Appetite (Hardcover)

If you're looking for fancy, pretty food then this may not be up your street but if you are looking for sheer, animal satisfaction and food that hugs your soul then this is the book for you! I must admit, I am partial to a bit of both types but this is the book I come to time and time again, the one that is splattered with all sorts of sauces, ice creams and bits of pastry, and the one that has produced groans of pleasure from everyone from my boyfriend to my parents to my friends who happen to sample my cooking with Nigel's inspiration.

It's not a book with strict, precise recipes, Nigel encourages you to cook with a little of your own judgement and he does this in such an enthusiastic way that it makes it seem easy, and it is! I cannot say enough good things about this book and the only bad thing I can come up with is that the food in it is so good that you may pile on a few pounds, but you'll have such fun doing it it really is worth it!!

Among them I find Nigel's recipe's just as mouthwatering but somewhat easier to follow and more likely to get results as per the photos. He also is a little bit less fashion conscious and doesn't add neat tricks for the sake of coolness.

This book stands our in particular even amongst his others that I have. The lamb shank menu is a great winter warmer for up to 12 people with little stress, the 30 minute fish supper has become a trusty one to give to new guests, and his asian curries are that much more rounded in flavour than others I have tried.

I have bought this book as a present for at least half a dozen friends and as my wife will tell you nothing gives me more pleasure than opening it up on a Saturday afternoon after lunch, over a glass of red wine, and deciding what to cook that night.

I am 30 yrs old and British although living expat in Belgium. After many years of M&S pre-made meals I started cooking about three years ago when living in Italy and would since rate it as my number one obsession. Life for me revolves around good food and wine shared with friends and family.

This book hugely helped me as a cook. Nigel Slater teaches you cooking - not following a recipe. Indeed, the recipes are very vague in places, stating "a handful" of this, and "a pinch" of that. It's all about helping the reader develop their own skills as a cook. This is unfussy, everyday sort of food, the sort you want to cook after a horrid day at work, with an emphasis on using quality, fresh and seasonal ingredients.

I love the way the recipes have suggestions for adapting them. For example, his basic tomato pasta sauce has a page of variations, many of which are quite scrummy. After a while, you'll leave the book to one side and start improvising yourself!

But at the same time, this is a book you'll want to go back to. The illustrations are beautiful, and Slater writes clearly and with a warm humanity - he almost sounds as if he too has dreadful days when all he wants to do is escape home! There's also lots of useful information such as when particular foods are at their best according to season.

Great stuff for novices but (I'm told) also superb for more experienced cooks.