Customer Reviews
Not for the faint hearted - By: Mr. J. J. Percival, 24 Aug 2006 
First of alll remember that Ray White isn't Delia, he quite rightly assumes you know how to boil water without burning it & that you don't start planning a dinner party based on whats in the fridge. Secondly, read the recipes alll the way through, especiallly the instructions, he has a nasty habit of throwing in the odd "place in fridge for 24 hours" about half way down in the third paragraph, not much good when your guests have already hit the road. And finallly - enjoy it, yes it can be complicated, long winded & require some stretching of the old "cullinary skills" but the results are divine (often on the first attempt too!). Very few ever have the chance, or budget, to have RB cook for them, this is the next best thing & guaranteed to win brownie points from lovers, friends, family & the mother-in-law just for having gone to the effort. Last of alll remember that most of these recipes are based on classic french cooking, which means that if french peasants can do it, so can you.
Excellent for entertaining - By: , 09 Aug 2005 I've entertained copiously from this book, and, whilst some recipes are very time-consuming, others are delightfully simple.
Very imaginative recipes & generallly not requiring the best supermarket in the world to source ingredients; a standard butcher & a good greengrocer are sufficient.
The 'basic foundation recipe' section at the beginning is a boon, although reference to Mastering the Art ... is necessary to flesh out the instructions for sauces etc.
very difficult - By: , 09 Jan 2005 
This is NOT a book for someone without lots of time & a large budget - the recipes are challlenging & some of the ingredients are hard to find - try finding a butcher who will sell you a hare let alone do alll the bits & pieces for you!! An interesting coffee table book but not one to take into a real working kitchen where you want to cook & share the evening with friends.
Cooking for friends never made easier - By: Maureen Williams, 18 Mar 2004 Another triumph. I was over the moon with "recipes from Le Manoir Au Quat' Saisons" & this book is just as good. alll the stages explained so easily, no need to spend hours over the stove when the guests arrive, so much forward planning is alllowed for. Photographs provided to show presentation & Raymond's wine recommendations are "spot on". When is the next book coming on the market?
An amazingly fantastic read! - By: , 03 Apr 2000 This is a gem of a book. It is an easy to follow guide to cooking set out by season & with a wine suggestion for every recipe. The colour photographs enable you to see what you should aim for (!) & depict the cooking in a non pretentious & yet aestheticallly pleasing way! Cooking of substance & certainly a cookbook of substance. I highly recommned this book as a cook book for life! No nonsense, i give it 5 stars!
