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Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life
Jamie at Home
407 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
52 people are currently reading
15632 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Oliver
247 books1,142 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver, sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef and media personality well known for his growing list of food-focused television shows, his more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking habits for the better across the United Kingdom.
James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver, sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef and media personality well known for his growing list of food-focused television shows, his more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking habits for the better across the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
December 28, 2016
I must have had this book for about a decade now, and don't see myself parting with it any time soon. I bought it around the time I first got into growing vegetables myself, if you ignore the years I helped my dad with his vegetables when I was a child. I even ate almost all 40 of his baby cabbages straight out of the ground when I was about 3 years old, oops. It's amazing what a child can achieve while their parents aren't looking, ha ha.
This book is full of tips on how to grow fruit and vegetables in your own garden or allotment, along with tasty recipes using the items you've managed to grow yourself, which is always a satisfying feeling.
This book is full of tips on how to grow fruit and vegetables in your own garden or allotment, along with tasty recipes using the items you've managed to grow yourself, which is always a satisfying feeling.
January 30, 2009
This book is huge! The gardener and tree hugger in my equally appreciate Oliver's take on food. Oliver weaves conversations about food production, environmental issues, balancing hugging trees with real life, etc. in with his great recipes. He promotes local food, eating foods in season, and discusses the reality of our current food production world. The recipes are mostly straight-forward and simple, which is helpful for us ADD folks. ;-)
June 11, 2010
I love the unconventional format of this book. Oliver groups the recipes by season/ingredient. This is a great companion to his television series, ironically titled "Jamie at Home." His passion and enthusiasm for fresh ingredients and simple recipes translates very well to the page. Personally, I like to have a companion photo with as many recipes as possible for presentation ideas and this book has wonderful photographs of the food. I haven't cooked all the recipes yet but, I must say that most are quite tasty. I've found that some of his recipes do have a definite English quality. That is not to say they are awful but rather have a bitter quality. In my humble opinion, he tends to use too much lemon. His Italian recipes are fabulous, especially, his pizza. They key is his very simple four ingredient sauce, the best you'll ever have. In addition to recipes and commentary, gives simple instructions on how to grow most of the ingredients in a home garden. It inspired my first foray into gardening. What I’ve learned from other great cookbooks and chefs is that the simplest recipes are the best and “Jamie at Home” (the book) supports this thesis.
January 6, 2013
If you're trying to figure out new ways to highlight the bounty of your garden, this is it. Using simple, everyday pantry items (for the most part) Jamie really brings out the best in fresh, ripe produce.
The photos are gorgeous, and the recipes are very easy to follow. The book is broken up into seasons, and the Mothership tomato salad is not to be missed. It is stupidly easy, but tastes like everything tomatoes ever promised to be. A bottle of wine, a loaf of crusty bread, and maybe some cheese is all you need to round out a meal featuring the bright salad (recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ja...).
A slight warning: this book will definitely make you long for your own garden, and quite likely, an outdoor wood-fired oven (especially if you watch the companion television show).
Even if you already are a pro in the kitchen, this should be added to the collection of cookbooks. Oliver is able to bring out the best that each vegetable (or fruit) has to offer, revealing techniques not to be missed.
The photos are gorgeous, and the recipes are very easy to follow. The book is broken up into seasons, and the Mothership tomato salad is not to be missed. It is stupidly easy, but tastes like everything tomatoes ever promised to be. A bottle of wine, a loaf of crusty bread, and maybe some cheese is all you need to round out a meal featuring the bright salad (recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ja...).
A slight warning: this book will definitely make you long for your own garden, and quite likely, an outdoor wood-fired oven (especially if you watch the companion television show).
Even if you already are a pro in the kitchen, this should be added to the collection of cookbooks. Oliver is able to bring out the best that each vegetable (or fruit) has to offer, revealing techniques not to be missed.
May 24, 2009
Whenever I peer into this book, I'm attacked by the green monster of jealousy. How gorgeous (and gigantic) is his garden? It's so fantastic! And that's what's really interesting about his latest cookbook. He intimately describes his garden and teaches you how to grow veggies...shortly, it's awesome.
