An exhaustive introductory chapter on equipping a kitchen (rule: don't skimp, but don't buy anything on impulse that you don't really need) is followed by a more personal one on Gadgets That Work (and a few that don't--step forward slow cookers and sandwich toasters). The recipe chapters encompass some wonderful traditional dishes as Delia investigates the cooking of pulses, preserves, pates and starters, while including less familiar flavours from the Far East. In writing this final volume she has taken advantage of the Internet to get closer to the community of her viewers and readers, gathering their opinions on what they would like to see covered. The two chapters that have emerged from this research, on low-fat cooking and entertaining, form the highlights of a book which, like its predecessors, is self-recommending and--it goes without saying--beautifully illustrated. --Robin Davidson

I had been bought the previous two books and thought they were great really going back to basics but ending up with some pretty top notch recipes. Well presented and well explained.

However, I think this is one book too many and seems to stretch the concept too far. I particularly feel the the chapters on gadgets is a complete waste of time. I don't want to use the latest must have gadget that look good in the kitchen. And none of the recipes really need the gadgets.

this book bought tears to my eyes   February 17, 2002
 81 out of 86 found this review helpful

I forget why I bought book two, but I do know I learnt a lot from it. I'd always thought of buying Book 1, but thought I probably knew most of the basics. When Book 3 became available, I thought I'd wait for the price to come down, and then I saw one of the TV episodes and tried one of the recipes copied from Ceefax. No turning back, must have this book! When I saw Amazon's prices I couldn't believe my luck, what the heck, and bought books 1 & 3 at the same time. They came next day, amazing service, and I scanned them. I haven't stopped scanning them since.A wealth of information; for instance, we all know bread tastes better home-made. Book 1 tells you how easy it is, Book 3 tells you to buy a Breadmaker machine. You wouldn't have seen this advice 2 years ago. But it goes on. Anyone can boil an egg, well that's what I thought. Book 1 tells you things you should have known years ago, but didn't. Book 3 tells you how easy it is using modern methods. Delia has certainly done good research. When I tried some of the recipes, they worked first time. When I discovered how "simple things" can make a world of difference, it bought tears to my eyes. I've wasted 25 years doing it the hard way. I've wasted 25 years not getting the best from my ingredients. Don't hesitate: buy and read, don't waste any more time.


Reliable but definitely not boring!   January 27, 2002
 46 out of 48 found this review helpful

In the midst of the Nigels and Nigellas and the Jamies and Garys, it's good to see Delia still up there with the third millennium media cooks. I lost track of her for a while but have always used my grease-sparked edition of the Complete Cookery Course as a no nonsense volume where the recipes are always reliable. After the fuss broke over How To Cook Book 1 when she was teaching us how to cook eggs, it looked like Delia had reinvented herself - a bit like Madonna - well, maybe not quite.

The intriguing thing about Book 3 is that it starts out by looking structured around themes which are quite different from the first two volumes : Books 1 and 2 adopted the traditional approach of chapters relating specifically to food groups, hence chapters on egg, bread, pastry, fish, beef, etc. Then suddenly in Book 3 we start out with almost one third of the book under headings like "equipment for cooks" and "gadgets that work". Fear not, there are great recipes in there under these headings - making the first part of the book perhaps not as immediately browsable as some of her other books when planning a dinner party. But never mind, the approach is interesting - the recipes are still there and we have delightful texts about the cook's hardware as a prelim to those excellent recipes and valuable tips which, yet again, relieve us of the fear of cooking. Soon we are into more familiar territory as we discover food-specific chapter titles including pulses, jams, low cal and puddings. And it's all illustrated with tasteful photos by Miki Duisterhof who worked on Books 1 and 2.

As a longstanding fan, Delia still figures prominently on my cookbookshelf. She may not have Nigel's mouthwatering panache when it comes to writing but it's all very sound, good, reliable - and definitely not boring - stuff. It's a shame she seems to be stopping at Book 3. Surely there's room for a Book 4, Delia, on vegetarian recipes - why limit yourself to just the 30 pages in Book 2? Delia is a cook of our time and will surely come back to offer us more. As a friend of mine put it : Nigella may be a goddess... but Delia is still the queen.


great book if you're planning a dinner party   January 9, 2002
 9 out of 21 found this review helpful

I found Delias book to be very interesting, and while I had no intention of cooking when I bought the book I was whipped into a frenzy of frying pans and wooden spoons!!!! The pictures are extremely helpful when cooking and I can see exactly what my creation should look like. I think that delia is a good cook and though the ingredients are sometimes impractical Delias instructions are clear as an egg white before beating!!!!