jamie at home – Cook Your Way to the Good Life

Jamie Oliver Michael Joseph $75

New Zealand publication date is 5 October but those good folks over on the North Shore at Penguin Books know how I have been counting down the days to get my hands on Jamie’s latest book so on Friday they delivered me an advance copy. Yay! You can guess what I have been doing all weekend! Yes, reading the book from cover to cover, and I can tell you that the lad has done it again. Another winner.
I own all of his books of course, and use them too, but I think this one will prove to be the best yet. I have already marked 17 recipes for early use. What about curried cauliflower fritters? Crispy & sticky chicken thighs with squashed new potatoes & tomatoes? Or Incredible smashed peas and broad beans on toast – I fancy that for a Sunday brunch.

In Jamie’s intro, (which he calls “a nice little chat”), he tells us something of his philosophy for the book,(it is divided into the four seasons), of the pleasure it has been to write, and confesses that he has fallen in love with his garden, and his vege patch in particular.

Here is one of the paragraphs from his nice little chat:

I grew up watching that TV programme, The Good Life, about Barbara and Tom, the couple who didn’t have much but grew everything themselves. They lived next door to the posh couple called Margo and Jerry, who did have everything but weren’t all that happy. Thinking back, which couple did we all aspire to be? And would it be the same couple these days? My view is that we’re all pretty spoilt now, as far as luxuries are concerned, but I reckon that the best luxury in life comes from experience (“luxuriance” as a mate of mine recently called it) and knowledge, and I think food and cooking are among the most important things out there for us to learn about.

Good on ya Jamie. I’m with you on that one. I’d add wine to the list too!

More later about jamie at home, remember that New Zealand publication date is 5 October. Put your name down now at your local bookstore or library.