Sandra Cook

Pure food porn. Lots of photographs, some excerpts from various works of literature that mention coffee, and a smattering of information about coffee in general. The recipes are the most detailed bit of the book, and range from the interesting (Duck Breast with Prunes and Espresso) to the expected (Chocolate-Espresso Torte) to the odd (Toasted Espresso Nuts). One peeve – the word “espresso” is used with religious fervor in places where the word “coffee” would be used normally. So show more it's “espresso beans”, not “coffee beans”, and so on – it did start to grate a bit.

The other thing to keep in mind is that this is a small format book – 230 mm x 140 mm. So it's not the typical coffee-table offering. You can't leave it lying around, artfully opened to a particular page.

Verdict? Nice, but a little lite. An addition to your coffee porn collection, not a book to pour over again and again. show less