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A Cook's Book
A Cook’s Book is the story of Nigel Slater’s life in the kitchen . . .
. . . from the first jam tart Nigel made with his mum standing on a chair trying to reach the Aga, through to what he is cooking now. He writes about how his cooking has changed from discovering the trick to whipping cream perfectly, to the best way to roast a chicken. He gives the tales behind the recipes and recalls the first time he ate a baguette in Paris and his first slice of buttercream-topped chocolate cake.
These are the favourite recipes Nigel Slater cooks at home every day; the heart and soul of his cooking. Chapters include: the solace of soup, everyday dinners, a feast of green and a slice of tart. Then there are, of course, the ultimate puddings and cakes with sections on the silence of cheesecake and biscuits, friands and the brownie. This is Nigel Slater at his finest.
. . . from the first jam tart Nigel made with his mum standing on a chair trying to reach the Aga, through to what he is cooking now. He writes about how his cooking has changed from discovering the trick to whipping cream perfectly, to the best way to roast a chicken. He gives the tales behind the recipes and recalls the first time he ate a baguette in Paris and his first slice of buttercream-topped chocolate cake.
These are the favourite recipes Nigel Slater cooks at home every day; the heart and soul of his cooking. Chapters include: the solace of soup, everyday dinners, a feast of green and a slice of tart. Then there are, of course, the ultimate puddings and cakes with sections on the silence of cheesecake and biscuits, friands and the brownie. This is Nigel Slater at his finest.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2021
75 people are currently reading
640 people want to read
About the author
Nigel Slater
83 books429 followersNigel Slater is a British food writer, journalist and broadcaster. He has written a column for The Observer Magazine for seventeen years and is the principal writer for the Observer Food Monthly supplement. Prior to this, Slater was food writer for Marie Claire for five years. He also serves as art director for his books.
Although best known for uncomplicated, comfort food recipes presented in early bestselling books such as The 30-Minute Cook and Real Cooking, as well as his engaging, memoir-like columns for The Observer, Slater became known to a wider audience with the publication of Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger, a moving and award-winning autobiography focused on his love of food, his childhood, his family relationships (his mother died of asthma when he was nine), and his burgeoning sexuality.
Slater has called it "the most intimate memoir that any food person has ever written". Toast was published in Britain in October 2004 and became a bestseller after it was featured on the Richard and Judy Book Club.
"I think the really interesting bits of my story was growing up with this terribly dominating dad and a mum who I loved to bits but obviously I lost very early on; and then having to fight with the woman who replaced her ... I kind of think that in a way that that was partly what attracted me to working in the food service industry, was that I finally had a family." As he told The Observer, "The last bit of the book is very foody. But that is how it was. Towards the end I finally get rid of these two people in my life I did not like [his father and stepmother, who had been the family's cleaning lady] - and to be honest I was really very jubilant - and thereafter all I wanted to do was cook."
In 1998 Slater hosted the Channel 4 series Nigel Slater's Real Food Show. He returned to TV in 2006 hosting the chat/food show A Taste of My Life for BBC One.
Slater has two elder brothers, Adrian and John. John was the child of a neighbour, and was adopted by Slater's parents before the writer was born.
He lives in the Highbury area of North London, where he maintains a kitchen garden which often features in his column.
Although best known for uncomplicated, comfort food recipes presented in early bestselling books such as The 30-Minute Cook and Real Cooking, as well as his engaging, memoir-like columns for The Observer, Slater became known to a wider audience with the publication of Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger, a moving and award-winning autobiography focused on his love of food, his childhood, his family relationships (his mother died of asthma when he was nine), and his burgeoning sexuality.
Slater has called it "the most intimate memoir that any food person has ever written". Toast was published in Britain in October 2004 and became a bestseller after it was featured on the Richard and Judy Book Club.
"I think the really interesting bits of my story was growing up with this terribly dominating dad and a mum who I loved to bits but obviously I lost very early on; and then having to fight with the woman who replaced her ... I kind of think that in a way that that was partly what attracted me to working in the food service industry, was that I finally had a family." As he told The Observer, "The last bit of the book is very foody. But that is how it was. Towards the end I finally get rid of these two people in my life I did not like [his father and stepmother, who had been the family's cleaning lady] - and to be honest I was really very jubilant - and thereafter all I wanted to do was cook."
In 1998 Slater hosted the Channel 4 series Nigel Slater's Real Food Show. He returned to TV in 2006 hosting the chat/food show A Taste of My Life for BBC One.
Slater has two elder brothers, Adrian and John. John was the child of a neighbour, and was adopted by Slater's parents before the writer was born.
He lives in the Highbury area of North London, where he maintains a kitchen garden which often features in his column.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 26, 2021
Read this cover to cover, like a novel, during a bout of covid. This book was the only thing I could taste.
July 17, 2023
Nigel Slater describes himself as "I'm a writer who cooks" and this gem of a book is decidedly one for readers who cook. Its full of languid, graceful recipes that are also ones he makes at home again and again.
While this is yet another cookbook written during the pandemic, none of the stress we all experienced during that time seeps through, instead it's a very calming read.
Don't expect the typical recipe structure, the list of ingredients is usually provided but the instructions are presented as lovely little vignettes. Peppered throughout are mini-essays on a variety of topics, from why he doesn't care for chocolate cake to the importance of his rituals surrounding breakfast, coffee & tea and having a tiny little midnight snack before bed each night.
If you are a reader who cooks, this is a book worth adding to you library, and it would also make a nice gift for any literary foodie friends.
While this is yet another cookbook written during the pandemic, none of the stress we all experienced during that time seeps through, instead it's a very calming read.
Don't expect the typical recipe structure, the list of ingredients is usually provided but the instructions are presented as lovely little vignettes. Peppered throughout are mini-essays on a variety of topics, from why he doesn't care for chocolate cake to the importance of his rituals surrounding breakfast, coffee & tea and having a tiny little midnight snack before bed each night.
If you are a reader who cooks, this is a book worth adding to you library, and it would also make a nice gift for any literary foodie friends.
January 30, 2022
The only cookery books I read cover-to-cover are ones written by Nigel Slater, this one is no exception. He writes so beautifully and straight from the soul; sensitive to all the pleasures of preparing, cooking and eating. The photography is wonderful too! Thank you to my sister for such a gorgeous Christmas gift!
January 19, 2022
It seems a little odd and maybe even a bit of a cheat to add a cook book to my list of reads but I have genuinely spent the last 2 weeks reading this from cover to cover!
Slater (as some of you may already know) writes beautifully and so I’ve enjoyed all of his vivid descriptions of food, deliciously combined with his own memories and experiences. This is now my cooking bible. I don’t need another book! In the fortnight I’ve been reading (highlighting, making notes and sticking in post it’s too!) I have already tried five recipes, tips and tricks; the book is already changing the way I cook. I have always loved to cook but this book is showing me how to bring simple and few ingredients to life, as well as encouraging me to be a bit more innovative and daring.
I would give it 10 stars if I could. EVERYONE should own this book.
Slater (as some of you may already know) writes beautifully and so I’ve enjoyed all of his vivid descriptions of food, deliciously combined with his own memories and experiences. This is now my cooking bible. I don’t need another book! In the fortnight I’ve been reading (highlighting, making notes and sticking in post it’s too!) I have already tried five recipes, tips and tricks; the book is already changing the way I cook. I have always loved to cook but this book is showing me how to bring simple and few ingredients to life, as well as encouraging me to be a bit more innovative and daring.
I would give it 10 stars if I could. EVERYONE should own this book.
November 5, 2025
DNFd Bored
March 13, 2023
«Man könnte mein Leben in Rezepten messen»
Nigel Slater ist ein britischer Food-Journalist und Rundfunksprecher. Seit siebzehn Jahren schreibt er eine Kolumne für die Zeitschrift The Observer und ist der Hauptautor der Beilage Observer Food Monthly. Fünf Jahre lang schrieb er als Food-Autor für Marie Claire und fungiert als Art Director für seine Bücher.
In seinem neuesten Kochbuch schreibt er darüber, wie sich sein Kochen über die Jahre verändert hat, von einem Entwicklungsprozess, in dessen Verlauf er jede Menge Tricks und Erfahrungen gesammelt hat. Er erzählt die Geschichten hinter den Rezepten, ruft sich ins Gedächtnis das erste Mal, als er in Paris ein knuspriges Baguette aß. Er berichtet von seinem ausgiebigen Frühstück (er kann sich nicht erinnern, je eins ausgelassen zu haben), schwärmt von den zwanzig Minuten, die er sich am Tag für Tee und Kekse nimmt, um sich zu erfrischen, durchzuatmen. It’s Tee time! In diesem Kochbuch präsentiert er seine besten Rezepte, die mit persönlichen Einleitungen bereichert. Von der ersten Marmeladentorte, die er mit seiner Mutter backte, bis hin zu Gerichten, die er heute kocht, ist dies die ultimative Nigel-Slater-Sammlung mit über 200 Lieblingsrezepten. Er erinnert sich an das erste Rezept, das er je in die Hände bekam, nämlich das für den Weihnachtskuchen seiner verstorbenen Mutter, handgeschrieben auf Basildon Bond Papier. Es lag in der Schüssel des elektrischen Mixers, der nur einmal im Jahr das Licht der Welt erblickte. Er schildert, wie er kurz nach seinem Auszug von zu Hause in einem leerstehenden Fischerhaus in Cornwall kochte. Eine Geschichte berichtet, wie er mit seiner Patentante eine Dose Campbell's Spargelsuppe teilte, und er erzählt von seiner Kindheit, die von Biskuitkuchen geprägt ist. Und er erklärt, beim Kochen geht es für ihn:
«Beim Kochen geht es – zumindest für mich – darum, sich selbst etwas zu essen zu machen und das Essen mit anderen zu teilen, aber es geht auch – flüstern Sie es – um die stillen Momente der Freude, die man dabei erleben kann.»
