Off Duty: The World’s Greatest Chefs Cook At Home by James Merrell

Off Duty: The World’s Greatest Chefs Cook At Home by James Merrell lands on the shelves of my shop.

HARPER COLLINS, 2005, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs;

From the cover: From their table to yours welcome to the home kitchens of the worlds finest chefs.

In Off Duty, forty eight of the worlds top chefs and food writers abandon the heat of the professional kitchen and share their passion for home cooking. Revealing the favourite menus they love to cook for family and friends, they place the emphasis on delicious, straightforward recipes using ingredients and techniques familiar to the home cook.

An interview with each chef offers a fascinating insight into everything from their favourite piece of cooking kit to what they feed their children. With 144 recipes 48 starters, 48 main courses and 48 desserts there is something to suit every mood and every capability level. A sample menu might feature Gary Rhodess starter of Toasted Tomato Salad with Melting Gorgonzola and Rocket Leaves or Delia Smiths Baked Eggs in Wild Mushroom Tartlet. For a meaty main course there is Nigella Lawsons Shin of Beef Stew with Pasta or Gordon Ramsays Calves Liver with Sweet and Sour Mushroom and Rocket Marmalade. At-home desserts include Jamie Olivers Raspberry and Blackberry Meringue with Hazelnuts, Caramel and Chantilly Cream and Michel Rouxs White Peaches baked with Honey and Lavender.

Off Duty has a range of vegetable, fish and meat dishes to tempt every palate and a roll call of chefs to inspire, day after day. Bringing together todays top culinary talent, this collection is a must-have for the home cook.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Price Clipped.

White boards with Red titling to the Spine. 288 pages. Index. 10″ x 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Somerset at War, 1939-45 by Mac Hawkins

Somerset at War, 1939-45 by Mac Hawkins lands on the shelves of my shop.

The Dovecote Press, 1990, Hardback in dust wrapper.

2nd printing. [First Published: 1988] Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Facsimiles; Maps; Tables;

From the cover: This is the first book to document the history of Somerset during the Second World War, and is thus one of the most important books on the county to have been published, for the story it tells is as dramatic as any in Somersets past.

The outbreak of war in 1939 left its mark on every parish in the county, and over the next five years was to bring the black-out, bombing raids, airfields, evacuees, American troops, nights on Home Guard duty or days in the Land Army, sons and daughters away in the Services, tales of heroism and hardship that even today have lost none of their impact.

Yet despite the suffering, an indomitable sense of humour shines through on every page. For in telling the story of Somerset at war, Mac Hawkins has left no stone unturned, evoking a period that will bring back a whole host of memories to those who lived through the war and yet is still relevant today. Two years of detailed research have gone into a text that is both accurate and readable, whilst the 200 illustrations, most of which have never been published before, superbly document what the realities of war meant to the people of Somerset between 1939 and 1945.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Price Clipped. Previous owners’ inscription to the first blank.

Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 216 pages. Index. 10½” x 8″.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Leaving Home: A Conducted Tour of 20th Century Music with Simon Rattle by Michael Hall

Leaving Home: A Conducted Tour of 20th Century Music with Simon Rattle by Michael Hall lands on the shelves of my shop.

Faber & Faber, 1996, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Black & White Drawings; Musical scores;

From the cover: The story of music in this century is one of leave-takings. Traditional relationships with tonality, rhythm, form and sound have been left behind or radically reinterpreted. Western Europe has been usurped as the centre of musical culture. Exile and misunderstanding have forced composers to rethink their affiliations. The most dramatic period of change in history has been reflected in music of extraordinary beauty and excitement.

Accompanying the television series of the same name, Leaving Home looks at the central preoccupations of composers in this century and their relationship to the other arts. Michael Hall examines how the impact of their sounds and ideas can be seen finally to have the most acute and elemental resonance with this century of turmoil and diversity.

Very Good+ in Very Good+ Dust Wrapper.

Black boards with Silver titling to the Spine. [VIII] 288 pages. Index. 10″ x 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Growing, Freezing & Cooking by Keith Mossman & Mary Norwak

Growing, Freezing & Cooking by Keith Mossman & Mary Norwak lands on the shelves of my shop.

Book Club Associates, 1978, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Drawings;

From the cover: Nothing tastes more tender and fresh than food which has been produced and prepared at home, and the finest way of preserving what cannot be used at once is, as countless housewives have discovered in recent years, to freeze it directly after harvesting. Freezing garden-fresh food until required solves the two major problems affecting shop produce: deteriorating quality and the seasonal and general price increases which the prevailing rate of world inflation suggests is here to stay. There is an added advantage, too, in the constant availability of top-quality produce items which, for the shops, are out of season.

Growing, Freezing and Cooking is a complete reference book for all those who want the best results from their garden produce. Divided into four sections, it includes information on basic gardening, basic freezing and, in alphabetical order, vegetables, herbs and fruits; under each heading will be found advice on cultivation and choice of varieties, followed by freezing recommendations and finally, a few recipes for that particular produce item.

For all those households where gardening and cooking are regular activities, and for the ever-burgeoning ranks of freezer-owners, this book by two experts in their respective subjects should prove both useful and inspiring.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Edges of the text block lightly tanned. Text complete, clean and tight but a little age-tanned.

Red boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 190 pages. 8¾” x 5¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

The First-Time Cook by Sophie Grigson

The First-Time Cook by Sophie Grigson lands on the shelves of my shop.

Collins, 2004, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs;

From the cover: Want to feel more confident in the kitchen but dont know where to start?

The First-time Cook is a one-stop guide which shows you how to get to grips with ingredients and techniques so you can feel completely confident on your own.

It moves step-by-step through the basics with lots of incredibly useful advice on the possible pitfalls, showing variations and alternatives once you have mastered the essentials. From the perfect roast chicken to five variations on the quick-and-easy omelette and pasta of all descriptions, the recipes have been chosen not only to show core techniques but also to provide a fantastic collection of dishes that cover everything from quick (and cheap) supper ideas for one to coping with doing Sunday lunch for six for the first time.

Detailed step-by-step photographs show how recipes should look and finished shots are of real food, not overly styled dishes that only a professional could ever achieve.

Just like having one of the very best cookery writers and teachers standing by you in the kitchen, The First-time Cook will transform beginners into confident cooks and provides lots of fun along the way.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

White boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 240 pages. Index. 10″ x 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Clarissa’s Comfort Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright

Clarissa’s Comfort Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright lands on the shelves of my shop.

Kyle Cathie, 2008, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs;

From the cover: Comfort food can restore body and mind. Whether it is the beginning or end of a hectic day, we often turn to food for comfort and pleasure as well as nourishment. Clarissa Dickson Wright, the knowledgeable gourmet, has selected 100 of her favourite recipes to create an eclectic and inspirational collection of dishes for you to enjoy at home.

People are becoming increasingly aware of the advantages of home-made, simple food that will nourish friends and family instead of choosing a take-away or buying ready meals that are often full of chemicals and hidden nasties. There is a desire to go back to basics and cook food that is delicious, often cheap to create, and easy to make.

Clarissa has revived and simplified old classic recipes that have stood the test of time as well as presenting original recipes that have been inspired by her travels around the world. Not only are you offered warming classics like Sausage Casserole or Fish Pie as well as more exotic dishes like Partridge with Dates and Walnuts and gorgeous puddings like Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding, but Clarissa also entertains and informs the reader with her witty, historical and often nostalgic introductions. This is a personal collection, but a fascinating one that will inspire and delight.

Very Good+ in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Price Clipped.

Pictorial boards. 160 pages. Index. 10¼” x 9″.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!