I've tried a few recipes from his book. I tried his asparagus dishes, which were all fantastic. And I made his onion soup, which turned out yummy. The best thing I think I made so far was the blackberry and apple pie. He also includes a pastry dough recipe, which is fantastic and kind of MADE the pie (though it was a little bit on the thick side, all due to the fact that I fail rolling out dough).
And as an art major, I have to shout out the the designers of this book. BEAUTIFUL photography, graphics, texts, layout. *GROAN* FANTASTIC!
I've tried a few recipes from his book. I tried his asparagus dishes, which were all fantastic. And I made his onion soup, which turned out yummy. The best thing I think I made so far was the blackberry and apple pie. He also includes a pastry dough recipe, which is fantastic and kind of MADE the pie (though it was a little bit on the thick side, all due to the fact that I fail rolling out dough).
And as an art major, I have to shout out the the designers of this book. BEAUTIFUL photography, graphics, texts, layout. *GROAN* FANTASTIC!
September 29, 2007
Love the format of this book. If you're fond of gardening or just dreaming to own a vegetable garden despite living in a cramped urban apartment like me, this book is a great treat! Like most Jamie Oliver's books, this one is filled with great photos, colors, and pretty illustrations.
June 3, 2018
Charming but ultimately I didn't leave with a single recipe that I intended to actually try.
October 1, 2018
Love the countrified photos, layout, paper quality and format of this book (Sophie Dahl's cookbooks are similar).
However if you are vegetarian like me you wont appreciate all the references to shooting game, meat and there are some dead animal images... But for carnivores maybe it might get them thinking about where their meat actually comes from.
Great recipes (very time consuming and chefy though) the cheeky chilli chutney actually took me 3 hours over two days! Welsh rarebit, rhubarb bellini, english onion soup, apple & blackberry pie and the squash soup were also delicious, I recommend them.
Just wish I grew my own fruit and vegetables instead of relying on tasteless supermarket ones!
However if you are vegetarian like me you wont appreciate all the references to shooting game, meat and there are some dead animal images... But for carnivores maybe it might get them thinking about where their meat actually comes from.
Great recipes (very time consuming and chefy though) the cheeky chilli chutney actually took me 3 hours over two days! Welsh rarebit, rhubarb bellini, english onion soup, apple & blackberry pie and the squash soup were also delicious, I recommend them.
Just wish I grew my own fruit and vegetables instead of relying on tasteless supermarket ones!
June 21, 2019
Excellent all-round cook book. Friendly feel and many, many recipes that you WILL ACTUALLY COOK, unlike most celebrity chef books.
Jamie introduces a vegetable with a spread explaining how he grows tham in his garden, with lots of wholesome photos of him getting his hands muddy. Then follows a section on using that vegetable in the kitchen. Some recipes revolving around it, others focusing on a different main ingredient.
The pie recipe is a favourite.
Jamie introduces a vegetable with a spread explaining how he grows tham in his garden, with lots of wholesome photos of him getting his hands muddy. Then follows a section on using that vegetable in the kitchen. Some recipes revolving around it, others focusing on a different main ingredient.
The pie recipe is a favourite.
February 5, 2010
It's been more than a year and I'm still working through this inspirational collection of seasonal recipes. Frankly, I'm appalled it's taking me so long when everything I make turns out lovely.
Jamie Oliver, my cooking icon, uses veggies as the centerpiece in the majority of the recipes grouped here and every passthrough I find something droolworthy. One of my favorite recipes, the Asparagus and Potato Tart, has made numerous dinner appearances, despite the pitfalls of creating a filo crust. Grrr, filo. Although many recipes have meat in them, it's usually either something that's simple to leave out or something I'm inspired to make with a meat substitute. The Italian Ham and Spinach Tart, for example, I'll be making this week and leaving the ham off. Easy peasy.
All the recipes I've tried have been successes. Many have earned repeated rounds on the menu, like Sweet Pear and Apple Salad with Endive, Superb Squash Soup, Creamy Asparagus Soup, Fresh Tagliatelle with Sprouting Broccoli and Oozy Cheese Sauce, Rhubarb and Sticky Ginger Crumble, Mothership Tomato Salad and more. Top two recipes on my 'to make' list: Baked Cauliflower & Broccoli Cannelloni, Incredible Smashed Peas & Fava Beans on Toast. Note to self: plant fava beans.
