Rick Stein's Food Heroes: Amazon.co.uk: Rick Stein, James Murphy, Craig Easton: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

What a likeable cook and writer Rick Stein is, apparently quite without side or any need to posture. Tirelessly generous, Food Heroes salutes those people who work hard, in the face of market pressures and often widespread indifference, to make available the very best British produce. Cheese, eggs, poultry, meat and game, fruit and seafood--the list of foodstuffs over which many of us have relinquished any claim to demand quality is a long and depressing one. Top marks, then to Stein for travelling the country and bringing a bit of publicity to those who labour in the vineyard. He is remarkably good at making clear just why quality matters so much, not only in terms of flavour, but on humanitarian grounds too. (He pointedly muses on how very much more cruelty might be prevented if single-issue anti-hunt campaigners broadened their concerns to include intensive farming.)

Some of the names here are more familiar than others: many people have eaten Mrs Kirkham's remarkable Lancashire cheese (though some apparently think she is no more real then Mr Kipling), or enjoyed the products of Loch Fyne and the Duchy of Cornwall; they are merely the most prominent among more than 300 producers and suppliers listed in the extraordinarily thorough and useful directory. One wishes them all well and hopes that this book (and the TV series) will have an appreciable effect on the nation's food buying. At least no-one can say that Rick Stein hasn't tried. The recipes he produces to demonstrate how to make the best of this fine produce are, as always, simple and impeccable, mingling a nice appreciation for tradition with a clear-sighted modern practicality. Roast Grouse with Bread Sauce and all the Trimmings rubs shoulders, as it were, with Medallions of Venison with Red Wine and Morello Cherries accompanied by Roasted Hazelnut Spätzle (a remarkable dish), while simple, old-fashioned puddings like Coeur à la Crème and Summer Pudding sit happily alongside chef's creations such as Fresh Raspberry Tart in Coconut and Hazelnut Pastry. The book is a feast and a pleasure, and if used as Rick Stein intends, may make the world a slightly better place. --Robin Davidson

Review

Rick Stein's "Food Heroes" is not about his favourite chefs as might at first be assumed. It is about the top food producers in Britain today. His love of fresh ingredients is well-known and here he travels the length and breadth of the country in his hunt for people of like mind, people who care more about their produce than their profit. Whilst acknowledging supermarkets today offer a range of foods far more global and wide-ranging than ever dreamt of, he draws the cooks attention to ingredients fresher and better than those sold by profit-making conglomerates. Handmade cheeses, organic watercress, free-range chickens and ducks and his favourite, freshly caught fish. Stein meets the people and explains their philosophy behind what could all too easily be loss-making ventures. But such is their belief in what they do they can translate it to chefs like Stein to promote and educate the general public. Accompanied by over 100 scrumptious Stein recipes, and attractively illustrated with colour photographs, this is an ideal gift to anyone wanting to cook and taste the very best of British produce. - Lucy Watson

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50 of 52 people found the following review helpful

Make them all! 13 May 2004

By Mike

Format:Hardcover

Anyone who has purchased a cookery book knows that they are unlikely to make every recipe contained in it. However, with this one there is such a wealth of knowledge, tradition and perhaps most importantly culinary passion that any home cook worth their 'maldon salt' will make most of them. And if it still doesn't inspire you and you can only muster the enthusiasm to make one recipe then make it the lemon tart on page 170 it's brilliant!

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Brilliant results ! 28 Aug 2006

By Mrs. J. DOHERTY

Instructions are simple and the results are brilliant everytime. Having had a number of successes from trying the recipes in the book, I also started to watch his series Heroes:Another Helping on TV. Made me want to get the book out and try more.

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful

Brilliant cookbook which supports real food 1 Oct 2002

By A Customer

This is an excellent addition to anyone's collection of cookbooks. It has a good selection of recipes and makes the most of real food. The book is backed up with a helpful directory of food producers and outlets. Whilst Rick Stein is undoubtably associated with fish, this book shows an enthusiasm for other food as well and a desire to support quality food producers. This book deserves to be read and its support for British food is most welcome.