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Happy Days with the Naked Chef
Jamie Oliver believes in finding the best ingredients and making tasty, easy, social meals. Like his first two bestselling cookbooks, Happy Days with the Naked Chef is filled with fantastic salads, pastas, meat, fish, breads, and desserts for all occasions. In 'Comfort Grub' Jamie gives you his contemporary twists on old favorites, and in 'Quick Fixes' he whips up really delicious, easy dinners--just right for when you get home late from work. The 'Kids' Club' chapter is all about involving your kids in your cooking, like having them squash fresh tomatoes for pasta, pit olives, and knead and shape bread. For Jamie Oliver, food is all about Happy Days--good fun and great eating.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 9, 2002
18 people are currently reading
2731 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Oliver
250 books1,136 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 56 reviews
June 4, 2009
Last week when I was in New York, I met the editor who discovered Jamie Oliver. He says Jamie's one of the most genuine guys you'll ever meet. Somehow, I'm not surprised by that comment. I love his cookbooks. The recipes are hard to mess up. A couple glugs, handfuls, and pinches and you're good to go.
April 7, 2008
i don't know why the british get such grief for their cooking/cuisine... yes, it is true, that if you hang out in london, most of cuisine is imported (in december, i had the most amazing Indian at The Red Fort and the most delectable Sichuan at Bar Shu -- both in SOHO) but even the traditional foods get me excited.... i love sandwiches made with crusty bread, black currant tea, high tea with all those cucumber and egg sandwiches, clotted cream, Digestives, fish & chips.... and i love jamie oliver. this is his only cookbook i own, but i hope to add more. my favourite recipe is pot-roasted pork in white wine with garlic, fennel and rosemary...
July 13, 2014
This book comes with high quality photos of Jamie's cooking and Jaime and his family. As a photographer-hobbyist, I like the way the photos were blended because it brings the message that cooking as central to a warm family life. There is a centerfold of "the missus", a photo of Jamie and his wife sharing a beer and a shot of Jamie's hands cooking, one finger with ring on it. That broke my heart completely. Hahaha! I love the idea too that it comes with a narrative of how best to do things and why instead of blunt directions. . It's a wonderful addition to my small library at home!
April 16, 2008
I was this given this cook book as a birthday present on my 18th birthday by friends from sixth form. The general idea was that when I was at uni I would be able to cook for myself - I went to uni and lived in catered halls. Jamie Oliver uses simple language and the food he is describing look yummy. Now I am living at home, my uses the cook book and the food doesn't just look good anymore, it taste fantastic.
May 15, 2013
He is a little too vague at times with his cheeky Brit terms, baking containers (sizes), and measurements. I never follow recipes word for word, so I kind of like the vagueness , that is until I used a totally wrong "pie dish." All in all, great ideas, beautiful cooking and I'd still like another one of his cookbooks. :)
February 22, 2009
Some hits, some misses, but what a cute boy.
May 22, 2010
I haven't looked at the other Jamie's books yet, but I'm definitely going to now. This one has quite a few ideas that I liked in it - baking stuff in foil "bags", several easy salad dressings, different variations of bread based on the same basic recipe... What's even more, there is an air of lightness and happiness that this cookbook has about it: nice photographs, laid-back tone of the recipes - it's more like reading a good blog in a paper format than a "proper" cookbook. I think it would make a great present for a Jamie's fan, or for someone who is just beginning to cook (like me) and needs some ideas and techniques for inspiration.
Why only three stars then, you ask? Well, it might be just my expectations conflicting with reality, but Jamie has A LOT of meat in this book. Basically all the main dishes are based on either meat or fish and virtually every side/veggie dish calls for bacon or panchetta - to spice things up, I guess. And those that don't have bacon have butter or creme fraiche as ingredients. Come to think of it, many have both butter and bacon... Now, I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't think that every.single.meal has to have meat in it. Seriously. And how 'bout trying to reduce fat intake, Jaimie? A more balanced collection of recipes would be nice, but then again, I haven't seen any other of his cookbooks, maybe this is an exception.
Why only three stars then, you ask? Well, it might be just my expectations conflicting with reality, but Jamie has A LOT of meat in this book. Basically all the main dishes are based on either meat or fish and virtually every side/veggie dish calls for bacon or panchetta - to spice things up, I guess. And those that don't have bacon have butter or creme fraiche as ingredients. Come to think of it, many have both butter and bacon... Now, I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't think that every.single.meal has to have meat in it. Seriously. And how 'bout trying to reduce fat intake, Jaimie? A more balanced collection of recipes would be nice, but then again, I haven't seen any other of his cookbooks, maybe this is an exception.