I admit, I'm a sucker for Oliver's excitement over good-quality, fresh produce. Why shouldn't I be? He's absolutely right. Jamie's abstract directions (a 'good handful of parsley') may worry a more methodical cook, but I find them an opening, a verbal head-nod to improvisation and creativity. I find Oliver's recipes and his hands-on approach to home cookery continually inspiring, making this book one of the first I reach for in a pinch.
Jamie Oliver, my cooking icon, uses veggies as the centerpiece in the majority of the recipes grouped here and every passthrough I find something droolworthy. One of my favorite recipes, the Asparagus and Potato Tart, has made numerous dinner appearances, despite the pitfalls of creating a filo crust. Grrr, filo. Although many recipes have meat in them, it's usually either something that's simple to leave out or something I'm inspired to make with a meat substitute. The Italian Ham and Spinach Tart, for example, I'll be making this week and leaving the ham off. Easy peasy.
All the recipes I've tried have been successes. Many have earned repeated rounds on the menu, like Sweet Pear and Apple Salad with Endive, Superb Squash Soup, Creamy Asparagus Soup, Fresh Tagliatelle with Sprouting Broccoli and Oozy Cheese Sauce, Rhubarb and Sticky Ginger Crumble, Mothership Tomato Salad and more. Top two recipes on my 'to make' list: Baked Cauliflower & Broccoli Cannelloni, Incredible Smashed Peas & Fava Beans on Toast. Note to self: plant fava beans.
I admit, I'm a sucker for Oliver's excitement over good-quality, fresh produce. Why shouldn't I be? He's absolutely right. Jamie's abstract directions (a 'good handful of parsley') may worry a more methodical cook, but I find them an opening, a verbal head-nod to improvisation and creativity. I find Oliver's recipes and his hands-on approach to home cookery continually inspiring, making this book one of the first I reach for in a pinch.
August 16, 2010
This is one of the most interesting cookbooks I've come across. It's divided by season and subdivided by main ingredient...with gardening tips thrown in to boot! Very cool way to organize recipes, IMHO. And the photography is gorgeous.
In the Introduction Jamie gives a shout out to the Brittish sitcom The Good Life. I fell in love with that show back in the late 80s. The show was produced in the 70s and was way ahead of the curve telling the story of a couple who went off the grid to live a sustainable, simple, self-sufficint lifestyle. The show made a real impression on my all those years ago and perhaps it influenced the person I am today.
I tried 3 recipes from this book and all 3 were good to very good. My favorite of the 3 was the the grilled butterflied monkfish with a sweet runner bean stew. I could not find monkfish at my market so I used swordfish....and it was a real winner! I also loved the humble home-cooked beans. I love beans and this was a nice way to prepare them and I plan to use this recipe often. The last recipe I tried was the Welsh Rarebit with Attitude. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
I would have tried more recipes but it's time to return this one to the library. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a used copy to add to my personal collection.
In the Introduction Jamie gives a shout out to the Brittish sitcom The Good Life. I fell in love with that show back in the late 80s. The show was produced in the 70s and was way ahead of the curve telling the story of a couple who went off the grid to live a sustainable, simple, self-sufficint lifestyle. The show made a real impression on my all those years ago and perhaps it influenced the person I am today.
I tried 3 recipes from this book and all 3 were good to very good. My favorite of the 3 was the the grilled butterflied monkfish with a sweet runner bean stew. I could not find monkfish at my market so I used swordfish....and it was a real winner! I also loved the humble home-cooked beans. I love beans and this was a nice way to prepare them and I plan to use this recipe often. The last recipe I tried was the Welsh Rarebit with Attitude. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
I would have tried more recipes but it's time to return this one to the library. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a used copy to add to my personal collection.
