Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

( 27 )

Overview

Home is where the heart is . . .

This book is very close to my heart. It's about no-nonsense, simple cooking with great flavors all year round. When I began writing it, I didn't really know what recipes I would come up with, but something began to inspire me very quickly . . . my vegetable patch!

I came to realize last year that it's not always about looking out at the wider world for inspiration. Being at home, feeling relaxed and open, can ...

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More About This Book

Overview

Home is where the heart is . . .

This book is very close to my heart. It's about no-nonsense, simple cooking with great flavors all year round. When I began writing it, I didn't really know what recipes I would come up with, but something began to inspire me very quickly . . . my vegetable patch!

I came to realize last year that it's not always about looking out at the wider world for inspiration. Being at home, feeling relaxed and open, can also offer this. I love to spend time at home in the village where I grew up, working with the boss, Mother Nature, in my garden and seeing all my beautiful veggies coming out of the ground.

Inside you'll find over one hundred new recipes, plus some basic planting information and tips if you fancy having a go at getting your hands dirty as well!

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Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

Oliver, host of numerous TV cooking shows and author of seven other cookbooks, is just as passionate about food and cooking as he was when he burst on the scene in The Naked Chef . One of his newest fascinations is with gardening, and this companion volume to a PBS series of the same name shows off the fruits of his labors in the garden he started several years ago. His recipes have always featured fresh, seasonal ingredients, but here they are organized by season and within each section by ingredient, from Crispy and Delicious Asparagus and Potato Tart in spring to the Best Winter Veg Coleslaw. Each chapter includes gardening information (e.g., how Oliver grows asparagus), and there are dozens of gorgeous color photographs. Highly recommended.

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781401322427
  • Publisher: Hyperion
  • Publication date: 9/16/2008
  • Pages: 416
  • Sales rank: 137,575
  • Product dimensions: 10.02 (w) x 7.78 (h) x 1.52 (d)

Meet the Author

Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver earned his nickname "The Naked Chef" from his philosophy that the best approach to cooking is to strip it down to the bare essentials, using simple ingredients and techniques. His back-to-basics approach -- combined with his winning kitchen charisma on television -- have made Oliver one hot culinary commodity.

Biography

Jamie Oliver was part of a culinary evolution -- one including Emeril Lagasse and Nigella Lawson -- away from the intimidation factor of predecessors such as Julia Child or even Martha Stewart and toward simply prepared but sophisticated food. His show The Naked Chef, and now Jamie Oliver’s London (seen Stateside on the Food Network), presented the English chef’s approach to “pukka” life, with an emphasis on ingredients and ease over technique and equipment. Like a kitchen dervish, Oliver seemingly slapped together gourmet meals for on-camera occasions ranging from a christening to a football-watching session -- all of it narrated in a dialect so British that the Food Channel site features a glossary of his oft-used terms (“pukka” being excellent, or first-rate).

Oliver’s informal tone makes cooking seem an act of will rather than skill, and his books present a vibe similar to his show. He prescribes techniques and ingredients almost offhandedly, mentioning his own preferences in such a way that leaves you free to discover alternatives but likelier to follow the master. In a cereal recipe from The Naked Chef Takes Off, Oliver writes, “At this point feel free to improvise, adding any other preferred dried nuts like raisins, sultanas or figs -- but personally I think my combination works pretty well. This will keep for a good couple of months very happily in your airtight container, but you'll have eaten it by then, I guarantee.”

Often, dishes in Oliver’s books consist of a few list-free paragraphs that seem more like concepts than recipes at first; but if you read, you’ll see that everything you need to know is right there. Measurements for Oliver often consist of “some,” “a handful,” “a squeeze.” Instructions often include directives such as “bash up,” “whizz up,” “scrunch,” and “smear.” With text like this, it’s easy to see how Oliver has gotten scores of novices -- particularly men -- into the kitchen.

It wasn’t surprising that Oliver became a media darling so quickly. His ebullience, photogenic looks, and youth made him the sort who could appeal to everyone from grandmas to regular blokes. His culinary skills, however, could not be questioned. Having started at age eight by helping in the kitchen of his parents’ pub/restaurant in Essex, he later attended Westminster Catering College and gained experience at kitchens in France and at London’s Neal Street Restaurant and the River Café. His presence in a documentary about the café led to several T.V. offers after it was shown, and The Naked Chef was born.

Cooks around the world couldn’t get enough of Jamie Oliver -- but by 2001, many in Britain had had their fill. Wrote one Guardian columnist, “Jamie Oliver is -- like the Lord himself -- all around us. He is available and on sale in every format, real and virtual. …It is getting hard to spend a day without seeing his face or hearing his voice.” Sensitive to the criticism, Oliver reportedly told the Observer, "I'm quite boring, I've been with the same girl for nine years, I work hard, everything I do is positive, so I couldn't see any reason why the press would aggro me. But then it did." The nay-saying seems to have died down a bit, as it’s become clear that the appetite for all things Oliver has not yet been sated.

Those who are looking for a certain amount of culinary consistency in a cookbook author might do well to look elsewhere. Oliver has often mentioned that he is continually sampling cultures and evolving his cooking style, still being in his 20s and all. His next book, Jamie’s Kitchen, he writes on his Web site, “is completely different to Naked Chef stuff.” This is good news, though, for cooks who aren’t afraid to experiment a bit. Oliver helps ease the bumps in the ride.

