Jamie's Ministry of Food - Perfect for beginners or more experienced cooks (Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours - Jamie Oliver)

Member Name: ChrisGeering

Product:	Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours - Jamie Oliver
Date:	17/05/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Assumes no prior knowledge and has a great range of recipe ideas

Disadvantages: Shop around - the price can range from approx 10 pounds to over 20 pounds

Jamie Oliver has become something of a crusader for improving childrens school dinners and teaching the public to cook nutritious home prepared meals. This book was released hot on the heels of the Ministry of Food series set in Rotherham where he teaches the locals how to cook the basics and avoid the unhealthy easy dinner alternatives (e.g. takeaways). Whatever your views on Jamie Oliver's right to tell people what they should and shouldn't be eating this is an excellent cook book for beginners (or even for more experienced cooks). It gives a great opportunity for people who for whatever reason have never had the experience of cooking to gain confidence and learn a new hobby at their own pace. Also if you are a more experienced cook this book gives you new recipe ideas if you are getting bored of the same old meals. The recipes are excellent for assuming no prior knowledge whatsoever and even include a recipe for boiling eggs! The book is divided into a number of logical chapters including stir-fries, curries, salads, roasts and quick pasta meals. Often after returning from work it is easy for me to head to the local Subway for a quick bite to eat - with the simple and easy to prepare recipes from this book I have less excuse for takeouts. The key thing you'll need to bear in mind is that it pays to plan ahead when choosing your meals and make sure that all of the ingredients are available at your local supermarket. Some ingredients can be slightly obscure and won't be available at the nearby corner-shop. Also watch out for the price - I have seen it range from approximately 10 pounds to over 20 pounds - so shop around before you buy!

Summary: An essential item in the kitchen