Hugh Fearlessly Eats it All: Dispatches from the Gastronomic Frontline

I'm a huge fan of Hugh, his food ethos and all things River Cottage, but for me personally this book wasn't Hugh at his best.

Some of the 'facts' used in his wider 'ranting' (not farming based) articles were completely inaccurate. The articles in question were very old (late 1990s, early 2000s), but it was quite frustrating to read such a knowledgeable, eloquent man shouting utter rubbish in abusive tones. (For example, Hugh devotes 3 pages to intensely raging over the Atkins weight loss plan's long-term exclusion of fruit in the diet. It's not true. The Atkins, and all low-carb plans I've ever seen, only exclude fruit for the first 2 weeks of the diet as part of a wider sugar exclusion. 2 weeks, that's all.)

All Hugh's cookery books have pride of place on my shelf and are kitchen splattered from constant use. They're so good that I charity-shopped all my other cookery books. Which is exactly where this collection of articles is going.

Wild Food without Mears or Grylls and no frills... (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is not you normal run of the mill River Cottage book...no step by step pictures as in some others...Hugh takes you through some things he has eaten...where Mr. Mrs. & Miss or Ms Normal will never go and tread...

While there are some recipes included (here and there), the types of things eaten i've only seen on DVDs by Ray Mears or Bear Grylls or the like...

No photographs showing you the spoils on the plate or in the pot or pan, merely a discription of the items in question and away Hugh goes...

A Cook on the Wild Side minus the pics and DVD...Will be selected reading for some...

Simply Brilliant (10/11 people found this helpful)

If there is a better writer of modern gastronomic prose than Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall I have not come across him. Hugh's engaging style is the best of British writing, and incredibly engaging. I could not put this book down until I had read it all. Hugh may have foibles I disagree with but his compelling style makes me hope he publishes more like this. Giles Cadman

Hugh on song again (12/12 people found this helpful)

This books layout reminded me a bit of Bill Bryson's "Notes From A Big Country" (albeit with a massive culinary bent) - it is (in general), a collection of the columns & articles on food,food preperation, the food industry & dining out, that Hugh has contributed to a number of publications over the years.
It is an interesting book, if at times a little repetitive (& understandably,slightly London / South Of England "centric") .
Hugh espouses many of the points of view you wil have heard before if you have read any of his cookery books or watched any of his TV programmes.
There are some enjoyable rants about certain fast food chains & some interesting articles on food in general (the stuff about eating in Japan was fascinating but I could have done without the descriptions of exotic family holidays, when the wind & rain were lashing against the window, mind that might just be jealousy on my part !) - a book about food & eating with plenty of personal opinion !!

Thought provoking read (12/12 people found this helpful)

On reading the title `Hugh fearlessly eats it all' my son remarked; "obviously, not much sign of a six pack there". The books content is comprised of a collection of food articles by the organically reared Hugh dating back to his student days that have not yet reached their sell by date; indeed the messages that Hugh is trying to get across are bang up to date given a recent ministerial announcement that organic food is no more healthy than conventional food - a factory farmed `red herring' if ever there was one. All in all this is a great collection of articles inviting readers to consider and question what they are eating from a man who knows (and grows) his onions.

Hugh Fearlessly Eats it All: Dispatches from the Gastronomic Frontline

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Reader Reviews:

Not Hugh's finest hour (1/1 people found this helpful)

Wild Food without Mears or Grylls and no frills... (0/0 people found this helpful)

Simply Brilliant (10/11 people found this helpful)

Hugh on song again (12/12 people found this helpful)

Thought provoking read (12/12 people found this helpful)

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