Es sind einfache Gerichte, bodenständig, eher deftig. Man erkennt den Engländer, der mit viel Cheddar, Sahne und Senf kocht, es gibt viel Bohnengerichte, gebackene Zwiebeln, Kartoffeln und Kürbis; Pie-Rezepte, Orangenmarmelade, Tee time mit Keksen und Kuchen, das Porridge zum Frühstück. – Die asiatische Küche, die arabische und die italienische sind Bestandteil der Beigaben, denn die typischen Gewürze wie Sojasoße, Misopaste, Currypasten, Garam Marsala, Gochujang, Ingwer, Sesam, Zitronengras, Kardamom, Kokosmilch und Za`atar, Harissa, Dattelsirup, Kichererbsen, Tahin, Linsen, Koriander, Kurkuma oder Parmesan, Ricotta, Pesto, Basilikum, italienische Bohnen und Nudeln zeigt die Welt-Küche integriert. Obwohl – die Kokosmilch kommt selten vor; die Sahne hat den Vortritt.
Nigel Slater beginnt mit ein paar Grundrezepten, wie Marinaden und geht dann zur Suppe über. Er stellt verschiedene Kürbissuppen, Bohnen- und Lindensuppen vor, ebenso sanfte, grüne Suppen. Dann geht es ans Brotbacken, z.B. weiche Brötchen mit Feta und Rosmarin; auch der Sauerteig wird erklärt. Der Gemüseteil beginnt mit Ofengemüse, wir lernen diverse Rezepte mit gebackenen Zwiebeln und Ofenkartoffeln kennen. Eine Reihe von Ofengemüserezepte folgen; Sheherds Pie hier einmal mit Süßkartoffeln und Linsen oder das typisch englische Resteessen aus übriggebliebenen Kartoffeln: Bubble and Squeak, bei dem man die Kartoffeln zerstampft, junger Kohl andünstet, mit Gewürzen und den Kartoffeln vermengt, in kleine Rollen geformt, anmehlt und in der Pfanne gebraten. Gebackener Kürbis mit Burrata und Linsen, mit arabischen Gewürzen abgeschmeckt ist ein typisches Gericht der Weltküche. Die Salatbar ist ziemlich kurz und es geht weiter zu Fleischrezepten. Die Gemüserezepte sind umfangreich und die meisten sind eigenständige, sättigende Menüs – Vegetarier finden hier feine Anregungen. Die Rezepte für Hühnchen sind umfangreich, meist gebacken im Ofen. Es gibt ein Extrakapitel für Alltagstaugliches, «Essen für jeden Tag»: Muscheln, Würstchen, Kollett, Huhn, Nudeln, Garnelen, dazu eine kurze Anleitung zum Steak. Unter dem Kapitel «Gelage» finden wir Gerichte, die vorbereitet werden, ziehen müssen. Und das «Festmal für vier oder vierzig» bringt Rezepte, die nach oben hin offen sind. Pies und Tarts widmet sich ein ausführliches Kapitel, salzig oder süß. Süßspeisen, Kuchen und Kekse mit reichlich Rezepten runden das Buch ab.
«Seit ungefähr zehn Jahren koche ich meine (Ofen)Kartoffeln etwa zehn Minuten lang, bevor ich sie backe. So wird ihr Inneres weicher und luftiger. Und ja, sie sollten wirklich rings um das Huhn garen, damit sie von dessen Säften anschwellen. Ich kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie entscheidend das ist.»
