Jamie Oliver is a successful celebrity chef, deservedly so. That allows him to have a huge vegetable garden in his back yard and to enjoy dishes made with pheasant, venison, and other expensive ingredients. I do not have those resources, so I find many of the fine recipes in this book to be unusable. ( )

Jamie Oliver's cookbooks are always a joy to read, full of great stories, wonderful recipes, and beautiful photos. This is no exception -- and it comes with the added benefit of seasonal recipes (even if Britain's seasonal offerings don't quite match those in the US) and delightful book design. ( )

This book combines three of my favorite things to do: Reading, cooking, and gardening. What I have tried:
Tray-baked meringue with pears, cream toasted hazelnuts and chocolate sauce on page 39. The picture on page 38 is actually what made me purchase the book ! Great dessert. Next time I will try strawberries instead of pears, or banana, or pineapple, blueberries. (April 26, 2008) ( )