Good To Know

Oliver is opening a nonprofit restaurant in London that will also employ underprivileged kids in the kitchen, an endeavor he hopes to capture in a new T.V. show.

He has played the drums in a band called Scarlet Division since he was 13, and released a CD in the U.K. called Cookin’, which was a compilation of his favorite tunes to cook by.

Married to ex-model Juliette “Jools” Norton since 2000, Oliver had daughter Poppy Honey in March 2002 and has a second child on the way.

Oliver’s association with the grocery chain Sainsbury’s caused some headaches for the chef. The spots, which also featured Oliver cooking on his BBC-produced show, did not agree with the network’s code of ethics. One in particular, which featured Oliver speaking Cantonese and practicing Kung Fu, drew protests from some viewers who considered it racist. His deal with the BBC eventually soured over conflict with his Sainsbury’s commitment, and Oliver set up his own company, Fresh Productions, to handle his projects.

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    1. Hometown:
      London, England
    1. Date of Birth:
      May 27, 1975
    2. Place of Birth:
      Essex, England

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 27 )
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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 27 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 14, 2008

    Perfect for an enthusiastic foodie/cook/gardener

    I received a copy of the book as published in England, before it was available in the US. It offers delicious recipes as well as interesting stories about gardening and ingredients. One of the most enjoyable parts of the book is Oliver's charming personality and the distinctly English turns of phrase and vocabulary. Many of the recipes and ingredients are characteristically English and so the cookbook is also an interesting overview of another food culture.

    8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted November 15, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    The Reality of Food

    I love this book because it shows the reality of where our food comes from. Whether its grown in a garden at home, raised on a local farm, or wild game "captured" on a hunt, this not only shows how to prepare great food, but shows us that the origins of great food is supremely inportant, and something that most people nowadays are disconnected with.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 2, 2009

    Fantastic book!

    This book follows his same titled TV show perfectly. There is such great information on growing, harvesting, hunting, and preparation of food, it's a "must" for any cook wanting to take ingredients to their most flavorful level. I've bought this book for friends who are self-professed "foodies" and they loved it!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 13, 2010

    Beautiful Book...

    A refreshing take on cooking old favorites and new recipes... really creative... beautiful illustrations... a very unique and delightful chef!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 25, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine
    Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto
    Godless: The Church of Liberalism
    Guilty: Liberal
    If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans

    Jamie Oliver is THE BEST!!

    His recipes are so easy and taste great. Love all the tips. I've watched Jamie At Home on the Food Network and had to buy this book (was using all my DVR space) I feel he has the best show on The Food Network and not happy they took it off. Used to be on Saturday mornings, then they switched to Fridays, now I don't see it at all. He definitely has more talent than anyone else on that channel and I hope they bring him back on.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 18, 2009

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    It's completely Jamie...style, flair, unique, and delicious!

    Jamie takes you on a journey from "How I grow it..." to exciting and innovative preparation techniques and recipies, allowing you to develop a connection, a "feel", and a flair with your meal's construction! Beautifully illustrated and exciting pairings; if you appreciate Jamie, you're gonna love this book! A must for any home gardner who lovingly grows some or all of their own foods--a great deal in today's economy.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 20, 2009

    LOVE_LOVE_LOVE

    I love this book. I am a novice gardener, so not only do I get great recipes, but Jamie talks about how he grows his veggies and gives great tips. It is really 2 books in one. If you aren't a gardener, you will be inspired to start one, or just adore the recipes. I made the roasted potatoes and tomatoes (minus the chicken) for Easter and they were a bit hit!!! BUY THIS BOOK for you or as a gift!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 12, 2012

    Excellent food, without fail.  I actually purchased this book af

    Excellent food, without fail. 
    I actually purchased this book after visiting the Jamie Italian restaurants in London and Bath (which are to die for, by the way!) and have been extremely pleased with every meal I've made from this book. Some recipes are fairly simple, but that doesn't take away from how impressive the final result is. 

    Do know that this book includes a lot of extra information on how to garden, obtain fresh foods, etc. With that in mind, remember that even though this book is quite thick, not all of its content is recipes.
    Overall, I'd say this book is absolutely worth the money, and looks beautiful to boot. 

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  • Posted January 25, 2011

    Beautiful pictures and delicious food.

    I loved the Jamie at Home series so much I actually ordered the UK version of this book because I couldn't wait for the US version. The pictures are beautiful and the book is arranged into seasons and seasonally available ingredients in them. While not comprehensive, it has many great recipes and its arrangement makes it easy to find some good recipes for what you have fresh from the garden. It also features some game meat so if you have a hunter in the family, you can find some intriguing ways to cook the meat. Another interesting section was the one on wild mushrooms. I know a couple mushroom hunters and was able to get some of the wild mushrooms from the book and show from them.

    One of the best things in the book that would appeal to nearly everyone is the pie with steak and Guinness. I make it every year. While the stew takes time to make, it is worth it for the delicious filling.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 4, 2009

    Well-organized

    I like that this book is well-organized around main ingredients and, of course, that the recipes are great. I had a ton of leeks (not home-grown sadly) and found a bunch of recipes for them. The directions are easy to follow as well.

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