The Silver Spoon

It begins with the instruction that 'eating is a serious matter'. Cooking is an art form as well as a pleasure. First published in 1950, this cook book has stood the test of time. There are few glossy pictures. The meat of the volume is its thousands of recipes. Simple. Complex. There is primary advice on cooking techniques and terms, what to use, how to use it. You get instruction on sauces and marinades, all the different courses, meat, fish, vegetables, pasta. An absolutely comprehensive guide. The day you buy it you begin wondering how you've lived your life without it.

The recipes are clearly described. No frills, no gloss. Straightforward description of how to cook each dish, how to get the best out of your ingredients, how to enjoy food and feeding others. The layout is simple, accessible, the recipes easy to find, easy to follow. But it's a vast work. You really need to sit and read it, leaf through it, highlight new ideas you'd like to try, refer to the classics and standards which you'll produce again and again.

An exciting, stimulating essential, the ultimate guide to Italian cooking, and a book which, once you own a copy will not only become indispensable, it's a book which will make you evangelical as you try to convince friends and family that they too must own a copy. Give this to someone as a present - they will never stop thanking you.


I've lost my heart...   November 9, 2005
48 out of 49 found this review helpful

to The Silver Spoon! It's beautiful AND practical. I love the colour coding, the 2000 recipes, the simplicity and authenticity of this sumptous book. AND the fact that it sits OPEN on my kitchen table ( oh the cook books I could name that don't!)Anybody can cook real italian food with a book like this -where on earth has it been until now??Christmas has come early in our house.


Bin your other cook books   March 16, 2006
56 out of 58 found this review helpful

This is a great book. Admittedly, quite a few dishes are made of bits of animal that I’ve never even heard of, let alone eaten. But there’s a bewildering array of recipes to try, including starters, sauces, soups, pizzas, pasta, and main courses.

The beauty of the Silver Spoon lies in its simplicity. There’s none of the pretentious guff that usually pads out cookery books, and the recipes are very short and clearly explained. And there are plenty of recipes that won’t have you trawling the supermarket for dozens of obscure ingredients. Chicken in almond sauce? Chicken, almonds, onion, garlic, lemon, white wine. Spinach sauce (for pasta)? Spinach, milk, butter.

Incidentally, this is the only cook book I own that is bound in a way that allows it stay open at the right page all by itself.