A Cook and His Vegetable Patch

[Florence Fennel]

This has just been published by Nigel Slater and I have seen excellent reviews. I shall be looking for the cheapest copy - apparently the recipes are an aside to the growing aspect! I didn't see his recent television series, but I'm told that was good too?
Flo

[pdblake]

I saw a couple of episode and it seemed to me the emphasis was on cooking, not growing. Mind you, I did learn how to make a risotto.

[northepaul]

I have Tender Vol 1, its brillient.... Its half price at Amazon if you are still looking for it?
Nigel Slater's 'Real Food' was the first 'proper' cookbook I owned.

[scarey55]

Oh goodee. I thoroughly enjoyed the TV programme and the book will be on my you know what list this year.

[northepaul]

Vol 2 about his fruit patch is out next may I believe.....unfortunately NOT in time for me to put on my you know what list

[Alice]

Hi Flo,
I saw some of the Nigel Slater series on TV - well all I could suffer to watch.
I found him patronising and addressing his audience like not very bright 10 year olds.
Everything grown was described as no problem - just stick it in the ground and off you go. Well, I think we all know it's not just as simple as that.
And as for his recipes - well maybe the finished dish looked good, but if you looked at what was in there - well the dish was going to be just that.
If salad leaves, rocket, basil and half roasted tomatoes is what you want for supper then great. I just want a little bit more.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't rate Nigel Slater.

[Seahorse]

I'm pretty sure 'A Cook and His Vegetable Patch' is just the subtitle for Tender Vol I

Tender: v. 1: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch: Amazon.co.uk: Nigel Slater: Books

I have it and love it (along with all Nigel's other books).

Of course he's not 'perfect' and like all media cooks is looking to sell his product but I really like his attitude to both growing and cooking 'proper' food

[Alison]

I really like him but different personalitiles don't suit everbody. Personally I like his approach far more than the forced matey style of Jamie Oliver but some people love him so perhaps it's a well there are so many programes on the TV as hopefully there is something to suit all of us. Have been hanging my nose over the Tender book but have promised myself that I'm to have no new cookery type books until we have a new kitchen and I can have a nice big shelf to put them on.

[northepaul]

I like him because his recipes are simple and you can improvise on them. A particular case in hand, in the recent series he made a Thai soup of some sort - I have never made any Thai food - always bought a jar because I was under the illusion it was too complicated and you needed to be a master chef to do it. Also when I was pregnant I could not stand anything with chilli in, so it put me off completely from using it. I took his recipe and changed it into my own - a chicken meal but adding more of this and that, it was a huge success, and I felt THAT good because I had done it myself.

Another one is Jerusalem Artichokes, (From the book) I had never tried them, thinking they were the same as globe ones, (which is the one veg I cant stand ) but now have and love them.(Although I am not saying anything about the side effects )

His column in the Observer is good too:

Nigel Slater recipes | Life and style | guardian.co.uk


But dont get me started on Jamie Oliver