Delia Smith's Summer Collection - Delia Smith

There comes a point each spring, probably round about Easter time, when Delia Smith's "Summer Collection" comes down from the top shelf. It's when the weather's just starting to feel a little warmer and we're tiring of roastie veg and warming casseroles. We want something that's a little lighter and brings some sunshine into the dining room. One of the first of the summer dishes that we have each year is inevitably the Piedmont roasted peppers - red peppers filled with tomatoes, anchovy fillets and garlic. It's one of our favourite Saturday lunchtime meals served with some hot French bread to mop up all the juices. The ...  Read the complete review

Summer time when the living is easy says the song, but British summer times have been going downhill recently and picnics and barbecues are rare occasions. Even so there are some lovely fresh fruits and vegetables available and Delia's book called Summer collection gives plenty of recipes, 140 in fact, but sadly only a few colour photos. Delia Smith has been on many television programmes and written several books, she has been pushed into the background by younger, more up market cooks, but I still like her books. There is a very useful conversion chart with oven temperatures, measurements, weights and volumes, something I turn to when using other ...  Read the complete review

I have had this book years now and cooked the roasted vegetable lasagne from it just the other day. Apart from Delia Smith Christmas, this is the one Delia cookbook that has stood the test of time. Here is a brief potted history of Delia's books to date:- 1. How to Cheat at Cooking - this in fact was one of her first books, published in the seventies. The original suggested things like buying a frozen cream cake, defrosting it and putting in tinned peaches in the centre, then passing it off as your own. This my mum duly did on a regular basis and we were impressed. Bear in mind, this was the seventies and putting a piece of pineapple on ...  Read the complete review

This is a book up to Delia's usual standards. The recipes are ,as usual, well written with clear directions. Some of the recipes are illustrated with beautiful photography, which brings summer food alive. I have tried many of the recipes including Pesto Rice Salad (I made it with ready made red pesto - fantastic), Angel Hair Pasta with Thai Spiced Prawns (Yum!) Thai Salmon Filo Parcels (very popular with my friends)and Fromage Frais Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce - all with perfect results. This is my favourite of her books, because, hey, I just love the Summer, and this is Summer in a book! ...  Read the complete review