Appetite [Hardcover]

What is there to say about a new Nigel Slater book? Especially one called Appetite. It is exactly what it should be. This is the book he has been heading for all along. It is about food, to be sure, but it is also a statement of his personal philosophy, which seems to amount to this: that our appetites are founded in pleasure; and that we must interrogate those pleasures, and take them very seriously indeed, if we are to eat as well as we can. To eat well means to eat, and cook, pleasurably. So in Appetite Slater takes food, and cooking, back to where he believes it belongs, back to the realm of sensuous pleasure and comfort. Back to the sheer bliss, as he might say, of putting something warm, soft and sticky in your mouth.

Very cleverly, he has built his book not around detailed recipes as such--that would be too specific for his purposes--but around the sort of thing that might pop into your head as something you would really like to eat. No one says "I fancy Shallow Fried Herring Milt with Sherry Vinegar, Parsley and Butter Sauce tonight"; but they might well think of a Creamy, Calming Pasta Dish, or a Big Fish Pie, or Bangers and Mash. They might like to know, too, some of the endless variations they can play on these platonic essences. These are the kinds of food this generous and handsome book celebrates; foods that have a genuine part to play in people's lives. This is quintessential Nigel Slater, laid-back, not claiming any special privilege as a chef ("If I can do it, so can you" he remarks); and all wrapped up in that wonderful, lived-in, squashy prose that hits the spot every time. A feast of a book, from a man with no tricks or gimmicks, who is happily in touch with his own appetites and wants to put us in touch with ours.--Robin Davidson

'He's a genius, his food is scrummy and his voice more personal than usual’ Guardian

‘Slater remains the reigning champion…Appetite is an instant classic. It's comprehensive, inspirational and beautiful to look at.’ Daily Express

'The total and utter must-have of the year' Rosie Kindersley

'Nigel is a bloody genius'

'The total and utter must-have of the year'

'Cookery is about sex, of course, as much as lifestyle; and this is why the greatest cookery writer of them all, Nigel Slater, is barely allowed on television. His enthusiasm for devouring a Toffee Crisp with the leftovers from last night's take-away curry is positively pornographic. Slater's approach is actually very close to the way we eat - probably alittle too close for comfort.'

Bestselling cookery writer Nigel Slater’s mantra is ‘recipes don’t rule’. ‘Appetite’ is the revolutionary book that will help all cooks to have fun making anything from a baked potato to Christmas dinner.

Inspiring and irresistible, ‘Appetite’ takes a hundred simple classics and casts aside the insecurities of normal recipes. Ingredients are listed, followed by a suggestion of how much you might need, i.e. ‘double cream – start with 100 ml then see how you go’. Readers will be liberated to use their own judgement, indeed actively encouraged to skip half the ingredients for pared down versions that will teach them the essence of a dish. Recipe titles reflect this approach – ‘a cheap spaghetti supper’, ‘a big pork roast’, ‘a curry to make you sweat’.

Slater’s typically unpretentious style and ready wit put the fun back into food in this beautifully illustrated book. The first half of the book is packed with instructive, funky photographs and covers all the basics – from ‘getting rid of the three-course-meal tyranny’ to ‘why is junk food so delicious’. A long and helpful section will tell you where to get hold of everything worth eating. Written partly for the non-cook, this will be varied enough to attract more experienced cooks and people who bought ‘Real Food’ and want another helping.

In his radical new book, Nigel Slater argues that we should not be slavishly following recipes, but following our instincts. Appetite shows us how to break the rules, experiment with recipes and satisfy our appetite.

Slater gives us brilliant templates for a large range of classic dishes from a simple supper of chicken, wine and herbs, a big fish pie for friends to a curry to make you sweat. With his unique blend of simplicity, wit and relish, he casts aside the insecurities of normal recipes. There are hundreds of ideas and suggestions for how you might adapt each dish to produce something quite different. Each recipe becomes a key to discovering a multitude of meals. Readers are liberated to use their own judgement and often encouraged to skip half the ingredients; at the end of each recipe are suggestions for changing or taking it further. A cheap spaghetti meal has eight variations, and soon you will start to discover combinations that are all your own.

Slater rejects the tendency to make our daily cooking too complicated, believing there is more pleasure to be had in good ingredients uncontrived. The first half of the book goes back to first principles and explores, among much else, shopping ingredient by ingredient and month by month, the basic kitchen kit, how to cut down the work, and what goes with what – Slater’s marriage guidance for ingredients. Exquisitely photographed, this is Slater’s most exciting book yet.

Nigel Slater is one of Britain’s most highly regarded food writers. His beautifully written prose, warm personality and unpretentious, easy-to-follow recipes have won him a huge following. He writes an award winning weekly column in the ‘Observer’ and edits their ‘Food Monthly’ supplement, and he is a regular contributor to Sainsbury’s ‘The Magazine’.