Hello again!
Today I finally wandered into my local branch of Waterstones and picked up this long-awaited prize. Now, as this is my second ever post, you may not know how much of a fan I am of Jamie O. I watch the shows, I buy the books and I occasionally “wazz” things up with a blender.
I do credit his books with teaching me how to cook, use a knife properly and learn to build layer upon layer of flavour. His 30 Minute Meals and the successor 15 Minute Meals are some of my most used cookbooks.
However, I feel like the last few offerings have lacked the distinct wow factor that I was expecting. Everyday Super Food especially felt like a disappointment, flicking through the beautifully shot pictures of glorious food failed to get me excited, and really, I found some of it incredibly patronising.
This again, feels like a disappointment. The book itself is incredibly beautiful, its minimalist and really well structured with stunning shots but, unlike his other books, each recipe has no individual blurb so to speak, no introduction at the top of the page, which makes the book feel rather rushed, it also feels very impersonal considering the passion Oliver has about food. The meals feel incomplete and I was expecting to have suggestions at the bottom of the recipes to mix and match food from different sections of the book.
Even watching him cook on-screen in the Channel 4 show of the same name, failed to get my mouth-watering; out of four dishes, only one really piqued my interest, namely the almond pastry tart.
Now, I’m not saying I won’t be cooking from the book, in fact it seems unfair (and a waste of money!) for it to look pretty on my bookshelf, but part of me feels like it will be more of a chore than a pleasure. On the other hand, making a healthy-ish speedy meal from five ingredients that tastes delicious is a task in itself, so I absolutely applaud him for doing so. Although I am disappointed, my love for Jamie has not waned, but probably grown, I love the variety of recipes, the flavours he hones and especially his cheeky chappy approachability and his passion for good, honest food.
Expect some new posts soon!
Happy cooking as always!
Chelsea
The Cook Book Critic 