June 17, 2011
Each chapter of this book was an episode of Jamie at Home (all of which were fantastic). It's in seasonal order and highlights the food Jamie makes at home throughout the year, which includes most things he grows in his garden, as well as broader topics like eggs, barbecue, foraged mushrooms, feathered game, pastry and pizza. He does 3-4 recipes for each section (all complete with beautiful photos) as well as a short write up about each - mostly his planting, growing and harvesting tips, but also important issues (why factory farm eggs aren't awesome, etc). I've made several recipes from this book, all of which have been ridiculously delicious: 'proper' chicken caesar salad, orchard fruit pudding, calzones, strawberry jam, green bean ragout, roasted carrots, pea/fava bruschetta....and more that I can't remember off the top of my head but know that they were all delicious. I think all of these recipes are now on his website, but this is one of those books that's just beautiful to hold (and, also, has converted the measurements and temperatures from the original UK recipes). I'd recommend at least borrowing it from the library to be inspired by all the photos.
March 2, 2009
I absolutely love Jamie at Home, so was really excited when I saw that a cookbook was coming out. The show is focused on single, seasonal ingredients - so, for example, three recipes about rhubarb - and the cookbook takes a similar focus. In addition, the cookbook has advice about eating and growing local. We haven't made many recipes from the cookbook yet, but I've genuinely enjoyed reading it, and am looking forward to doing more as the seasons come around.
December 28, 2008
This isn't really a cookbook as much as it is a manifesto or a lifestyle book. The photography is GORGEOUS, and the book itself is just beautiful, with thick textured paper and a lovely cloth cover. I'm just beginning my cooking experiments, so a lot of the recipes here seem very unfamiliar to me -- not what *I* would consider simple fare. Aside from that, I thought that the gardening / vegetable information was extremely helpful and really liked that portion of the book. This is one to really sit down with and spend a lot of time on -- there's a lot to get through in this book.
May 28, 2012
Great book to curl up with. Makes u want to buy a farm, a land and start everything new by planting and growing ... :))
June 5, 2012
My favorite, most used cookbook! Many pages have food splatters on them, which to me, means that a cookbook is loved, and serving it's purpose in the world.
October 30, 2011
Good book. Not just to cook from, but also to flick through. Lovely pictures.
March 29, 2023
На русском называется «Через кухню к лучшей жизни». Вообще, книга хорошая и ставить 4 звезды, наверное, неправильно. Но я столько поставил из-за того, что не смог бы приготовить ни одно блюдо. Скорее всего потому, что ЦА не такие как я, а кто-то кто готовить умеет. То есть это скорее для настоящих, а не домашних поваров (шефов?).
В основном не потому, что блюда трудно готовить, а из-за их состава. Почти каждое блюдо содержит по 8-12 ингредиентов и вы (я) не сможете взять и просто приготовить его. Как минимум, нужно будет идти в супермаркет, а лучше лететь в московский или парижский.
Например, вот те, что нашлись на случайной странице (145 стр): белый винный уксус (возможно, можно заменить на обычный столовый по умолчанию), салат «Ромэн», дубовый салат, листья одуванчика, сыр рокфор, шнитт-лук, красный винный уксус. Это моя проблема, конечно, но что такое Ромэн, дубовый салат и шнитт-лук — я хз. То есть сначала надо будет гуглить (а как тогда научиться чему-то скажете вы?), а потом понять, что у нас этого нет. Сыр Рокфор возможно есть в супермаркете, но сомневаюсь. Одуванчиков, сейчас, правда, как грязи, но мне надо собирать те, что растут вдоль дороги? В Ташкенте вообще воздух ужасный, пыльный. Такие одуванчики тоже ок?
Другой рецепт рядом: горошек в стручках (сейчас? надо ждать какой месяц?), кормовые бобы (чем отличаются от обычных? может, это фасоль?), сыр пекорино (шта?), хлеб на закваске (как раз вот, лежит, хлеб на закваске — как минимум надо обзвонить пекарни и спросить как они готовят хлеб и если не соврут, тогда поехать туда за таким хлебом), молодые побеги гороха (no comments).
Да, и один из плюсов книги: Джейми рассказывает как развел огород и как он там все выращивает и из этой зелени, собственно, блюда. Эта часть интересная и, как всегда, атмосферная.
В основном не потому, что блюда трудно готовить, а из-за их состава. Почти каждое блюдо содержит по 8-12 ингредиентов и вы (я) не сможете взять и просто приготовить его. Как минимум, нужно будет идти в супермаркет, а лучше лететь в московский или парижский.
