Customer Reviews

Rick Steins Mediterranean Escapes

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First I must confess I love Rick Stein. His passion for food and the emotion he cooks with is always inspirational to me. I watch all this shows, buy the videos/DVDs and every book as soon as they are available BUT this book seems to miss the mark. I can't really put my finget on what's missing but it is lacking that spark you generally find in Rick's books. There are good recipes and I think serious foodies would find value in the book but would hate for someone just being introduced to Rick Stein to judge the man and his passions on this effort.

Looking forward with great expectations to his next one.

People,

I don't have any cooking skills, but my mother does indeed, that's why I bought her this book, which she keeps as a treasure, not because she loves her son, but because in her own words "it's the best Mediterranean cookbook she has ever seen".

A great gift that gives back double!

I am a big fan of Rick Stein and just last month went to Padstow in England and went to his Seafood restaurent. It was fantastic. Way above my expectations. The great bar in the middle of the room, the setting, the art work ... THE FOOD. Best I have had in a very long time. Back to the book. I love this book and have made several dishes from it already. One of my favourites is the fennel sausages with potatoes and lemon. I really like the fact it is a taste of the Mediterranean ... best of the region... and the stories behind each recipe. The photography in the book is also very inspiring. I've bought the book for three friends so far and on Amazon now to buy it for another friend. It's great.

Wonderful book at first sight but although some recipes are really great others according to me aren't. I am a fan of Rick Stein and love his passion for food but this book for me is more a wonderful coffee table book. As I said some recipes are really great but others, although I tried them with great expectations, either they didn't live up to it or else I have a bit the same recipes but with a twist that makes them more interesting, like the Octopus Salad. In my country, Portugal, not included here because it is not really a Mediterranean country although often considered to be one (we are not on the Mediterranean, no doubt about that) restaurants often serve Octopus Salad and they are a lot better. The recipe I make comes from a Portuguese Magazine and it is an Octopus Salad with an Asian dressing, wonderful. Still, I will go on trying more recipes, maybe in the end there will be more good than less good ones!

Recipes we liked so far: Tomato, Roasted Red Pepper and onion salad with preserved lemon; Oven-baked potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and onions (I preferred it without potatoes, my husband with....), Sauttéed squid; Roasted Monfish; Sea bream with Sauce Vierge; Slow cooked Lamb with Garlic; Lam Tagine; Butter beans in tomato sauce;

I found the recipes too exotic. I also expected more recipes. Do not recommend for the "regular everyday family cook".