Michael Joseph Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook

good quality

Like all cookbooks, you'll find about 10-15 real winners that suit your tastes and abilities, and you won't really look at the rest (often fussy salads - why is that?). But that's to be expected, and I've really enjoyed the ones that have now become permanent fixtures in my cooking. Oliver has some really good guidance on tricky things like roasting different cuts of meat, and some nice twists on classic meals, new pasta sauces, risottos. The book itself is attractive, with a place marker that is very useful. The cover board is sturdy, so you don't have a jacket flapping around and getting torn in a busy kitchen. Recommended

I have to admit I am a bit precious about my books. I like them to be neat and tidy on my bookshelf, no cracks in the spine and certainly no dog-eared pages. However, seeing this book at the low price of just £0.01 + £2.50 p+p I figured I'd take the risk of possibly getting a bit of a dog of a book. That risk really paid off.This book is quite robust, has a wonderful, good quality cover and binding. Straight out of the box it looked and felt brand new which was a really nice surprise. I think a lot of this is because this book is just quality through and through in terms of production so if anyone else is out there second guessing their decision to buy a second hand copy of this book, I recommend taking the risk.Beyond the quality of the production, the content of the book is just as top notch. It's not the be all and end all of cooking books as that would probably fill a bookcase itself, but it is certainly a good all rounder. There are some nice recipes, a lot of the basics are covered and it is a very tidy book to have on the bookshelf in case you want to whip up a meal to impress. Though not full of unachievable gourmet recipes like some cookbooks, it is full of robust and flavourful recipes that I can recommend highly.In the two-three weeks I've had this book I've tried out a number of recipes on my family, each time without telling them I was making a change before hand, and have had nothing but rave reviews sent back my way. Beware though, one of the first recipes I made was the shortbread recipe and if your family is anything like mine, the biscuits barely made it off the cooling rack before being completely consumed.Overall this is a great book that's not only worth it's RRP but was an absolute steal when bought second hand from Amazon. That basically means that this has been an all round good experience with buying a second hand book on Amazon with tasty results.

This is a great book with many great recipes and most of all they work, I have bought many cookbooks where the recipes just didn't. I certainly haven't cooked all the recipes from this book but have made a good chunk and it does now have some of my go to recipes, there is something in here for everyone - well recommended

Have quite a few of Jamies books, and I love that they don't get repetitive. I was late to getting this book and bought it second hand from amazon after seeing it in the shops. It has lovely tips included in it and lots of information on different cuts of meat, basic dressings, sauces and soups. He has a very authentic approach to cooking with lots of honest nutrient rich recipes that are perfect for families and couples. Lovely desserts also included, and great ideas for recipes for holding dinner parties

I bought this as a Christmas gift for my eldest son, who had recently introduced himself to the joys of home-ownership. The cookery book is getting regular outings and his confidence in the kitchen is increasing rapidly. Not sure if his enthusiasm is matched by his dinner guests just yet but practise makes perfect! There is something for cooks of all experiences in this cookery book, from beginners to old hands. It certainly has inspired my son to greater cullinary efforts.