May 20, 2007
I really enjoyed this cookbook, and use several of the recipies in it as staples inmy family, most notably the chicken in milk and the sweet and sour pot-roated chicken. There are a few recipies that are not worth the effort, such as the rock hen in dough, but overall I' d say it's a lively book which really appeals to my desire for easy, "fancy" dishes. I'd say this isn't for some beginners becasue not every ingredient is measured exactly but I don't really think it would be much of a problem. The pot-roasted pork with fennell is AMAZING. The pictures are great, too, as I've always preferred cookbooks with pictures of every dish.
September 16, 2011
Jamie and Nigella were two of THE celebrity chefs of the new millennium so if you love making delicious food at home that has an extra edge, then you probably already have one or more of their cookery books.
This is one of my favourite Jamie Oliver books although Jamie's Dinners is also excellent, and of course his original Naked Chef is great.
10 years on and Jamie and Nigella now irritate as many people as they delight, but their recipes remain fantastic.
They work, they are not long and overly-complicated and they pass the taste-test. Don't knock them till you've tried them!
This is one of my favourite Jamie Oliver books although Jamie's Dinners is also excellent, and of course his original Naked Chef is great.
10 years on and Jamie and Nigella now irritate as many people as they delight, but their recipes remain fantastic.
They work, they are not long and overly-complicated and they pass the taste-test. Don't knock them till you've tried them!
November 21, 2008
I love the way Jamie wants to make everything excessible and flexbile. I think those are fantastic traits in a chef. i also love how he writes his recipes, he does it in paragraph form...
That said, there were only a few recipes I was actually able to apply to cook at home. And there is A LOT of BUTTER in EVERYTHING.
That said, there were only a few recipes I was actually able to apply to cook at home. And there is A LOT of BUTTER in EVERYTHING.
December 9, 2011
This may be my favorite of all of Oliver's books so far. The things I loved about his earlier books (gorgeous photography, personable narrations of the dishes) are still here, but the recipes are focused on simple meals to make at home with family, all very doable and tempting. I would tag this one as the "must have" Jamie Oliver cookbook out of them all.
August 1, 2016
Browsing this book in early 2002 caused a revelation - cooking can be fun! And you are not required to be funereal and solemn! You can have a glass of wine while you wait for something to boil! Hallelujah!
I don't (and never will) cook 3 times a day, but when a bout of domesticity hits, this is a book I turn to. Pot-roasted chicken with sweet and sour sauce is an all-time favourite.
I don't (and never will) cook 3 times a day, but when a bout of domesticity hits, this is a book I turn to. Pot-roasted chicken with sweet and sour sauce is an all-time favourite.
June 2, 2007
I adore Jamie Oliver. He is the Rock Star of the Cooking Worlds. So cute and cheeky and clever. I call him my boyfriend and Mark is ok with that. This book is a good place to start with him, it's simple and fun, bright and easy peasy. Just like Jamie. Cheers!
July 16, 2009
love it! I have paged through this book many times and put in sticky notes on practically every page. We made about 4 of the recipes but I have not gotten through with all of the delicious looking marked recipes.
August 15, 2011
Just made the Spaghetti with Sweet Cherry Tomatoes, Marjoram, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (using raw zucchini spaghetti in place of pasta). Very Good!
This book, like most of Jamie's cookbooks that I have tried is full of simple recipes using fresh, whole ingredients.
This book, like most of Jamie's cookbooks that I have tried is full of simple recipes using fresh, whole ingredients.
December 11, 2015
From the series of the naked chef books this one is my favourite. I guess is due to the simplicity of the recipes, without loosing flavour or healthy content! I highlighted tons of recipes I want to try out :)
May 13, 2016
It seems that aluminum foil is a bad idea in the mix of high temperature oven and food. At least not healthy. But this guy is being hold as holy for the organic/bio crowd and frozen food is bad. Quite hypocritical.
July 23, 2007
his salads are amazing
August 10, 2007
this the best and most messed-up cook in the world! i like him from the first appearance in malaysian national tv which is NTV7.
August 16, 2007
Probably my favorite and the most useful of the Naked Chef cookbooks.
January 10, 2008
Great first cookbook - easy to read/follow and he uses fresh ingredients.
January 27, 2008
This guy's books are consistently useful. Tons of practical and tasty dishes. Excellent.
April 14, 2008
It is a "happy day" with Oliver when you make some of his recipes. The "My Favorite Curry" is the best.
April 15, 2008
I really like Jamie Oliver's simple approach to food. I get hungry just looking at this book! I also envy his Vespa ownership.
July 16, 2008
Ik heb er nog niet veel klaargemaakt, maar je moet gewoon een Jamie Oliver kookboek in huis hebben.
November 2, 2008
I so love Jaime. We're just completely on the same vibe, food wise...well, except that he's about a million times better and more creative at it!
March 8, 2009
Good recipes for every day and includes a great section for kids.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews