Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

I nearly didn't buy this book...

Customer Rating:

I nearly didn't buy this book - but I'm very glad I did. All the recipes I have used have worked well,and some have become real household staples. Many of them, however, seem to be for huge quantities, and I frequently find myself dividing by two or four to get a mangeable dish. The book is organised on seasonal lines, but everything seems to come into season before the book says it should - global warming perhaps? I did find myself wondering if the author really grows all these vegetables - you'd need a garden the size of Gloucestershire. I also found the persistent name dropping irritating - is there anyone this woman doesn't know? These carpings should not, however, detract from a book which has proved to be an excellent investment.

Inspirational garden and recipes!

Customer Rating:

Utterly beautiful book, filled with stunning photos and mouth watering recipes. Gives recommendations for varieties of each fruit/vegetable, particularly interesting if you grow your own. Arranged by month, and then into each fruit/vegetable. Recipes include Treviso Lasagne Penne with Preserved Lemon and Avocado Rosemary and Anchocy Encrusted Lamb Fillet of Beef with Rocket Baby Spinach, Pancetta and Roasted Almond Salad Asparagus Pasta with Lemon Mint and Pea Tip Risotto Elderflower Fritters French Apricot Jam Cherry Clafoutis All the recipes I've tried have worked perfectly. I love using this book for cooking and I love browsing through it - would make a greatly appreciated book for someone you care about!

extra veg inspiration

Customer Rating:

As a compulsive cook book buyer/collector/hoarder this was too good to miss, based on previous reviews I went ahead and bought this book and was not at all disappointed. Some recipes are familiar and therefore comforting and others provide new ideas and inspiration, so much so I resorted to pilfering handfuls of lemon verbena leaves from my mother's shrub in order to try out the Verveine Sorbet recipe to much success. This is a 'must have' cook book, the recipes are beautifully laid out and very clear, it is not a book for the complete beginner or unadventurous cook. If you simply enjoy food, cooking and browsing through recipes then this book is for you. The photographs and colourful design enhance this pleasurable experience and is excellent value for money as well as making a gorgeous present for a foodie.

Fantastic - all-year-round use

Customer Rating:

I bought this book for my mum earlier in the year, and borrowed it so many times I decided I needed a copy for myself! It's fantastically laid out (I'm in the book layout business myself, and know a good one when I see one!) Really easy to use, full of great ideas for both gluts from the garden or those buy-one-get-one-free offers from the supermarket. It's now permanently to hand in the kitchen (not one of those look through it once and put it away kind of books), each section being for the different seasons means it's going to be used all year round. The only problem is now that I'm inspired to grow all sorts of things next year, so might need a bigger garden!

Treat with care

Customer Rating:

This is a fantastic book, especially for anyone with an overabundant allotment, but not for the beginner cook. You will need to have an idea of what you are making before you start as I find some of the quantities are a bit out - for the delicious spinach tart, serves 6, she recommends making a pound of pastry (I made it fine with 8oz) and the blackcurrant cupcake icing would have iced 40 cakes, not the 11 the recipe made!