• London_Mummy on January 28, 2026

  I read this as a foodie memoir, not as a cookbook. It was quite smug & name-dropping in tone (although also witty, & emotional in regard to his family) so his references to his health at the end came as a dramatic surprise to me. The recipes were nearly all irrelevant to a vegetarian, so I was glad I had merely borrowed it from the library. It was a light & entertaining read, a bit glib about the most interesting parts of his life; but I suppose that is the problem when someone who is still working writes their memoir.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Ragù Tucci

  • IvyManning on September 02, 2023

    The recipe is vague. What is "medium cubes"? Country style ribs do not include the bone, but in the essay he says to use pork rubs with the bone. In the end, the sauce was very thin and it took much longer than 2 hours for the "medium" pieces of meat to be tender. Hard nope on this one.

• Spaghetti with lentils

  • TinyCitiKitchen on July 19, 2023

    This might be the best ever cheap meal for a crowd. Easy, inexpensive, and packed with flavor.

• The martini

  • simon_682tg9 on April 02, 2026

    Incorrect page, it’s on page 207. EYB Note - the recipe is on p.207 in UK edition and p.201 in US edition.

• Joan and Stan's (safely) roasted potatoes

  • lean1 on May 29, 2022

    I made this with fresh rosemary from my golden. I made half the amount and it cooked for 1 hour 15 min and was perfect. Crisp on the outside creamy on the inside. Loved it. I new favorite.

• Spaghetti con zucchine alla Nerano

  • catmummery on October 21, 2023

    i love love love this. It takes time but is so worth it. incredibly rich and creamy yet so few ingredients.

• Lamb chops

  • Soosie on May 20, 2026

    Not on page 257! EYB Note - it's on p.257 in US edition and p.263 in UK edition. Well, well! Thanks for the update. Actually, in my book, the recipe is on 267!!! Too late, and I couldn’t be bothered to trawl through a book with no index BUT…I googled the recipe fried my dear little chops for 2 minutes a side after marinating. Lovely.

  • Soosie on May 22, 2026

    Not on page 263 in UK edition .

• Pasta fagioli (my way)

  • jenmacgregor18 on September 06, 2024

    We enjoyed this. I used Tomato Basil sauce I had opened, Swiss chard for kale. Added basil & chili flake.