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Editorial Review:
River Cafe Cook Book Green is the latest instalment in its authors' quest for perfection. (That this austerely high-minded project should be taking place in one of London's more expensive restaurants only adds a pleasing Zen-riddle quality). In the first River Cafe Cook Book, illumination was achieved through the wood-fired grill. That was OK, because one of those ridged grill-pans would do at a pinch, though we were left in no doubt it came a very poor second. By the time River Cafe Cook Book Two came out, the famous wood-burning oven had been installed, to the despair of many. In the new volume the focus is on the ingredients, specifically fruit, vegetables and herbs. Quality, freshness and seasonality, of course, have always been paramount at the River Cafe, and are now boosted by, wouldn't you know it, the adjoining organic vegetable garden. Combined with the Cafe's unbeatable network of organic suppliers, this may make some readers wonder whether it's worth trying to keep up any more.
Emphatically yes, must be the answer. The River Cafe phenomenon has always been inspirational, if not aspirational; and the new book is packed with astoundingly good, simple recipes and ideas. It is constructed round the appearance of individual fruits and vegetables in the garden or the market. Perhaps in part to distinguish themselves from the rather many cookery writers who have previously adopted this approach, Gray and Rogers work through the year month by month rather than by season. Thus May brings apricots (Apricot, Lemon and Almond Tart, Apricot Jam Ice-Cream), asparagus (in Risotto, with Anchovy and Milk Sauce, in a salad with gulls' eggs), broad beans (in a Minestrone), melons (Melon and Lemon Sorbet, Melon Marinated in Valpolicella with Vanilla), spring carrots (Braised Spring Carrots and Artichokes, Carrots Marsala) and spring onions (Peas Braised with Spring Onions, Spring Onion and Thyme Pizza). So it goes on, beautiful, simple, delicious. And if our carrots aren't quite perfect, well, we can have a word with our greengrocer, or join an organic box scheme. Or we can just aspire. Not the least achievement of Gray and Rogers is to restore to this simple food the magical allure it possessed when most people knew it only through the early books of Elizabeth David. --Robin Davidson
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
One of my all time favourite cookbooks I love this cookbook! It is not a cookbook that you would whip out on a weekday - although it is a mix of really easy dishes and more time consuming and advanced ones. Because of the latter I would probably not recommend it to a beginner. Some of its recipes have definitely become regulars with us. We love the 'seasonal' approach & the recipes are all a treat to those who like Flavour with a capital F. What I mean by that is that most recipes taste like the basic ingredients/vegetables, and not... more info
A Bit of a Disappointment I've not found this book as useful as I had hoped - a lot of the recipes seem to be rather unbalanced - flavourings too crude and heavy handed. One in particularly, a spaghettis sauce that is an interesting twist on an ordinary tomato sauce as it has ginger in it. If you use their proportions the ginger virtually blows your head off - it really needed drastic toning down to work. I've tried some other recipes in the book with similar results. It almost feels like they have only 'tasted' the dishes rather... more info
Tastey I have had this book for some time, and have to admit I have not cooked a single thing it covers. I think it is mainly due to the fact that almost every recipe calls for at least one ingredient that I am having great difficulty to get my hands on, unless I plan days ahead, and unfortunately I am not that type of person. That does not mean the book is not inspiring and appetising. In fact, the one thing it does for me the most is making me want to visit the restaurant!
Another invaluable classic from Rogers and Gray If you, like me, adore Italian food and have, again like me, had access to and loved Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers previous books don't think that there is nothing further that they can add to their third Italian cookery 'bible'.
In 'River Cafe Green' (aptly named and you'll soon understand why), Rogers and Gray divide the book into 12 sections, one for each year. In each month there are sub-sections featuring whatever fruit and vegetables are best around that time and how you can use them to their full... more info
