Customer Reviews
Read the recipes carefully - By: Just a Reader, 30 Jun 2008 
I really like this cookbook, it's the only one I own that I go back to again & again. It would make a great buy or gift for someone who wants to learn to cook but doesn't know where to start. The lack of photos makes the book seem dull but I've come to prefer it, there are no cheffy presentations to make me feel inadequate!
I've knocked it down from a 5 to a 4 because I've come across errors so obvious I have no idea how they went unnoticed. Take the Spaghetti Bolognese entry for an example. It tells you you'll need a 100g/14oz can of tomatoes. 14oz is 396g! In the same recipe there's no mention of celeryin the ingredient list but the recipe says 'Add the onion & celery'.
Despite the errors I still recommend this book. Just be sure to read both the ingredient list & recipe thoroughly. If you find an error you should be able to use your judgement to make the right call.
The ultimate cookbook - By: A reader, 15 Nov 2006 
On the back cover it says "The only cookery book you will ever need" & it is true. It contains almost every recipe (all 100% reliable) you could ever want & importantly, the principles of cooking & technique.
Constant Companion - By: , 28 Dec 2005 As a self taught cook, I have often found myself wishing I had a recipe for the most basic of things (ie pastry or gravy) without having to use the trial & error method. I was given this book as a Christmas present & I love it, it has not left my sidein the last 5 days. Yes some of the recipes are good old favourites but there are some great inspirational ones too plus the recipes are writtenin such a way that as a confident cook I can add my own twists & mix & match. A fantastic cookbook for all levels.
All you'll ever need - By: Jeni, 04 Dec 2005 Echoing what has been said before, this is the best all round cookbook you'll ever find. Truly comprehensive & easy to use, it contains everything from comfort food to special occasion dishes. The primer at the beginning is fascinating, giving all the info you'll need on meats & veg, & preparation, & throwing dinner parties for the masses!
I stole my Mum's copy of this a few years ago, & refer back to it all the time, & will be buying her a new edition to replace the one I took! No kitchen is complete without it. It may not have fancy, obscure recipes, or little notes from the writers, but it's a no-nonsense compendium of tried & tested lovely lovely food!
Simply the best - By: CWR in PNG, 13 Jul 2005 Ignore the cavilling comments of some of the earlier reviewers. This is, as it claims, the Bible of English-language cook-books. No, it doesn't have lots of chit-chat about food & how it reminds the author of summer eveningsin Spain, & so on. There are plenty of other books to provide that sort of thing, if that is what one wants. This is a no-nonsense, easy to follow guide to how to cook most dishesin the common repertoire of English/French cooking. So what if it sounds a bit school-marmish at times? Prue Leith & Caroline Waldegrave were principals of a cookery school, so it really is no great surprise. Nor is it a problemin terms of using the book to learn how to cook.... The wine suggestions are not patronisingin the least. One can ignore them if one chooses (I always do), but for those wishing to learn, they can, presumably, be useful.
As for the suggestion that some of the receipts are archaic - most normal people would call them classics because they have stood the test of time. No, the book isn't cutting edge, but it doesn't pretend or seek to be so. It gives the user the ability to produce the standard, classic repertoire, with a few new things thrown in. Some receipts are complex, some are easy.
There are occasional infelicities, especiallyin terms of cross-references, & I wish that the receipts were not alwaysin quantities for 4 people, but those are very minor quibbles. The best thing about the book is that it gives the user the scope & the wherewithal to experiment & develop.
I cook & entertain a lot, & this book is my constant companion.
