Appetite: So What Do You Want to Eat Today?

Very cleverly, he has built his book not around detailed recipes as such--that would be too specific for his purposes--but around the sort of thing that might pop into your head as something you would really like to eat. No one says "I fancy Shallow Fried Herring Milt with Sherry Vinegar, Parsley and Butter Sauce tonight"; but they might well think of a Creamy, Calming Pasta Dish, or a Big Fish Pie, or Bangers and Mash. They might like to know, too, some of the endless variations they can play on these platonic essences. These are the kinds of food this generous and handsome book celebrates; foods that have a genuine part to play in people's lives. This is quintessential Nigel Slater, laid-back, not claiming any special privilege as a chef ("If I can do it, so can you" he remarks); and all wrapped up in that wonderful, lived-in, squashy prose that hits the spot every time. A feast of a book, from a man with no tricks or gimmicks, who is happily in touch with his own appetites and wants to put us in touch with ours.--Robin Davidson

Reader Reviews:

Classic, must have (0/0 people found this helpful)

Unlike most cookery books this isn't just a collection of recipes. Nigel shares his approach to food and explains theories in an approachable, understandable way. He encourages you to cook in a way that doesn't tie you to the exact ingredients of a recipe, but to alter things based on your own preference. He gives you a basic recipe and includes many variations so you can make it slightly different each time depending on your taste, and what you might have in the cupboard.

Overall not only a good cook book but a good read. Reusable theories and approaches, not set recipes. Uncomplicated tasty food that you'll go back to again and again.

simply the very best (3/3 people found this helpful)

I have collected a large number of food books which I greatly enjoy and consult. However, there is simply no better book than this. Even after using and savouring it for years, I constantly find new stuff to inform and educate. THe way the author suggests alternatives to the recipes and encourages a relaxed approach to the task is absolutely the opposite to the fussy over-detailed approach of cooks of long ago. The greatest compliment I can pay is to record the fact that I frequently embark on cooking a meal from or inspired by the book after just browsing its pages, and usually find that ( courtesy of the alternatives advice ) I can manage to find the ingredients. If I could only retain one book, or select one as a present for an aspiring cook, this would be the one.

wonderful book (1/1 people found this helpful)

I bought this book years ago, and recently again as a gift for my sister, who wanted "man food" recipes. Nigel Slater always delivers, and this recipe book is particularly good as it covers cooking as most of us do it day to day - that is, we start with a main ingredient and try to create a dish around it. Its filled with (mostly) simple recipes with a number of variations, encouraging the cook to learn what goes with what, and to trust their taste buds. And to experiment! He has a wonderful knack of explaining exactly how to make staple dishes perfectly (the gift item was bought because of the need to cook the perfect steak), and as usual with him the recipes are a joy to read, almost as good as eating the finished item.

VERY good (0/1 people found this helpful)

but occasionally a bit patronising, I mean do you really need to be told that keeping a box of smarties in your kitchen is a good idea because people tend to like smarties? Is that really helpful?

Excellent book for beginners who feel daunted by the world of the kitchen nonetheless.

And yes, I do like smarties.

How to cook - NOT how to follow a recipe (1/1 people found this helpful)

This book is great - perhaps Nigel's finest hour. It teaches you how to cook and most importantly, how to modify a recipe depending on your own tastes and 'appetite'. Basically, Nigel presents template recipes for some key dishes - pastries, roasts, pies, stews, broths - and then encourages you NOT to follow the recipe slavishly. Throw in what you fancy - tweak the recipe round the edges - your supper should be something that YOU want to eat.

Only a proper cook rather than a 'celebrity chef' could have written this book. Thanks a lot Nigel - this book taught me how to be a confident and inventive cook.

Appetite: So What Do You Want to Eat Today?

Nigel Slater

Editorial Review: