Ebury Press The River Cafe Cookbook

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This volume has been in print now for a number of years and the recipes still feel fresh and challenging as well. It is not a book designed for those who don't already have some basic cooking skill - it is not a 'method' cookbook so if you need to know how to reduce a sauce properly etc then I should get something else to accompany this one e.g. Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Vol 1 for example. However, the recipes in themselves are largely uncomplicated with a focus on the very best of ingredients. There are a wide variety of vegetarian recipes such as Ribollita and Ricotta al forno (a wonderful green souffle), as well as a number of more unusual meat dishes too. Particularly good was the fascinating Pork Roasted with Balsamic Vinegar - one would expect this to be far too acidic and sharp, but with slow cooking, the meat (which is grilled first) is complimented by a rich thick treacle-like goo, not too sweet and with only a hint of acidity - an excellent dish especially for a large group as you can simply leave it to cook. Their game dishes are also very good and the timings of most recipes are pretty accurate for the average household oven. If you want to impress your friends and yourself with fabulous Italian dishes, then this is the book for you.

Great authentic recipes

You can understand why Jamie Oliver is the fantastic cook he's become based on this book alone. Pros: tons of *great* never complicated recipes, carefully detailed instructions. The slow cooked sausage pasta is hands down the best pasta I've ever had. Cons: no picture, which was all the fashion back then, but I don't like it. I tend to pick what I will make based on what it will look like, so it's a bit of a deterrent when it comes to this particular book.

This cookbook captures everything I love about the River Café — seasonal ingredients, straightforward recipes, and that effortless Italian approach to food. Beautifully designed and inspiring without being fussy.