Pommes, in dickere Stücke geschnitten, im Ofen gebacken, getunkt in milchigen Käse, der aufgeschnitten, mit Olivenöl betröpfelt, mit gehackten Tomaten, Kapern und Gewürzgurken bestreut serviert wird. Die salzigen Kapern und die säuerliche Schärfe der Cornichons harmonieren gut mit dem Weichkäse. Es ist kaum ein Abendessen, eher etwas, das man isst, während man einen Film sieht, so Nigel Slater. Genuss pur, Wohlfühlrezepte für die Couch. Ein asiatisches Kürbis-Laksa; Gebackene Zwiebeln mit Miso und Sesam; Muschel-Lauch-Suppe; Linsensalat und roter Paprika; Kartoffeln mit Camembert und Dill; Spinat-Ricotta-Küchlein mit saurer Sahne; Kielbasa oder Cabanossi mit Sauerkraut und Pilzen; Eine dünne, schlichte Käse-Zwiebel-Tarte oder Aprikosenpfannkuchen – mit diesen Rezepten lässt es sich überwintern! Über 200 Rezepte, ein Teil ist bebildert – die Fotos ohne Schnickschnack. Ein Fundus für das Regionale mit Pfiff, schlicht, einfach, unkompliziert, auch für Anfänger gut geeignet. Vegetarier finden unter Suppen, Brot, Gemüse, Pies, Tarts, Süßspeisen, Kuchen und Kekse – dem größten Teil des Kochbuchs – eine Menge Anregung. Die englische Küche schimmert durch – geschmackvoll erweitert, eher deftige Gerichte. Am Ende befindet sich ein gutes Schlagwortverzeichnis, das sowohl nach Rezeptnamen als auch nach Zutaten anzuwenden ist. Nebenbei gibt der Autor seine Erfahrung preis, die Veränderungen, die er im Lauf der Jahre vorgenommen hat, Tricks und Kniffs aus der langen Erfahrung. Aber es ist mehr als eine Rezeptansammlung, denn Nigel Slater ist Schriftsteller, Food-Journalist. Genau das gibt seinen Erzählungen die richtige sprachliche Würze.
Nigel Slater wurde 1956 in Wolverhampton geboren, er zählt zu den besten Food-Journalisten der Welt. Nigel Slater ist Autor vieler erfolgreicher Bücher und genießt in England nicht nur unter Spitzenköchen Kultstatus. Seit fast dreißig Jahren schreibt er für den OBSERVER eine Kolumne zum Thema Essen und drehte diverse Kochsendungen für die BBC. Zu seinen Büchern gehören die hochgelobten Bände «Tender – Gemüse» und «Tender – Obst», «Das Küchentagebuch», «Eat» sowie «Ein Jahr lang gut essen», «Das Wintertagebuch» und die beiden Bände «Greenfeast», die alle bei DuMont erschienen sind.
Nigel Slater ist ein britischer Food-Journalist und Rundfunksprecher. Seit siebzehn Jahren schreibt er eine Kolumne für die Zeitschrift The Observer und ist der Hauptautor der Beilage Observer Food Monthly. Fünf Jahre lang schrieb er als Food-Autor für Marie Claire und fungiert als Art Director für seine Bücher.
In seinem neuesten Kochbuch schreibt er darüber, wie sich sein Kochen über die Jahre verändert hat, von einem Entwicklungsprozess, in dessen Verlauf er jede Menge Tricks und Erfahrungen gesammelt hat. Er erzählt die Geschichten hinter den Rezepten, ruft sich ins Gedächtnis das erste Mal, als er in Paris ein knuspriges Baguette aß. Er berichtet von seinem ausgiebigen Frühstück (er kann sich nicht erinnern, je eins ausgelassen zu haben), schwärmt von den zwanzig Minuten, die er sich am Tag für Tee und Kekse nimmt, um sich zu erfrischen, durchzuatmen. It’s Tee time! In diesem Kochbuch präsentiert er seine besten Rezepte, die mit persönlichen Einleitungen bereichert. Von der ersten Marmeladentorte, die er mit seiner Mutter backte, bis hin zu Gerichten, die er heute kocht, ist dies die ultimative Nigel-Slater-Sammlung mit über 200 Lieblingsrezepten. Er erinnert sich an das erste Rezept, das er je in die Hände bekam, nämlich das für den Weihnachtskuchen seiner verstorbenen Mutter, handgeschrieben auf Basildon Bond Papier. Es lag in der Schüssel des elektrischen Mixers, der nur einmal im Jahr das Licht der Welt erblickte. Er schildert, wie er kurz nach seinem Auszug von zu Hause in einem leerstehenden Fischerhaus in Cornwall kochte. Eine Geschichte berichtet, wie er mit seiner Patentante eine Dose Campbell's Spargelsuppe teilte, und er erzählt von seiner Kindheit, die von Biskuitkuchen geprägt ist. Und er erklärt, beim Kochen geht es für ihn:
«Beim Kochen geht es – zumindest für mich – darum, sich selbst etwas zu essen zu machen und das Essen mit anderen zu teilen, aber es geht auch – flüstern Sie es – um die stillen Momente der Freude, die man dabei erleben kann.»
