest I have a coronary on the spot (the result, however, was still divine).
However, there are some excellent things in here that make it worth buying and some of the pasta recipes are very simple to make and prepare and are delicious. The spagetti with fillet steak is awesome and the porcini mushroom penne is TO DIE FOR and I really mean that - but cut out that butter. Some of the deserts are well ... Read More:
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From the moment I saw the book On Amazon.co.uk, I knew I was on to a winner. River Cafe cook books offer the chef (novice or pro) a delightful tool in culinary mastering. I have used the book to make my partner some of the most exquisite meals in minutes - rather than hours! The instruction is plain and simple, with extraordinary results.
To understand why the River Cafe books are as they are, one must first understand Italian cooking. It has more of a regional basis than any other european country, although France comes close. They use the best of the local produce.
What Ruth and Rosie provide are regional receipes that are authentic, although somewhat restaurant-ised. If a dish requires Chianti, then it will be Tuscan in origin, if it require Barolo then it will be Piedmontese. To be critical of this, is to fail to understand Italian cooking.
This is not a book that panders to the "what can I get in the supermarket" crowd. This is not "chicken italiano" with some tomatoes and a few herbs russled up in 5 minutes.
I've only recently bought this book, but have already cooked a recipe from it. When I flicked through it in a shop a little while ago I thought it would be the ideal cookbook to have for quick reference (like the Delia Smith chocolate, italian, pork etc collections).
Like another reviewer said, this cookbook is full of many ideas that others books already contain. However, if you're in a rush, want a quick easy meal with ingredients already in your cupboard, and you basically know what you fancy, then this book is ideal. I bought it for that reason and think it will live up to its purpose.
For midweek meals when you havent got time to plan or flick through your other cookbooks this is ideal. If you want a challenge, go elsewhere
>>More Details
My first impression, having bought this book, was enthusiasm. All these great recipes, great ideas. But as I read through the recipes I found the lack of advice and explanation disapointing. I re-read the instructions for jointing a chicken about four times, and I still don't understand them. Why not illustrate the steps for something like this?
Anyway, I came away wondering if I should have got Jamie Oliver instead.
>>More Details