Sly and British and full of tantalizing details and photographs. If Nigel ate more vegetarian-friendly things I'd want to camp out in his garden/ kitchen.

What a fun and inspiring book! Slater's website introduces him as a "cook who writes," and he can write. This book is worth the time for his stories and culinary adventures (I'm envious of the international offerings readily available near his home) as well as the legit-for-home-cooks recipes. I'm excited to focus more on seasonal cooking (getting produce at the height of its goodness), try new things, and have fun experimenting with whatever I discover in shops or my own pantry.

A pure delight.

So many of my foodie friends talked about this book and now I know why. It is quite possibly the best cookbook I've ever read. Inviting, sumptuous, but never prentious, Nigel Slater talks us through a year of meals he cooks and eats, tantalising with delicious details. He eats seasonally, so each month reflects the best of what is naturally available at that time of year, which is the ideal way to cook and enjoy food. As well as recipes, there are just loads of great ideas - things to pull together if you want something quickly. I made one of the salads he described - spinach, fresh apple, toasted walnuts, walnut oil and goat cheese - and it was incredible! Nice to know that he likes unwinding with cold, cold beer as much as I do too :) And if you live in London, he describes some wonderful markets and shops to try (which I certainly will be doing). I can see myself cooking a lot from this, but it's also a book I would happily curl up with and read purely for pleasure. Highly, highly recommended.

Photographs and recipes are delicious! I became totally zen. :)
The seasons are brought to life in the stories. It is as if you are sitting in the shade of the tree in his garden. It is the height of the summer. The sun piercing through the leaves...
Wonderful.

A lively read. Nigel Simpson writes "recipes" in the style of Elizabeth David. He does not number every little step and he is not always super precise in his measurements - "a good handful," "a glass of," and the like appearing more often than, say, "one and a half teaspoons" -- and employing lively, evocative descriptors like "enthusiastic boil" over traditional cookbookspeak. What is most interesting are the days when he confronts leftovers or seeks inspiration from what is on hand in his house, in the organic box of veggies he gets every day, or what caught his eye at the fish store, the veggie store, the butcher, etc. And this last point is the REAL theme of his book: cook, and eat (and enjoy), what is in season, what is fresh, what is good, what is reasonably priced, and doing so is not going to break the bank, consume every waking hour, or force you to lead a life of foodie preciousness. It will, however, ensure you eat and live well.

Xmas gift from cousin Barb. Love Slater:-)
No idea how to shelf this one, memoir, nonfiction? Perhaps a cookbook shelf is in order, though is so much more. Loved his memoir Toast.


ETA:
Finally came up with a self for this and similar titles: kitchen-reads.
Haven't really finished it, read it here and there, especially as the seasons changed. The British taste of it make me think Laurie Colwin would have loved it. It will definitely continue to be opened regularly here.

This book is absolutely delicious. I got my copy at the library but it is one that I would like to own since the recipes are broken up into months and can be referred back to depending on what is in season and in abundance. I love books that help to put us back in touch with our food source.