Es sind einfache Gerichte, bodenständig, eher deftig. Man erkennt den Engländer, der mit viel Cheddar, Sahne und Senf kocht, es gibt viel Bohnengerichte, gebackene Zwiebeln, Kartoffeln und Kürbis; Pie-Rezepte, Orangenmarmelade, Tee time mit Keksen und Kuchen, das Porridge zum Frühstück. – Die asiatische Küche, die arabische und die italienische sind Bestandteil der Beigaben, denn die typischen Gewürze wie Sojasoße, Misopaste, Currypasten, Garam Marsala, Gochujang, Ingwer, Sesam, Zitronengras, Kardamom, Kokosmilch und Za`atar, Harissa, Dattelsirup, Kichererbsen, Tahin, Linsen, Koriander, Kurkuma oder Parmesan, Ricotta, Pesto, Basilikum, italienische Bohnen und Nudeln zeigt die Welt-Küche integriert. Obwohl – die Kokosmilch kommt selten vor; die Sahne hat den Vortritt.
Nigel Slater beginnt mit ein paar Grundrezepten, wie Marinaden und geht dann zur Suppe über. Er stellt verschiedene Kürbissuppen, Bohnen- und Lindensuppen vor, ebenso sanfte, grüne Suppen. Dann geht es ans Brotbacken, z.B. weiche Brötchen mit Feta und Rosmarin; auch der Sauerteig wird erklärt. Der Gemüseteil beginnt mit Ofengemüse, wir lernen diverse Rezepte mit gebackenen Zwiebeln und Ofenkartoffeln kennen. Eine Reihe von Ofengemüserezepte folgen; Sheherds Pie hier einmal mit Süßkartoffeln und Linsen oder das typisch englische Resteessen aus übriggebliebenen Kartoffeln: Bubble and Squeak, bei dem man die Kartoffeln zerstampft, junger Kohl andünstet, mit Gewürzen und den Kartoffeln vermengt, in kleine Rollen geformt, anmehlt und in der Pfanne gebraten. Gebackener Kürbis mit Burrata und Linsen, mit arabischen Gewürzen abgeschmeckt ist ein typisches Gericht der Weltküche. Die Salatbar ist ziemlich kurz und es geht weiter zu Fleischrezepten. Die Gemüserezepte sind umfangreich und die meisten sind eigenständige, sättigende Menüs – Vegetarier finden hier feine Anregungen. Die Rezepte für Hühnchen sind umfangreich, meist gebacken im Ofen. Es gibt ein Extrakapitel für Alltagstaugliches, «Essen für jeden Tag»: Muscheln, Würstchen, Kollett, Huhn, Nudeln, Garnelen, dazu eine kurze Anleitung zum Steak. Unter dem Kapitel «Gelage» finden wir Gerichte, die vorbereitet werden, ziehen müssen. Und das «Festmal für vier oder vierzig» bringt Rezepte, die nach oben hin offen sind. Pies und Tarts widmet sich ein ausführliches Kapitel, salzig oder süß. Süßspeisen, Kuchen und Kekse mit reichlich Rezepten runden das Buch ab.
«Seit ungefähr zehn Jahren koche ich meine (Ofen)Kartoffeln etwa zehn Minuten lang, bevor ich sie backe. So wird ihr Inneres weicher und luftiger. Und ja, sie sollten wirklich rings um das Huhn garen, damit sie von dessen Säften anschwellen. Ich kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie entscheidend das ist.»
Pommes, in dickere Stücke geschnitten, im Ofen gebacken, getunkt in milchigen Käse, der aufgeschnitten, mit Olivenöl betröpfelt, mit gehackten Tomaten, Kapern und Gewürzgurken bestreut serviert wird. Die salzigen Kapern und die säuerliche Schärfe der Cornichons harmonieren gut mit dem Weichkäse. Es ist kaum ein Abendessen, eher etwas, das man isst, während man einen Film sieht, so Nigel Slater. Genuss pur, Wohlfühlrezepte für die Couch. Ein asiatisches Kürbis-Laksa; Gebackene Zwiebeln mit Miso und Sesam; Muschel-Lauch-Suppe; Linsensalat und roter Paprika; Kartoffeln mit Camembert und Dill; Spinat-Ricotta-Küchlein mit saurer Sahne; Kielbasa oder Cabanossi mit Sauerkraut und Pilzen; Eine dünne, schlichte Käse-Zwiebel-Tarte oder Aprikosenpfannkuchen – mit diesen Rezepten lässt es sich überwintern! Über 200 Rezepte, ein Teil ist bebildert – die Fotos ohne Schnickschnack. Ein Fundus für das Regionale mit Pfiff, schlicht, einfach, unkompliziert, auch für Anfänger gut geeignet. Vegetarier finden unter Suppen, Brot, Gemüse, Pies, Tarts, Süßspeisen, Kuchen und Kekse – dem größten Teil des Kochbuchs – eine Menge Anregung. Die englische Küche schimmert durch – geschmackvoll erweitert, eher deftige Gerichte. Am Ende befindet sich ein gutes Schlagwortverzeichnis, das sowohl nach Rezeptnamen als auch nach Zutaten anzuwenden ist. Nebenbei gibt der Autor seine Erfahrung preis, die Veränderungen, die er im Lauf der Jahre vorgenommen hat, Tricks und Kniffs aus der langen Erfahrung. Aber es ist mehr als eine Rezeptansammlung, denn Nigel Slater ist Schriftsteller, Food-Journalist. Genau das gibt seinen Erzählungen die richtige sprachliche Würze.
