Customer Reviews

New British Classics

5 star:		(4)
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I am an American who owns over 300 cookbooks, and I consider myself a gourmet cook. On a recent trip to Britain, I scoured bookstores and chose this book over all the others. Im glad I did. I have to say, this is absolutely the BEST cookbook I have come across in the past 20 years.

This book is not as comprehensive as The Joy of Cooking, which tries to tell you how to cook absolutely everything under the sun. But this book IS inclusive of everything thats important in classic British Cooking (and in traditional American cooking, as well)soups, sauces, cheese and eggs, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, picnics, puddings, cakes and baking, and preserves and pickles. In addition, it has chapters on The Great British Breakfast, Savories and Snacks, Sunday Lunch Roasts, A Festive Christmas, and Afternoon and High Tea.

As an American, I learned SO much from this book. I learned about the ORIGIN of bacon and eggs for breakfasts, about the histories of many different vegetables (quite different information than is included in The Joy of Cooking), HOW and WHY British cuisine got a reputation for being bland (it wasnt always so), and many things about the history of eating which have just been plainly lost to us in America. For example, I did not know before that the origin of certain foods sometimes being served on a piece of toast was from the trenchers used in medieval times--trenchers being big slabs of bread which were laid directly on the table, and food put on top. The reason for the use of trenchers was that plates were too expensive for ordinary people to use. Not only are so many interesting discussions about the origins of different foods and customs included in this book, but ALL the recipies are interesting and FANTASTIC!

British readers will enjoy the depth and style of this book, while American readers will really learn a lot about the origin of our own traditional cuisine. I will treasure this book for many years. I am buying four more copies to give as gifts this Christmas. I bought the paperback edition. This book is so wonderful and will be used for so many years, that I highly recommend to other readers to spend the extra money and get a hardcover edition, if it is available.

...I have always found his TV style to be irksome and irritating. But I have to give it to him with this well researched and mouth watering book. He has done Britian a huge favour here by celebrating all that is great about British cooking and reviving it. Certainly he seems to have had an effect, I have noticed how many British restuarants, cafe bars and grub pubs have sneeked in Cream Teas, Big Breakfasts, Toad in the Holes and Bread and Butter puddings; and they are all the better for it. If you have ever pondered at the sadness of lost food items from the British landscape, food which made Britain. Then I urge you to buy this book!

I have collected many cook books over the years - most of them end up being dust collectors. However this book has made the list of "must haves" that I refer to when deciding what or how to cook. The introduction to sections is well thought out and the recipes clear and concise to follow. It's so essential that it cross the atlantic with me when i moved to the US. Still used to this day.

I personally have had little time for Gary on his various TV appearances, preferring the Ramseys and Steins of this world, but he's golden with this one.

I am no fan of British cuisine, but I would definitely love to eat all the food in this book. This BBC project was obviously very prestigious for the chef, so a lot of effort is put into this book. It covers all the British classics but also gives some options of how to modernise the dishes. The modernisation is all very modest, like drizzling some hazelnut oil in the mashed potatoes. The book is chock-full of recipes, notes, and additional advice. In addition, you can feel how enthusiastic the chef is about British food. Five stars