Perfect for training husbands (Leith's Cookery School - Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave)

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Product:	Leith's Cookery School - Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave
Date:	12/07/00 (52 review reads)
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Advantages: The complete teach yourself to cook posh food book.

Disadvantages: Some menus are a bit expensive to produce

I bought this book for my husband who had decided to learn to cook. The results were so good that I soon realised that it was more of a present for myself.

In the introduction the authors state "this book sets out to do what sounds like the impossible - to teach cooking as it is taught in a first class chef's college or cookery school, but without a teacher at the learner's elbows to guide their every step." I am pleased to report that it fulfilled its aim - in our house at least.

The book is in three sections: the first part is the introduction which covers the basics like storage, traditional dishes, menu planning, and presentation. The main part contains 42 menu lessons, and the last part is on techniques and methods and has all the basic preparation techniques and recipes for stocks etc.

As my husband learned to cook I was treated to meals which would not be out of place in a top restaurant. He may have taken longer to produce them than a trained chef but the results were excellent. He had absolutely no experience before he started and he meticulously followed the instructions. I personally would not have the discipline to follow the menu lessons to the letter but I suspect that is why he got such good results.

It is not essential to stick to the order of the lessons and maybe not all menus will appeal to everyone (I just don't like the idea of sweetbreads) but to give an example the first menu lesson comprises: Soupe de poissons, Lamb kebabs with yoghurt and mint dressing, Orange and watercress salad, almost creme brulee. Lesson 17 has Avocado pear with stawberry vinaigrette, Duck breasts with green peppercorn sauce, Mache and endive salad, Poached pears with sabayon and sorbet. The final lesson is a complete Christmas dinner with boned turkey stuffed with ham and cannonball christmas pudding with a detailed timing plan. As with every cookery book some of the recipes didn't appeal but on balance thi
s book offers some excellent recipes many of which have become firm favourites. I was so jealous when he produced perfect profiteroles because I have never managed to successfully make choux pastry. But I soon realised that this was not a problem at all as my Prue Leith instructed chef husband now cooks all the posh stuff in our house and I simply sit back and enjoy it.

Leith's Cookery School by Prue Leith and Caroline Waldegrave published in hardback 1985 by Macdonald & co, paperback 1990.

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