Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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180 of 188 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jamie's Ministry of food, 18 Oct 2008
I am really delighted with this book, since buying it two weeks ago .. I've made the tomato and parsnip & ginger soup, mackerel pate, the cod wrapped in bacon, perfect roast veges, fish pie, chicken and leek stroganoff, chicken korma and pasta dish. I'm a person who tends to stick to the same thing or convenience food to ensure my 5 year old gets her tea on time.
This book is written in a matter or fact way and doesn't patronise the reader. The ingredients are clearly laid out and because many of the receipes use similar seasonings and basics, you can stock up on these without spending too much money.
I also like the under 20 minute dishes, perfect if you do want to prepare something fresh for tea time. I have lots of cookery books but most remain unused largely due to the extraordinary list of ingredients or complexity of the receipes. This book looks well used in two weeks and is the only one I actually keep in the kitchen.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent source for everyday meals, 31 Oct 2008
This is the third Jamie Oliver cookbook I've bought and already it's becoming my favourite. I'm not the most confident of cooks and so I appreciate the clear instructions and having lots of illustrations. The recipes however are what I particularly like about this book, because they are all the sorts of things that you actually want to cook on a regular basis: pasta, stir fries, curries, meatloaf, lasagne, roasts... My kids really liked the Chicken Fajitas and I thought the Mince Wellington was a great family meal option too. (It was a little time consuming to make, but not at all difficult). The fish pie was fine, but I prefer the fish pie recipe in the "Return of the Naked Chef" cookbook. Admittedly it's a little more complicated, but it's seriously, awesomely good and this one pales in comparison.
At times it feels like Jamie's written recipes to make them seem easier rather than because it actually makes them easier - for example, in his meatloaf recipe he calls for crushed cream crackers, presumably because that sounds more accessible than rolled oats - but really, oats are pretty quick and simple.
One thing I don't like about this book is that a lot of the recipes (at least two sections of the book) are for two people only. Jamie explains in the stir fry section that it's best to cook in two batches if you want more than two servings, but again this is time consuming and not the easiest solution when you're feeding a family. Also, some of the photographs are more confusing than helpful: for example, in the illustrations of salad ingredients, the basil and the mint look almost identical, as do several of the lettuces.
Ultimately though it comes back to the recipes: a great selection written in way that's very easy to follow. Well done Jamie.
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36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can't cook, won't cook......but now I'm cooking!!!!, 7 Nov 2008
I AM a person who has just never cooked. Having recently split up from my husband who did all the cooking, my poor kids were suffering due to my lack of ability, time and interest in getting creative in the kitchen. I have bought a couple of other cookbooks, and they are gathering dust on my shelves.
This book has transformed me, and I am not exaggerating. I have cooked fresh meals every night for the last two weeks, and actually look forward to the next meal I am going to make. I have a demanding job, and not much time, but the recipes in this book are so easy to follow and many of them so easy and quick that even I have managed to produce tasty meals - much to the astonishment of my children. They think their mother has been abducted by aliens and replaced with one that cooks!!
I am now starting to tackle some of the slightly more complicated recipes (but none are very complicated) as i now feel confdent that I can do this. The photographs are a great help and just what I need to keep me on the right track.
For the first time in my life I am enjoying cooking for my family, and please believe me when I say, if I can follow these recipes with such good results, then anyone can. I plan to buy another copy for my daughter when she goes to Uni next year. If you are a "non-cook" and will only ever buy one cookbook - make it this one.
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