The Plonker Club

4.0 out of 5 stars What’s that all about?, 31 Oct 2008
By Discrepancy (Oxford, UK)

I am usually not impressed by Gordon’s “rushed” which he calls “high-energy” approach to cooking. Nevertheless his recipes are usually easy to follow and as tasty as it gets – if that’s what you are looking for you won’t be disappointed. Cooking books do not need anything else than that – so why have I rated it as 4 stars only? The simple answer is I do not like his non-cooking, not recipe related introductions and the title. On one occasion he’s ranting about Delia’s “cheat approach” which led him to donate all his Delia cooking books to a charity shop. My second “favourite” is the revelation that his wife has started to cook something vegetarian for the kids once a week. These statements are not only unnecessary they distract from the subject which is food. I do love cooking and great food but hey in the end it’s food not world peace so stop ranting, argueing and self-praise. In my humble opinion the only absolute in the world of cooking is to COOK YOURSELF and avoid fast food/ ready meals. So it does not matter if you are using cheats and cheap ingredients if this creates the basic conditions to make you cook.

The other annoying point is the title. Nothing in this book relates to “cooking for friends”, it’s just a selection of recipes, which are suitable everyday and anytime.

To summarise: A decent cookbook with a misleading title but a good selection of very nice recipes written by a chef with an attitude.

5.0 out of 5 stars Gordon Ramsey: Cooking for Friends, 10 Oct 2008
By Cook book Addict “GC” (London)

I have all Gordon Ramsey’s books and this one is ideal for people who think everything he creates is expensive
This book deals with things like Oxtail soup which is a simple recipe and easy to make
I really recommend this title for everyday cooking with the Ramsey touch

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

3.0 out of 5 stars Cooking for Friends, 30 Dec 2008
By Mr. G. Kania (UK)

I concur with other reviewers here who have said that there are rather too many mugshots of the Grand Cuisiner himself. It IS offputting to try and cook, for example, Artichokes Braised with Onions and Lardons, with the lardon himself staring out at you rather than a picture of the dish itself.

In addition I was somewhat disappointed when I decided to try out his method of making shortcrust pastry for some mini-quiches. Referring to the ‘basics’ section at the back he mentions the ingredients – butter flour, beaten egg and water etc, but in the method omits to tell you what to do with the beaten egg ! What a contrast with the cookbook I normally use – Julia Child’s classic where she has gone to the trouble of six pages of instructions with line drawings and NO mug shots.

However, this book is in a different league and is aimed at doing things simply and straighforwardly. His recipes give inspiration, are simple enough to follow, and as he says, they are but a guide. It’s a useful addition to my library – but I shan’t be watching his TV show.

4.0 out of 5 stars er…. is this a Gordon Ramsay authored book?, 9 Dec 2008
By S. Hampton (London, UK)

Firstly the recipies in this book are excellent and I’ve really enjoyed those that I have cooked so far.

However, the 1st page of text reads:

Food: Mark Sargeant
Text: Emily Quah
Photographer: Ditte Isager
Stylist: Christine Rudolph
Art Director: Patrick Budge
Publisher: Harper Collins

This begs the question what exactly did Gordon Ramsay do for this book? I think it has been mis-sold as a Gordon Ramsay book. There are indeed pictures of him in the book, perhaps an addition to the above should read:

Photographer’s Model: Gordon Ramsay

I do recommend buying this book as the recipes are great, it is a shame that it seems to me to be mis-sold.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love everything about this book, 16 Nov 2008
By Gayle Hartley “Orce Serrano Hams” (Andalucia)

This book is full of inspiring and easy to follow recipes, delicious photography and lots of personal touches and anecdotes which make it a ‘real’ book. I like the way the dishes are made using accessible ingredients as sometimes celebrity cook books are full of ingredients which are difficult to come by or expensive. In fact I love the old fashioned and ’simple food’ element, but above all the recipes are for ‘proper’ good food, ideal for family meals and social gatherings without days of worry and preparation beforehand.

A must have for everyone who loves to cook good food with simple, quality ingredients.

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent Ramsay book, 7 Feb 2009
By Mr. G. M. Morris “SuperflyGuy” (U.K) –

Full of quick and easy recepies that even someone with the most basic knowledge of cooking would find easy to follow,full marks for amazon for a great price.
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4.0 out of 5 stars A good read even if you are a chef, 3 Feb 2009
By J. G. Partridge “Panther68″ (South Yorkshire)

I bought this for my brother who is an accomplished chef in his own right, we both found it entertaining and easy to follow and gives a good insight on how to prepare and cook dishes in a new variety of ways. A good purchases for even the intermediate culinary operator.

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to follow, 17 Sep 2008
By Claire M. Giles

Gordon Ramsay is a GREAT chef – but sometimes his recipes can be too complex for the enthusiastic amateur like myself.

However, this book is just right – in that the recipes are excellent and there is some great stuff in here but, most importantly, the recipes are well written and easy to follow.

I think this is perfect for those who want to cook quality dishes for dinner parties but not spend several days in the kitchen preparing for it!!

Highly recommended.

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

A Different Tempo from Gordon Ramsay as he leaves his chef’s jacket at work!
4/5 Stars Amazon Reviewer

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Each chapter opens with some relevant notes and a list of the recipes contained within, for quick reference.
Each recipe is clearly laid out with a bold title and relevant text, along wiith the method, the number of servings and the list of ingredients. The page numbers are on the edge of the right hand page, which aids quick flicking!
The book is interspersed with illustrations of the finished dishes, although these are rather fewer than expected, in my opinion…..(hence my four star rating)…… along with on-location shots of GR, his family and friends.

My favourite pud is no particular secret, and, as I share Gordon’s passion for the caramelized apple flavour and texture in an Apple Tarte Tatin….. his recipe for ‘Caramelized Apple Pie’, from page 207, really hits the spot:-

‘I love the flavour of caramelized apples in a tarte tatin, and this is a way of bringing that flavour into a classic apple pie.
Also, because the apples are pre-cooked, they won’t shrink during baking and create air pockets inside the pie.
I like to serve the pie while it’s still warm with either a little pouring cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.’

A delicious twist which makes the finished product taste divine, and following on from G’s ‘Lamb Shank Cassoulet` served with sautéed savoy cabbage and chunks of malted grain bread….simply SUPER to share, after an October stroll in the woods with all our friends!
Which… of course….is what this book is all about!

A taste of other recipes within:-

Asparagus velouté
Conger eel bisque
Crayfish chowder
Farfalle with bacon, peas and sage
Grilled vegetable lasagne
Gordon’s posh kedgeree (video feature above)
Wild mushroom barley risotto
Fish curry with lime and coconut rice
Grilled herrings with harissa
Fisherman’s stew
Poached rabbit legs with gremolata
Pork fillet stroganoff
Home-made bangers
Classic mixed grill
Angus beef olives
Sweet potato and duck rösti with fried duck eggs
Honey roast ham
Shepherd’s pie with Branston pickle
Cornish chicken pie
Fish pie with oysters and scallops
Roast winter vegetables
Spicy cauliflower stir-fry
Mixed mushroom salad
Pickled onions
Autumn fruit salad with thyme and ginger
Custard tart
Lemon meringue pie
Chocolate swirl cheesecake
Chocolate and coffee pots
Dark chocolate marquise

All in all, a ‘homely’-type book, which is clear from the GR notes throughout, e.g.:-

From ‘Pasta and grains`:-

‘At home, we don’t just stick to rice and spaghetti. Tana has begun to feed the kids a vegetarian meal once a week, which means being creative in combining pulses, grains and pasta with a variety of vegetables.

The kids love it when she experiments.

When the weather is cold we use a lot of barley, adding it to soups, stews, and winter salads. Barley can even take the place of rice in risotto.

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David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com