Например, вот те, что нашлись на случайной странице (145 стр): белый винный уксус (возможно, можно заменить на обычный столовый по умолчанию), салат «Ромэн», дубовый салат, листья одуванчика, сыр рокфор, шнитт-лук, красный винный уксус. Это моя проблема, конечно, но что такое Ромэн, дубовый салат и шнитт-лук — я хз. То есть сначала надо будет гуглить (а как тогда научиться чему-то скажете вы?), а потом понять, что у нас этого нет. Сыр Рокфор возможно есть в супермаркете, но сомневаюсь. Одуванчиков, сейчас, правда, как грязи, но мне надо собирать те, что растут вдоль дороги? В Ташкенте вообще воздух ужасный, пыльный. Такие одуванчики тоже ок?
Другой рецепт рядом: горошек в стручках (сейчас? надо ждать какой месяц?), кормовые бобы (чем отличаются от обычных? может, это фасоль?), сыр пекорино (шта?), хлеб на закваске (как раз вот, лежит, хлеб на закваске — как минимум надо обзвонить пекарни и спросить как они готовят хлеб и если не соврут, тогда поехать туда за таким хлебом), молодые побеги гороха (no comments).
Да, и один из плюсов книги: Джейми рассказывает как развел огород и как он там все выращивает и из этой зелени, собственно, блюда. Эта часть интересная и, как всегда, атмосферная.
January 4, 2026
Having watched the TV series of this book with my dad as a child, I've now read it as an adult and it's fascinating how much the Garden of Jamie Oliver formed my cooking journey.
It informs you on the perfect flavour and colour combinations, how good fresh produce is, where to find it and substitutes when you're unable to find certain things.
I myself have just started a veggie garden to add more fresh veg to my cooking and I'm thrilling with all the gardening advice!
Highly recommend
It informs you on the perfect flavour and colour combinations, how good fresh produce is, where to find it and substitutes when you're unable to find certain things.
I myself have just started a veggie garden to add more fresh veg to my cooking and I'm thrilling with all the gardening advice!
Highly recommend
December 12, 2020
Gorgeous book. The design and photography are fabulous. Being that it focuses on gardening and growing vegetables in many of the added essays, it's really disappointing that nearly every recipe uses meat and dairy. Why not highlight the veggies? There's not one recipe I'd make without major alterations. An extra star added for the brilliant design.
June 28, 2023
I just find this to be a gem of a book. As an organic gardener, I enjoy following along from harvest to kitchen throughout each of the seasons. The recipes celebrate the freshness of the bounty without being overworked. The layout of the book, along with the garden stories, makes it a lovely read to curl up, especially on those snowy winter days when you just can't stop dreaming garden.
April 9, 2025
Yes, I read cook books for fun. It's not just because I get ideas from the recipes, but because I also like the blurb and chat around each recipe too. 'Jamie at Home' by Jamie Oliver is the latest recipe book I've read cover to cover. I had it open on the kitchen table and just kept reading bits as I was waiting for things on the stove.
December 24, 2025
Hi! I’ve been enjoying your story a lot your scenes are easy to imagine and very expressive. It honestly made me think about how cool it’d look in a comic format.
I’m a commission-based artist, so if that’s ever something you’d want to discuss, I’d be happy to chat.
📩 Discord & Instagram: lizziedoesitall
I’m a commission-based artist, so if that’s ever something you’d want to discuss, I’d be happy to chat.
📩 Discord & Instagram: lizziedoesitall
January 20, 2022
More than any other person, Jamie Oliver taught me how to cook. And more than that, he taught me to love cooking. This cookbook, based on his TV show of the same name, taught me the most. Recipes from this book have become essential family staples in our home.
May 16, 2017
An old favourite
July 18, 2017
Beautiful book, wonderful photos. Excellent, Jamie.
July 24, 2017
It's a lovely book, but those pictures of dead rabbits are quite creepy so I give it 4 stars and not 5.
August 11, 2017
Loved it. Still use it.
February 10, 2018
Good home cooking with some great tips on how to make them extra special and tasty. Lots of handy tips and good information and photos are superb. Just what I expected from Jamie Oliver.
March 3, 2018
Lovely staple foods with beautiful photos and top tips on growing your own and where your food comes from.
If only I had that lovely British soil.
If only I had that lovely British soil.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews