Mark Hix on Baking

The first impression after flicking through the pages of this book and taking in the photographs is of good wholesome, even earthy, home cooking; and for me that is very much what the term baking conjures up. Baking is not just about baking cakes, but as the introduction to the book points out it is cooking any food in the dry heat of an oven; the contents page conveys the range here: snacks; breads; fish & meat; vegetables; savoury pies, tarts etc; sweet pies, tarts etc; biscuits; Puddings & cakes.

The recipes range from the quick and easy to those that require a little more time and possibly effort, but they are imaginative and unusual, and they do look appealing. One that particularly caught my eye is celeriac and Lancashire cheese show more pithivier, a robust looking pie filled with thinly sliced celeriac layered with cheese and onion. That is just one of many, including some that one is perhaps not likely to indulge in often, it at all, such as truffled pointed cabbage.

The recipes are clearly laid out and are accompanied by personal comments in addition to the instructions. Many of the recipes are illustrated with full page colour photographs. This is probably not a cookbook everyday use, but one to check out for something special. But I can imagine that most will find at least one or two recipes that make their way into the readers regular repertoire. show less