2024 the best shepherds pie recipe review

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(as of Dec 07, 2024 11:37:07 UTC - Details)

'Oh what a perfect book. It makes me want to take a year off and stand in a kitchen, all day every day trying to bring these wonderful dishes to life… without a hint of jingoistic grandstanding it reminds us what a rich, varied and proud cuisines we have in Britain… so grateful to have this.' – Stephen Fry

'Staggeringly comprehensive and deeply researched, it's a big, greedy, engrossing banquet of a book.' – Marina O'Loughlin, British journalist, writer and restaurant critic

Discover over 550 much-loved authentic home cooking recipes from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, celebrating the rich traditions of regional and seasonal British cooking

In The British Cookbook, author and food historian Ben Mervis takes readers on a mouth-watering culinary tour across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, revealing a cuisine as diverse as the landscape from which it originates.

Part cookbook, part cultural history, this deeply researched collection of 550 authentic recipes encompasses home-cooked classics, such as Shepherd's Pie, Welsh Rarebit, Scottish Crumpets, and Victoria Sponge; lesser-known and regional recipes, such as Bonfire Night Black Peas and Dublin Bay Prawns; dishes deeply steeped in British history, such as Haggis and Devils on Horseback; and iconic dishes with roots outside of the United Kingdom, such as Chicken Tikka Masala, Curry Goat, and Sesame Prawn Toast. 

The recipes are fascinating to read and easy to follow, with lively descriptions of each dish's origins; clear, user-friendly instructions; and helpful notes on unique ingredients and techniques. Stunning photographs of food and local scenery complete this exciting ode to British cuisine.

Chapters include: 

Eggs and DairySoups and StewsVegetablesFish and ShellfishPoultryGame and Game BirdsBeefPork and LambSavoury Pies and PastiesStuffings, Dumplings, Porridge and PastryGriddle Cakes and BreadsOven-Baked Breads and Savoury BakesCakes, Buns and BiscuitsPuddings and PiesSauces, Confections and Preserves

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Phaidon Press (October 3, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838665285
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838665289
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.57 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 1.63 x 11.55 inches
Reviewer: Joseph
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Simply Beautiful
Review: What a superb cookbook. I can't stand people who berate British food. There is so much variety throughout the isles that one doesn't know where to begin. Mr. Mervis has taken regional favorites and sublimely created a book that appeals to all through historic recipes modernized, Commonwealth influenced fare and an entire array that should satisfy anyone interested, be they an ex-pat, an anglophile or just someone who loves a truly good cookbook.

Reviewer: Grandma
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Let's Eat!
Review: I always get a kick out of those who think that British food is just stodge. That attitude reminds me of a story that my Dad used to tell. He was in the Navy during WWII, stationed in Scotland for a bit early in the war. Food was of course very scarce in Britain during WWII and after for more than a decade. Dad used to tell us how the US contingent would throw their dirty silverware into a thin, green liquid when they cleared up after their meal - until they were asked to stop dumping the silverware in the soup! And he wouldn't touch lamb or mutton for decades - not until he came to live with me on the Navajo Reservation.The British Cook Book is chock-full of the Best of British. Big as it is, it isn't encyclopedic. That would take several volumes this size. It is comprehensive, however, and full of recipes that many here in the US will actually find familiar, particularly if your roots are in Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and the Appalachians. Very few of the recipes are in any way complicated and most use ingredients you can readily source on this side of the pond. Speaking of which, the author does an excellent job giving the US equivalent for UK ingredients (plain flour, whole meal, icing sugar, etc.).Recipes are given in metric and ounces. Back in the 70's when the entire world agree to change to the metric system the USA opted out, giving as grounds that it would "cause too much confusion." (In other words, American women didn't do math and weren't smart enough to learn metrics.). Well, if you can spend money - and I know you can - you can easily learn the metric system. You don't really need to for UK recipes though. Buy a digital scale. You can easily acquire one for $10 or so. Liquids are measured in milliliters. You'll find the appropriate markings on every liquid measure sold in the US going back 50 year or so. Trust me, this simple scale will open up a whole new world.Take, for example, the Victoria sponge, reputedly named for Queen Victoria. This is about the world's easiest cake. Take 4 eggs. Weigh them. Use an equal amount of butter, sugar and flour. Spread strawberry (raspberry, mixed berry) jam and whipped cream between the layers and dust the top with powdered sugar.Speaking of Queen Victoria, not many people know that in her later years a man from India joined her household. From him she gained a love of Indian food and learned Hindi. Several dishes with roots on the Indian subcontinent have found their way into British cuisine, and one or two are good contenders for the "national dish." You'll find easy recipes for several of the most beloved here. Kedgeree is a lovely breakfast/brunch dish (make it in the US with hot smoked salmon) and Onion Bahjias (Bajhis) are to die for. I adore them served with Plum Sauce of the sort you use for Chinese Egg Rolls. You will also find a number of Asian dishes. As our British relatives traveled the world, they often brought home favorite adaptations of local dishes.The Welsh Rarebit is the best cheese toast you will ever put in your mouth. This is the real recipe, made with a cheese paste that includes a spot of dark beer rather than a white sauce. And while you're in that chapter, try your hand at Clotted Cream. If you can find it clotted cream can be had on this side of the pond in a tiny "shelf stable" jar for about $10. Homemade is ridiculously easy and SO much better. Add some hot scones and jam and you've got a bit of heaven.I could go on forever - but I'm getting hungry just thinking about the goodies inside the cover. You'll have to try them for yourselves.Grandma's $0.02 - Chock Full of Yumminess. I'm going to go make Toads in a Hole. Highly Recommended

