I’ve had this book for over 50 years, and I am still exploring it. A good, old-style cookbook packed with hundreds of clearly formulated and well-written recipes. Sparing us the usual (often doctored) glossy photos, it repays long sessions of browsing for that extra twist that raises a common dish to an uncommon meal.
Such a very, very, enjoyable read that this book now strongly demands that I put theory into practice. The recipes do ‘read well’ and are very practical: unlike modern books there is no excessive number of ingredients or equipment.
The historical anecdotes preceding many of the recipes are utterly fascinating; and make it very interesting, at least for the English dishes I know, to trace how recipes were taken and amended in light of local circumstances; availability of crops, kitchen utensils, etc.
The book is illustrated with what I take to be out of C19th? illustrations now out of copyright, because no credit is given for illustrations within the pages of this book, only for the cover (Harry Willock).