Nigel Slater wurde 1956 in Wolverhampton geboren, er zählt zu den besten Food-Journalisten der Welt. Nigel Slater ist Autor vieler erfolgreicher Bücher und genießt in England nicht nur unter Spitzenköchen Kultstatus. Seit fast dreißig Jahren schreibt er für den OBSERVER eine Kolumne zum Thema Essen und drehte diverse Kochsendungen für die BBC. Zu seinen Büchern gehören die hochgelobten Bände «Tender – Gemüse» und «Tender – Obst», «Das Küchentagebuch», «Eat» sowie «Ein Jahr lang gut essen», «Das Wintertagebuch» und die beiden Bände «Greenfeast», die alle bei DuMont erschienen sind.
November 20, 2022
Good, if a bit florid at times.
The bread recipes look okay, although he mostly calls for commercial yeast. Interestingly, in each of the the ingredients lists, there is a mixture of weight (in grams) for flour, volume (in milliliters) for liquids, and volume (in spoons) for yeast and spices. The sticky seeded malt loaf looks delicious.
There is also a recipe for creating a sourdough starter that, like so many other cookbook authors before and after, calls for using a tremendous amount of flour daily, as well as the advice to throw much of it away while the starter is being created. Unfortunately, there is scant advice on how to maintain the starter. Alas, some of that scant advice is faulty.
There are three things wrong here: 1.) a plate placed over the bowl works just as well as a freezer bag and has the added advantage of being entirely washable and reusable; 2.) he really should have added "after feeding, covering, putting it into a room temperature non-drafty area, and waiting for 8 hours or so" before stating baldly that "it has probably passed away"; 3.) You should, under no circumstances, "pour it down the sink"! Is he crazy?!! That is so likely to clog the drain! (Perhaps Nigel Slater never made glue from flour and water when he was a child....)
One last complaint:
I don't know about the cost of flour in UK in 2021, but here in Canada, a 10kg bag of decent unbleached all-purpose flour costs about twice as much as a very good artisanal loaf from a decent bakery, and about four times more than a Bflat loaf from the supermarket. Therefore, in spite of the time consumed to make bread at home (most of which is spent by simply leaving the bread dough to do what it does without any help at all), the cost of homemade bread is significantly lower than buying it from a shop. Even taking into account the price of having the oven at 450F for about an hour to bake a loaf of bread. A 10kg bag of flour is enough to make 20 decent sized loaves of bread. Good bread. As good as the very good artisanal loaves from the decent bakery.
The bread recipes look okay, although he mostly calls for commercial yeast. Interestingly, in each of the the ingredients lists, there is a mixture of weight (in grams) for flour, volume (in milliliters) for liquids, and volume (in spoons) for yeast and spices. The sticky seeded malt loaf looks delicious.
There is also a recipe for creating a sourdough starter that, like so many other cookbook authors before and after, calls for using a tremendous amount of flour daily, as well as the advice to throw much of it away while the starter is being created. Unfortunately, there is scant advice on how to maintain the starter. Alas, some of that scant advice is faulty.
THE FIRST DAY [...] stirred [100g of strong white bread flour and 100g of lukewarm water] together in a sticky white paste in a white china bowl. Slipped the bowl inside a heavy-duty open freezer bag ( I wouldn't normally have these in the house, but they work better than covering the dough with a tea towel because they encourage the humidity essential for the flour to ferment)
[...]
If [your sourdough starter] doesn't rise and bubble when removed from the fridge, then it has probably passed away, and you should pour it down the sink. [Breaking Bread | A sourdough diary]
There are three things wrong here: 1.) a plate placed over the bowl works just as well as a freezer bag and has the added advantage of being entirely washable and reusable; 2.) he really should have added "after feeding, covering, putting it into a room temperature non-drafty area, and waiting for 8 hours or so" before stating baldly that "it has probably passed away"; 3.) You should, under no circumstances, "pour it down the sink"! Is he crazy?!! That is so likely to clog the drain! (Perhaps Nigel Slater never made glue from flour and water when he was a child....)
