Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

Delia makes it easy for me to cook (well it feels like cooking to a non-cook)

Customer Rating:

I love this book. I wouldn't consider myself a good cook, and I need to follow recipes when I make anything new. I'm the kind of person who has bought lots of cook books in the hope of using them but never actually do. But this book is different - I actually use it and often. Delia's 'How to Cheat' has made it easy for me to make dishes which make me feel like I am really cooking. The recipes are tasty and generally simple (if I can make them anyone can). The only downside for me is that I sometimes struggle to find and buy the "cheat" ingredient. But I forgive Delia as the Goulash is fantastic (but I think my friends and family are getting bored of me making it so frequently).

Uninspiring

Customer Rating:

After reading the very mixed reviews on this page I was eager to see what all the fuss was about with this book. I am not overly concerned about the whole argument on whether or not it is right or wrong to cheat at cooking - although I might add that I am surprised at the anger from those who sit firmly in the latter camp (if you feel so strongly about it, why on earth would you buy a book entitled 'how to cheat at cooking' in the first place?) Personally, I bought the book on the basis that it might provide me with some after-work ideas for a quick meal. Flicking through the book, I have only really come across a couple of recipes that appealed to me and most of them contained so many specific ingredients that I felt it was not worth the bother. The ones with a shorter list of ingredients seemed to be so pointless as I felt it easier and cheaper to just buy the dish in a ready made version! Sorry, Delia, I know you are trying to move with the times, and I for one appreciate that, but I couldn't get on with this book, it's definitely not one of your best or one of my favourites.

Cheese, cheese and more cheese!	Customer Rating:
Far too many of the recipes in this book contain cheese - which I hate. Looking through the book I only like the look of two recipes and one of them is a cake! Also, I wish it would give alternatives e.g so I could substitute my mashed potatoes for the frozen ones listed. Book was bought as a gift and is now on the shelf at the local charity shop.

WHen "young Delia" was the cooking edge

Customer Rating:

The original "How to Cheat at cooking " has had an honoured place in our kitchen for 30 years. It was full of great corner cuts based on readily available products and the cheat s worked, like all Delia stuff - This original book didn't depend on which supermarket you used- no corporate recommendations here - just great ways to produce good dishes and sauces with less effort and relatively wholesome ingredients - the new book is different , fun sure, but sooo corporate, - seek out the old one(even as a collectable item it will still be cheaper) and rekindle your faith as well as getting quick dishes people admire on the table

Poor book, not useful, read back of the packets and save your money

Customer Rating:

I don't care to get into the controversy over whether or not this is part of this food movement or whether it sends the right message... all I wanted to know when I read it was whether Delia presented simple, day-to-day recipes that I could use when I was in a hurry and wanted something nice for the family. Totally disappointed. Why? -- very simple: I do not need to spend money on a book to tell me to read the back of the packet of pre-packaged foods in the supermarket. I don't have anything against the occassional use of a ready meal or a frozen ingredient, but why would I want to spend money for a batch of recipes that basically tell me nothing more than the information on the packaging tells me: open, pour, stir in a can of... I returned this book for a full refund. Useless.