Sara Lewis (1)

Yet another book in this very useful and practical series, this one covering pies ans tarts. It follows the same format as the other titles, which is one recipe to a page with a full page full colour photograph of the dish on the facing page. The recipes are clearly presented with a list of ingredients in one column and the method in another, but there are no additional comments about the recipes. An introductory section covers many of the basics such as the different pastries, and also some show more tips and techniques.

The pies and tarts all look very appealing even without any explanation - there is something very homely and inviting about pies that I find irresistible. The recipes are grouped under various headings, these being: bite-sized snacks; savoury light bites; main meals; sweet pies; sweet tarts; and finally gluten-free.

Among the savoury pies are such delights a venison and red wine pie, game pie, golden mushroom and leek pies, summer prawn and fish filo pie and Mediterranean vegetable pie. The sweet pies include a deep dish puff apple pie, Moroccan almond spiral, peach melba pie, apricot and pistachio purses, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie, and as well as lemon meringue pie (and those shop bought packet mixes cannot match a home made lemon meringue pie) there is citrus meringue pie, mile high chocolate meringue pie, St clement's meringue pie (made with full fat condensed milk), spiced pumpkin meringue pie and sweet potato meringue pie. In fact the list of tempting sweet pies and tarts seems endless, there are so many.

If there is a complaint about this book it must be the relative shortage of savoury pies, of which I count just sixteen in the main meal, thirteen under the savoury light bites heading, eight in the bite-sized snack section and five in the gluten free section, so the sweet pies and tarts far out number them. show less

The short introduction explains the different types of soup: broth, chowders, purées, bisques, veloutés, potages and consommés, and then considers homemade stocks, providing recipes for these various stocks. It also looks at stock cubes and ready made stocks along with a few further points including a some finishing touches.

The soup recipes are listed under the headings: speedy soups, chilled soups, winter warmers, something special, healthy soups and around the world. The format is the show more same as other books in the series, that is each recipe has a double page, with the ingredients and instructions on one page with a full colour picture of the finished soup on the facing page. The range of recipes is wide, varied and interesting. Many of the soups are quite substantial and could serve as a meal in themselves.

There is much to appeal here, from very simple soups to some quite exotic or luxurious. From tomato and balsamic vinegar soup to luxuries such as chestnut soup with truffle oil and which includes brandy and pheasant (or beef) stock. Just to mention a few other interesting soups at random: apple and celery soup, gingered cauliflower soup, pumpkin, orange and star anise soup, beer broth with mini meatballs, honey roast parsnip soup, smoked aubergine and tomato soup, chilled almond and grape soup, seafood gumbo, scallop and broccoli broth, Caribbean pepper pot soup, summer vegetable soup, salmon and tarragon sabayon, five-spice duck soup with pak choi, Ghanaian groundnut soup - its difficult to know where to stop!

The preparation times vary from a few minutes up to around a hour for a few, and cooking times vary similarly. I do think some of the preparation times given are rather optimistic (but then this is a criticism that can be levelled at a number of cook books). But at the price it is hard to fault this little book, so many fascinating recipes. show less

One of the now many books in this series of handy little books, this one being devoted to cakes and bakes. After a brief introduction which discusses the basics of baking the recipes are presented one to a double page, with text on one page and a full colour photograph on the facing page. The instructions are clear and the majority of the recipes uncomplicated and given a preparation time of between 10 to 30 minutes, occasionally more - although I'm always a little sceptical of such timings, show more I invariably find they take a lot longer.

The range of recipes is wide and grouped under the following headings: little cakes; cookies; traybakes; centrepiece cakes; cut-and-come-again cakes; pastries; and no-bake cakes. Among these one can find the familiar and less familiar. There is an index, but as with other books in this series I find the index rather irritating, in this case recipes are listed under one or more of the ingredients and not by name of type of cake, which does not always make it easy to find what you are looking for.

As with other books in the series, this is very good value for money. show less

If I managed to cook a pretty decent meal from this cookbook, it deserves at least 3 stars. It gets an extra for the variety of recipes it has. Not just stew in my slow cooker!