One last complaint:
Baking bread is time-consuming and, making one loaf at a time, probably costs more than buying it from a shop. and yet we still do. I do. Weekly. [Breaking Bread]
I don't know about the cost of flour in UK in 2021, but here in Canada, a 10kg bag of decent unbleached all-purpose flour costs about twice as much as a very good artisanal loaf from a decent bakery, and about four times more than a Bflat loaf from the supermarket. Therefore, in spite of the time consumed to make bread at home (most of which is spent by simply leaving the bread dough to do what it does without any help at all), the cost of homemade bread is significantly lower than buying it from a shop. Even taking into account the price of having the oven at 450F for about an hour to bake a loaf of bread. A 10kg bag of flour is enough to make 20 decent sized loaves of bread. Good bread. As good as the very good artisanal loaves from the decent bakery.
A hand-raised loaf is not just a thing of beauty; it is testament to our ability to turn the most basic ingredients — flour, yeast, salt and water — into sustenance for those we love. [Breaking Bread]
March 9, 2023
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own. First off, the table of contents I just thought was clever. Such titles “A chicken in a pot”, “A slice of tart”, “Five cakes for everyday”, etc. What a way to open up a book. Slater also includes an introduction which talks about him being a home cook, going back to basics, what you need in your kitchen and much more. Beautiful photographs of some recipes have been included throughout the cookbook. Each recipe is thoroughly written, so that a beginner cook would have no problem following the recipes. I first started to browse through the “chicken in a pot” chapter. Slater walks your through how to roast, stew, baste, seasoning and anyway else you can cook a chicken. In “Four chocolate cakes” chapter, Slater introduces you to Chocolate espresso cake, Hazelnut chocolate cake, Chocolate-chip hazelnut cake, and Marsala almond chocolate cake. I especially enjoyed the Chocolate espresso cake. It was delicious. Slater lastly includes an index which is set up by ingredient. A great addition to any cookbook shelf.
March 6, 2023
A Cook's Book by Nigel Slater contains a superb collection of over 150 wholesome, nutritious recipes. According to the author, these are the recipes that he makes most frequently. All the recipes are casual, simple fare and are easily accessible to the home cook. Ingredient lists aren't a mile long and most dishes can be made in a single pot. There is everything from soups and breads to vegetables, meats, and desserts. There is even a section on pies which includes not only sweet pies, but quiches and meat and veggie pies. If you notice the title of this book, it is a cook's book and not a cookbook. This difference is apparent in that book doesn't follow the normal cookbook format. Instead it reads somewhat like a novel. It flows from start to finish with recipes starting on one page, finishing on another with the next starting right after instead of on a separate page. Photography is very streamlined and minimal. Overall, this is a very solid repertoire of daily dishes.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
March 27, 2023
It’s nice to see a comprehensive book coming from Nigel Slater. After enjoying Slater’s Greenfeast series of smaller volumes with seasonal offerings, this has so much in one massive volume. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own. There are a lot of wonderful extras that I didn’t expect which were a great surprise (The Ritual of Tea and Cheesecake chapters are a winner). As a baker, I particularly love small bites that aren’t cloyingly sweet, and Slater delivers a variety of sweet bites in these chapters, and a great selection of savory tarts as well. The Butternut and Bacon Tart (p. 341) and the Thin, Simple Cheese and Onion Tart (p. 345) were just outstanding and relatively easy to execute quickly, both as a compliment to a meal, or a quick reheat for breakfast. Sometimes large cookbooks intimidate me, both because I’m not sure how a big book will survive in a kitchen setting, and if there are enough stars inside to keep the whole thing around, but I feel like the variety of recipes really sings through here.
August 14, 2022
Hadn't realised that this was quite so full of recipes, thinking from the write-up that there was more narrative. But Nigel writes so well about food, even if he is just talking about why you need to wash a leek, it's still a pleasure. He talks about his favourite recipes, the ones he's tweaked over the years, the changes in tastes and flavours and his overall passion for good simple food. Probably some duplication if you have his other books, as he talks about some of the recipes being in there, and I have a sense that this is a bringing together of articles and elements from other sources, as you can get the same information 2 or 3 times in recipes that follow one another, e.g. the thing about leeks being gritty and requiring washing probably appears 3 or 4 times. But no matter, it's still a good.
