THIS FROM JAMIE OLIVER'S LATEST NEWSLETTER

Hi Bookman Beattie,

Well my big news this month is that after months of hard work my new book has finally been 'put to bed' as they say in the business. A lot of people worked very hard and really pulled together to help me get everything done on time so a huge thanks to them. I absolutely cannot wait to see the end result and share it with all of you. You'll be hearing more about it in the months to come so watch this space.

At the beginning of the month I threw a summer party for my staff. The rain stayed away (for most of the day anyway) and everyone had an absolutely brilliant time. The guys from Fifteen Events came along and did a fantastic job of feeding us. The two lambs we bought in especially for the day from the Elwy Valley were flavoured with the most amazing herbs and spices then slowly spit-roasted to perfection. They smelled and tasted incredible − so much so that a certain vegetarian from my office even indulged in a lamb sandwich for the first time in years! Hopefully by now you've all had a chance to check out our summer podcasts. They were filmed on the day of the party and inspired me to give you some of my favourite recipes for summery food.

This type of food is perfect for entertaining outdoors whether you're having a barbecue or going on a bit of a picnic. With our dodgy British weather I think it's absolutely crucial to spend time outside and enjoy the sun when it shines. Hopefully these recipes will give you an excuse to get a little posse together and get out there!Those of you who have been chatting away on the forums lately may have noticed a mate of mine, Adam Perry Lang, on there too. He's a well-known American chef who's totally passionate about barbecuing. He very kindly agreed to be a moderator on the barbecue forum and has been sharing some of his knowledge, hints and tips with you lot to make sure you get the best out of your grill this summer. Thanks for taking the time to do this for us mate! It's been so good having Adam on the forums that I'm hoping to get a few more special guest moderators in the future.

I've got a few people in mind already so keep an eye out for them… My show Jamie's Fowl Dinners aired in Germany and Australia this month, which is quite exciting. It showed over here in the UK on Channel 4 earlier this year and the idea behind the programme was to get people thinking about the chicken industry and the quality of chickens they're buying. It's a topic I feel strongly about and the show was certainly a massive departure from the type I usually make.

There was some pretty heavy stuff in there that started up some heated debates. Hopefully, whatever your feelings about the show, it at least did it's job and got you thinking a bit more about the kind of issues around this industry. Big thanks to those of you who are still keeping the debate going on the chicken forums. Of course I realize there are many sides to every story and I'm sure there are people who are far more experienced than me when it comes to dealing with this subject. I'm always interested in hearing as many people's opinions as possible so keep them coming.

For the past couple of months I've been posting a 'Hot Topic' of the week where I ask you lot a food-related question. Some fantastic responses were sent in to my question about medieval cooking this month I also had a look at some of the great recipes you posted. They seem to use some unusual vegetables that are new to me so I'll have to pull out some of my antique cookbooks and see if I can find out more about them.

My diary is already full for the next few months because there's so much exciting stuff coming up. But right now all that's left for me to say is that it's time for me to enjoy the summer and take a bit of a holiday. It's not going to be a long one, but it should be a nice opportunity for me to recharge the batteries and relax. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Love Jamie O xxx