Amazon.co.uk Review
Now that he has completed his travels round Britain, Gary Rhodes turns his attention from the "What" to the "How" in Step-By-Step Cooking, a reworking of his part-work Good Cooking with Gary Rhodes (it retains something of the feel of a magazine serial). This really is very helpful. Over 100 recipes, for light and main dishes and desserts, are presented in detail, fully explained and with every stage of the process illustrated clearly. Variations on the master recipes are suggested, nudging the cook towards individual choice and creativity.

What of the recipes themselves? Rhodes is famous for his championing of traditional British food and many familiar dishes are to be found here. Steak and Chips, Cornish Pasty, Roast Duck with Orange Sauce, Shepherd's Pie, Smoked Haddock Tart, all put in an appearance. There are roasts, crumbles, pies and stews. Assimilated foreign dishes such as lasagne and risotto are included. There is no whiff of the restaurant about this utterly domestic food. Rhodes tends to ignore questions of fashion and, some might say, taste. It's good to find here recipes for dishes that seem to have disappeared from view, such as Beef Stroganoff or Chicken Kiev. Who else would dare to give recipes for Arctic Roll or an ice cream version of Battenburg Cake? --Robin Davidson

Available on-line in the UK from Amazon.co.uk