March 8, 2023
I've enjoyed Nigel Slater's books in the past and was excited when A Cook's Book arrived in the mail. It isn't just a cookbook. It's a memory of food, and his stories throughout are beautifully written. The recipes and photographs are enjoyable, and the ingredients and prep instructions are not complicated. I enjoyed reading this book over several days, treating it as a food memoir. Lately, I've been cooking slow-cooked meals and his recipe for Long, Slow-Cooked Bean Soup looks really good. You can see how much this author loves bowls as his photographs feature many recipes with finished meals in bowls. I'll be returning to this book often for reading pleasure and cooking some of his favorite dishes. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
May 24, 2023
I loved "A Cook's Book" by Nigel Slater. I had watched some of Slater's shows on the BBC cooking channel before picking this one up, and I really have to say, I LOVED it. Slater has a beautiful way of writing, mixing personal sweet stores with descriptive instructions of the food he prepares, and I have to say the experience of reading it was a calming one. I am DEFINITELY going to get my hands on this book and I have to say, even without cooking a ton of the recipes contained therein (I have some level of different tastes on some of the items) I don't regret for a moment picking up this gem of a book.
June 19, 2022
I read cookbooks to find new recipes, fresh flavour inspiration. Dip in and out, examine the pictures. Except for Nigel Slater. His books I read like a novel, maybe a biography. He is calming. You get the sense of the passing of the seasons, meals created and enjoyed. A life lived with a sense of ritual. And best of all, shot through with some unexpected humour. Oh, and the recipes are a pretty good bonus.
November 28, 2023
This is an odd way to present a cookbook. It is set up more like a novel. It even looks more like a novel than cookbook. The author calls it "a kitchen chronicle." Recipes start at top, middle or bottom of pages and can carry over 2 or 3 pages. I suppose this makes sense in that the author is a writer who cooks. The title is also a clue - A Cook's Book. It is unique and might be interesting to read through, but as a cookbook, it is difficult to dive in and would be difficult to cook from.
January 19, 2022
I love this book, Nigel's style of writing means you can almost hear him talking you through the recipes from a seat at your kitchen counter. A lovely cookbook filled with thoughtful tips and tricks, simple and thoughtful recipes and Nigel's wonderful writing. A new addition to my library and already a favourite!
March 26, 2022
It’s crazy to add a cookbook to my list (and a huge cookbook) but I read this cover to cover! Nigel Slater doesn’t just give recipes, he tells stories that pull you in & makes you feel like you are right there with him.
I would recommend this cookbook for those of us that love to cook AND love to read.
I would recommend this cookbook for those of us that love to cook AND love to read.
Read
September 11, 2023This reminds me a lot of Richard Olney's classic Simple French Cooking. The recipes are rustic. They use (mostly) pedestrian ingredients. The preparation methods rely on fundamental techniques employed skillfully. It reads well too. And since it isn't a "French" book, there is a great variety of cuisines represented. I'm looking forward to exploring these recipes in depth.
January 21, 2022
I devoured this - pardon the pun - and read it like a novel, not wanting to look ahead in order to keep the surprises coming. Nigel Slater writes about food so beautifully. I think this is his best yet.
Read
February 11, 2022I read Nigel Slater's books for the writing more than the recipes and this is a delightful read. Makes me want to slow down and enjoy life and food. I don't want to take this beautiful book anywhere near my kitchen so I may have to copy some of the recipes by hand as they sound wonderful.
March 29, 2022
I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to discover Nigel Slater’s beautiful approach to simple, delicious food. Reads part novel, part autobiography - devouring the words and the recipes in equal measure.
August 30, 2024
I actually read through the whole cookbook marking recipes as I went, instead of sticking it on the shelf never to be looked at again. Nigel writes beautifully so this is more than just a cookbook. Really enjoyed it and already made a couple of dishes from the book.
Read
October 6, 2024Another Slater book from the library. I like how he thinks about food, about how he sets up the pace of his life, and how he centers the good joys of the table at the heart of his life.
A philosophy I can get behind.
A philosophy I can get behind.
October 26, 2021
Best food writer there is, recipes as prose is how it should be done
November 11, 2021
My favourite of all his cookbooks.
November 15, 2021
Nigel Slater never disappoints!
I hope he's writing another book, that's all I can say.
I hope he's writing another book, that's all I can say.
November 22, 2021
I love all his books
December 3, 2021
It is the ultimate Slater, but I found him grumpier in his writing than usual which takes away from the comfort he normally offers.
December 26, 2021
Another fabulous book by Nigel Slater. Beautiful prose, thoughtful photography, and rather good recipes. What more is there to say ?
December 28, 2021
Nigel at his best. Comforting, evocative, beautifully written and achievable recipes. Wonderful to read as a novel whilst turning down corners of recipes to try later.
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