In Second Helpings of Roast Chicken, author Simon Hopkinson explores 47 ingredients from almonds to vinegar in a very enjoyable way. If you are wanting new inspirations in the kitchen, order and read this book from your local bookstore or the library, put aside one day and treat yourself to not only good cooking but great writing. Many recipes are included including his new spin on his classic Roast Chicken recipe. ( )

The author states he is a fan of Elizabeth David (my favorite cookery writer) and he tries a similar approach to hers - rather than a litany of recipes he separates the book alphabetically by ingredient (Anchovy, Asparagus, Aubergine ...) each section featuring a personal anecdote and a few (primarily European) recipes featuring the ingredient . A valiant attempt at David's style that doesn't quite come off.
I've seen stellar reviews of this but, while this is a nice book from which I picked up three recipes to try, it doesn't make my top 5 list. Not an author I would go out of my way to read more of. ( )

A good read and good, mainly British and French classical recipes. Just tried 'Slow-braised belly pork with soy, ginger and garlic' and it was lovely, very good flavours but still very simple to make (used pressure cooker so didn't take more than about an hour in total) ( )

Roast Chicken and Other Stories has been called "the most useful cookbook of all time." While I'm not sure I would go that far, it's certainly in my top five (along with The Best Recipe, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook). I will admit, this is the first time a cookbook has been my bedtime reading selection - and I've had lovely dreams as a result.
Mr Hopkinson does not limit himself to popular types of foods - he has recipes for offal (sweetbreads, kidneys, liver, tripe) that even make those relatively unpopular body parts sound appetizing. I suspect more cooks will be grateful for and will use his recipes for simple, well-prepared, and delicious foods such as onion tart, roast potatoes, a variety of custards, and, well, roast chicken. I am particularly looking forward to trying his recipes for the roast best end of lamb with eggplant and basil cream sauce, and to braised endives and baked new garlic with creamed goat's cheese. His directions and detailed explanations make the recipes well within the average cook's grasp.
Mr Hopkinson says he wrote the book because he likes to cook and eat good food, and he thinks the recipes he selected for the book would appeal to all who enjoy the same. It's my opinion that he's right on target. ( )

A variety of food stories about different foods. Arranged in themes and with stories about the different foods this doesn't flinch from the nitty gritty food types like brain and liver etc. The recipes would make you drool I look forward to trying some of them. ( )