Reviewer: Sammy
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Brilliant cookbook
Review: What a Brilliant cookbook to add to my collection. And it is well illustrated. Tons of recipes and recipes that are doable too. It's like the size of a phone book but it's not heavy

Reviewer: Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Makes me love my ancestors' food!
Review: Finally, a well researched cookbook on British cooking. Phaidon's series of cookbooks on the various world cuisines has been spotty, ranging from worthless to sublime. This book falls on the high end of that spectrum. You do need to know how to cook for most of these recipes because there are so many -- they're written in a terse style needed for such a large book -- but I've made a half dozen of the recipes and they work. My main quibble with this book is that the game section is thin and boring. There's SO much more to British game recipes than what the author provides. Nevertheless, this is a book that takes yet another great step toward redeeming a cuisine that still suffers from its post World War II malaise. Definitely worth your money if you want to cook good, hearty, simple food.

Reviewer: ReneeK
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The best cookbook out there
Review: I have purchased many cookbooks in the last month. Some old, some new, some Victorian, some medieval and modern! Out of all the cookbooks I have purchased this is the most logical, and enjoyable to read. Absolutely beautiful book and would make a great gift to anyone who is a Anglophile and foodie! Absolutely dashing! Love love love

Reviewer: Crystal M Hamling
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: I love it as a reference! Like it as a cookbook.
Review: I wish I could give this a full 5 stars, but I landed at 4 for this reason: as a US citizen, this book is just awesome as a reference. It is helping me to learn about food culture and tradition all over the UK, which is something I've been interested in since the GBBO started. So I definitely recommend it for that. As a cookbook, however, I've found it to be only so-so. Each recipe that I have tried so far is going to need tweaking...popovers didn't rise up much; mince pies did not have enough dough to create covers after I cut out the bases; pork and apple pies had too much dough such that my bases didn't cook all the way through, and I wasn't sure how to cut the apples -- the description says chopped apples, the recipe says thinly sliced...those are, indeed, different things; the Battenberg cake turned out ok. I cook and bake a lot, and I follow new recipes to the letter. Nevertheless, my creations from this book haven't quite turned out. I have America's Test Kitchen-standards for cookbooks, where they test out a recipe until it works. So, like most cookbooks, I feel this one doesn't give you guaranteed success if you follow the recipe. But it is a nice reference and base that I'll use to tweak the recipes and improve from there.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A classic timeless must have cook book!
Review: The British Cook Book by Ben Mervis is thoroughly researched and written with a passion for the cuisine and culinary history of the British Isles and Empire. If, as I am, you’re looking to connect with your Scotch, Irish, Anglo-Saxon, or Welsh heritage you will find a wealth of information and a vast variety of traditional recipes. The British Cook Book will not disappoint - it is a sweeping culinary voyage across all of the United Kingdom, with easy to follow recipes and fantastic images of the British isles. I highly recommend the British Cook Book!

Reviewer: Pat
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Best British cookbook EVER!!!!
Review: If, like me, you already have 10 British cookbooks, you will still want this one! So much in it, with photos of completed recipes and some of Britain's scenery. The recipes are well-explained, with possible ingredient substitutions included. There are many recipes of all kinds. I loved the regional names of dishes and will enjoy this cookbook for years to come. This is absolutely the best British cookbook I've ever seen.

Reviewer: Delivered to wrong house
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book is the best book binding I have seem in 25 years. The print is too small.

Reviewer: Raymond L. Sadler
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Some time since we've had a British Cook Book. This one is a cracker - superb binding too. Ben Mervis has made an excellent and comprehensive collection of recipes .

Reviewer: Lee G
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: It’s a wonderful book highlighting recipes from all across the British Isles, many from a bygone era.The sticky toffee pudding recipe is delectable!Highly recommended for the library, I’m always flicking through it for inspiration.

Reviewer: Vi
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Libro/enciclopedia meravigliosamente completo sulla cucina inglese, spesso sottovalutata a parer mio. Sarà una vera scoperta per chi come me è amante del genere. Libro in inglese. Consigliatissimo.

Reviewer: Jay Couch-Williams
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book not only looks good and has heaps of recipes, it’s also interesting as tells you from where in the UK they originate. Would make a great gift too!