Simon Hopkinson

Lindsey Bareham

A cookbook arranged from anchovy to veal based on the main ingredient of the dish is complemented by the author's notes on preparation.

Roast Chicken and Other Stories

Steven Ovadia

I had somehow never heard of this book, even though I've come to understand it's pretty famous. Roast Chicken is a very personal cookbook annotated with both practical cooking advice and great stories, which is my favorite kind of cookbook. Hopkinson has a great love of food. It's obvious when you find yourself reading the kidney section (the book is organized by ingredient) and thinking that they don't sound bad.
The book doesn't have a common thread (other than it's the author's musings on food), but if you had to assign one to it, it's to respect your ingredients. Everything Hopkinson writes is to further whatever it is he's preparing. It's not about making food do what you want it to do; it's about helping your ingredients reach their full potential.
I put down some cookbooks and feel like the writer must think I'm an idiot, or else I feel guilty I don't have five hours a day to prepare meals. Roast Chicken got me very excited about food. I'm not sure how many of these recipes I'll make, but the technique and ideas behind the recipes will definitely come in handy.

Joshua Line

'There's not a recipe here I don't want to eat immediately.' - Nigella Lawson Roast Chicken and Other Stories provides an insight into Simon Hopkinson's unique style of unpretentious cooking with 160 of his favourite recipes. Simon Hopkinson's forty favourite ingredients include everyday basics as potatoes, chicken and cod as well as more exotic foods such as asparagus and truffles. The cookbook is arranged alphabetically with a chapter on each food. Unable to hide his great love of food, Hopkinson writes about why he likes each particular ingredient, and gives sensible advice on quality, variety and good cooking principles together with the recipes. The book is aimed at home cooks and all the recipes can be prepared by anyone with basic cooking skills. From Grilled Augergine with Pesto to Roast Chicken and Homemade Ice Cream, Simon Hopkinson's food is always honest and inviting, designed to please rather than simply to impress.

Roast Chicken and Other Stories

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