Absolutely Foolproof Classic Home Cooking [Hardcover]

At the heart of this is a well-constructed, solid set of recipes that will keep many home cooks happy for a long time.

There are plenty of pictures - particularly in the step-by-step sections for key techniques - which should give even the most nervous of novices some confidence in what they are doing.

The text is very clear and give you enough info without overloading you with excessive detail.

Overall there is much to like in what would be a useful addition for anyone embarking on their life in the kitchen. There is nothing radical or cutting-edge - but then you wouldn't expect this from a book of classics!

My one quibble - and it might strike some as strange - is in the choice of colours for some of the text.

For what appears to be the majority of recipes, the ingredients lists are published in a range of attractive - but almost illegible - pastel colours. I found myself having to really work at seeing what was on the page. It may have looked pretty but you want to be able to read such things quickly and accurately. A serious error on the part of the designer, I would argue

With so many thousands of cookbooks on the market, it can be difficult to choose. As with many other things, different cookbooks suit different cooks.

As a reasonably experienced cook, I sometimes look to a cookbook for excitement or inspiration - to show me something novel, outrageous or unique; to challenge me to attempt more than I thought possible.

This is not such a book.

At the other extreme is the complete 'beginners guide' - the sort that starts with 'How to boil an egg' and lists of the most basic equipment, as if the reader has never entered a kitchen.

This is not that kind of book either.

This is a book for someone who has been in and around a kitchen, maybe watched their mother (or these days, father) preparing the family meals. Someone who is not scared of food, knives, utensils, etc., but who needs a guiding hand. This book would be perfect for a student leaving home, or for a couple setting up house for the first time.

It is also a book that is rooted in one strand of 'classic' cooking - classic English/European. You will not find curries, stir fries, jambalayas or other exotica from the wider world. You WILL find a mixture of core French, Italian, Spanish and English dishes. Other reviewers have listed the chapters, so I will not repeat those here, but I was impressed at how well it covered the ground within the scope of English/European basics. I set myself the challenge of thinking of basic recipes in my own experience, and then looked in the index to see if they were in. Almost without exception, they were.

Shepherd's pie, Roast chicken and lamb, beef Bourguignon, risotto, tortilla, victoria sandwich, cauliflower cheese, lasagne, kedgeree....

The author is also an experienced cookery-school teacher, which comes across very strongly. She not only describes the steps and techniques very clearly, but also explains why things are done the way they are, how you could vary it to get different results, and how to recover should things go wrong (e.g., sauces splitting). Reading this book, I felt in very safe hands.

In summary, the things I like about this book:
- it delivers the absolute core basics. If you have this book, you can learn to cook all the key traditional English/European dishes, all the basic sauces and techniques.
- you have a range of recipes from simple supper dishes to full 'dinner party' fare
- each chapter starts with a step-by-step introductory dish, complete with picture of every stage, before moving on to further variations
- the author instils confidence at every stage, with tips and hints to keep you interested
- it is all solid content and no 'filler' - the photographs illustrate the food, not the author or lifestyle fripperies
- clearly set out and high-quality printing

I note the criticisms of other reviewers. I (mid-forties and short-sighted) had no trouble reading the text, even the paler colours. I plan to give this book to my daughter, as she starts to learn to cook herself.

I hope you find this review useful. Happy cooking!

I was all prepared to find this book boring and a little old fashioned if im honest as ive always felt Rosemary Shrager was stuck somewhat in a time warp where food was lavish and ladies wore corsets and had no opinion :-) i ordered this book out of curiosity and simply as i love to collect cook books many of which im sad to say are dusty and unused.
I could not have been more wrong, this book is superb and shows her in a whole new light, the book is simply gorgeous to read/look through, the pictures of the finished article are enticing and look simply delicious and part of the pull of this book for me is that in certain parts you are treated to not just a couple of " how to" photos but whole step by step photo strips which are so simple and easy to follow.

This book has all you need if you want to learn how to cook the basics and will certainly show you how to change these recipes to expand your cooking repertoire.

you will find simple recipes for things like mayonnaise, victoria sponge and roasts but with full chapters showing meals and treats with different degrees of difficulty i would be suprised if you couldnt find something you are eager to cook.

the chapters include salads and dressings, stocks and soups,white sauces,emulsion sauces,eggs,pancakes and other batters,souffles,terrines and pates,rice,pasta,grilling and frying,roasts,casseroles and stews,vegetables,pastry, custards,meringues,cakes and quick breads and breads.

I'm fussy with cook books but this one really made me want to get straight out into the kitchen, the recipes are simple and easy to follow and i think really the title says it all, its foolproof.
an investment cook book that every collection should have no matter how old or young you may be !! this cook book will not be gathering dust in my house only sticky marks and stains and from constant use !