Grown in Britain Cookbook (Soil Association) [Paperback]

This book is very good but as a veggie not to be recommended. Too many picture's of the animal's and how they end up. But this is a present for my meat eating friend, so I am sure she will enjoy!!

'Over 200 recipes, from SOIL ASSOCIATION supporters'.

'....a food journey from farm to plate......it inspires you to make the most of the amazing range of produce that is grown, reared and caught on our island......
A guide to what to buy and when to buy it and offers simple, friendly ideas on what to do with it......changing the way we think about food - making the connection with local food producers, cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients, and understanding the benefits of organic production - can help to safeguard the planet.
This book shows you how to.'

Spectacular photography throughout including the ingredients, different varieties, types of fish, and breeds in the meat sections, along with 'cuts', which is quite subtle, in my opinion.
The odd 'game' picture, however, may prove a little disconcerting to the more sensitive (please see example in images above) - it ruffled my feathers, so to speak!

Durable board covers open to 351 high quality, shiny pages, split over main chapters:

* What's in Season When (pg 10-45)
* Vegetables and Herbs (pg46-161)
* Fruits, Nuts and Honey (pg162-207)
* Fish and Seafood (pg 208-253)
* Meat, Poultry and Game (pg254-305)
* Cheese, Dairy and Eggs (pg306 -333)
* Grain (pg334 - 343)

with Foreword by the Editor-in-Chief, Donna Air, and an introduction from the Soil Association, a 4-page 'Resources' section and a full index, enhanced in bold type for recipes and italicised for 'Perfect Pairings'/'Simple Ways to Enjoy'.

The first section is a calendar, starting with a double page spread of 'All Year Round' showing 'What's in Season', then a month-by-month guide laid out in the same way. This section is further enhanced by showing the key ingredients that are available in a grey type and 'at their best' in green, with the relevant page numbers clearly shown.

Each of the main chapters has the following 'ingredients' in alphabetical order, preceded by a colourful double page picture spread. Each has general information, aka the 'What, When and How' section, along with ideal accompaniments/ best recipes on the other.

The 'using/cooking with' sections are well laid out and easy to read, generally with a preparation section, a guide to measuring or the number of servings, and a handful of ways of 'simply using'. Over the page one might find a 'main recipe', or two, depending on the ingredient:-

e.g. 'Asparagus Cream Cheese Quiche', for 'Asparagus' and.....usually........a mouth-watering photograph!

These main recipes are colourfully laid out according to the item (where appropriate, e.g. vegetables) with the title, number of servings, prep time, cooking time and a numbered step-by-step method. Helpful variations and serving ideas are also included in this informative paragraph. The list(s) of ingredients is/are also clearly laid out under a bold black heading, and the chapter title is at the base of each page, along with the page number.
Contributing recipe givers are identified, where applicable, along with a short information paragraph of their inclusion.

Peppered throughout are double page spreads about relevant contributory companies, e.g.:

'An Oxfordshire Vegetable Farm'
'Sussex Apples and Pears'
'An Organic Salmon Farm'
'A Devon Sheep Farmer'
'Organic Cheese-making in Wales'

giving a description of the owner and what the company does to help the environment.

My favourites, to date......tried and tasted.........the very first main recipe in the book, the aforementioned 'Quiche', which lasted a very short period of time at a recent Sunday Tea!

and

'Venison Ragout with Guinness and Prunes'..........another Guinness recipe to add to my growing collection...

......before we hit the puds........ and, there, I was genuinely bowled over by the success of:

'Apple Cut-and-Come-Again Cake'....

...by no means an understated title, served with ice cream, in my case!

Other recipes include:

Mixed Root Tempura with Dipping Sauce
Wild Nettles and Scrambled Egg
Spinach, Fresh Tomato and Blue Cheese Pizza
Potato and Mackerel Salad Niçoise
Roasted Red Pepper and Chickpea Soup
Fiery Peanut and Pepper Noodles
Quick Corn Chowder
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes
Plum and Marzipan Clafoutis
Blackcurrant Brulée
Rhubarb and Custard Ice Cream
Grilled Cornish Sardines with Salsa Verde
Fish and Pumpkin Chips
Filo-Topped Monkfish Blush
Smoked Fish Kedgeree
Braised Brisket
Pink Pig Cowboy Casserole
Stuffed Chicken under a Brick
Béchamel Sauce
Junket
Walnut Bread

and

Spicy Vegetable Frittata - 'a really simple dish - not very glamorous, but pretty tasty!.....'

....and those last two words pretty much sum up this book!

I received this as a present a couple of years ago and barely a week goes by where I don't refer to it.
I admit I haven't tried any of the recipes, though they do look delicious, but it is invaluable as a reference tool for British produce, particulalry when trying to identify and find a way to prepare and cook some of the veg we get in our weekly delivery!
There are photos of every British fruit, vegetable, meat, and loads of cheeses and fish too, and it's really a joy to look through.