The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook

by Hairy Bikers, Si King, Dave Myers

The Hairy Bikers are a couple of northern lads who travel on their motorbikes in search of culinary experiences and cultural adventures. This travelogue and cookery book features all the recipes shown in the television series.

Genres: Cooking, Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published April 6, 2006

About the author

Big hearted, down-to-earth cooks with a love of good food, they have been cooking together for more than twenty years. They have created haute cuisine dishes with Michelin-starred chefs and travelled the world in the pursuit of great food. They've also explored the length and breadth of the British Isles to discover brand new recipes and create their own fresh takes on cooking classics. The stars of several hit television shows, they are the UK's most popular cookery writing duo.

Si and Dave are life-long foodies and passionate cooks; they met through work on the set of a drama (appropriately enough on a Catherine Cookson adaptation) and they take every opportunity they can to pack their panniers and head off in search of authentic culinary and cultural experiences in all corners of the world.

Reviews

[Tim Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many cooking journeys tend to steer clear of the world’s more overlooked destination, probably because the producers want an easy look-see at the travelling cooking world. Not these guys; Myers and King visit some often overlooked countries around the world. They travel, by motorcycle, through vast areas of: Portugal, Namibia, Ireland, Romania, Turkey, Vietnam and Mexico. While on their travels, King handles the motorcycle (bike bits) side of their getting around and Dave handles the cooking side and both chip in their opinions about the food, physical beauty and character of the people they meet.

I enjoyed their TV version of this book very much and I have enjoyed their collection of recipes from the various countries they visited; their recipes are for food that I would enjoy eating and the many recipes are laid out well for easy use while cooking. Portugal’s Caldo Verde, page 26; Romania’s Mititei, or Little ones page 145; Turkey’s Kabak Muveri page 164 to name just a few. This is a great cook/travel book and is well worth seeking out.

[Ewen Stapley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just a cookbook - an interesting history and observations on motorcycling in the 6 countries covered. An enjoyable writing style.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like their TV series, part travelogue, part cheery chappies banter, part cookbook, it's as much entertainment as anything else.
It's not often you find yourself smiling when watching a cookery programme or reading a cookery book, but you do with them.
This is a quick trip around eight countries with recipe examples for each.
Some are useful and achievable in the UK, but others less so.
To give a recipe for a Monster Doner Kebab seems pointless when one of the ingredients is 3kg of lambs tail fat. I believe there are some of this special breed of of sheep in the UK but the chances you could get it are remote. Then in order to cook it you need a kebab machine on which to mount it and rotate, yea, right !
I have to say that considering you can get far more knowledgeable content in a cookery book written by an acknowledged chef at the price they ask for this, £20, they're pushing it.
But it appears that there are only three possible prices for cookbooks now.
£15 for a smallish format paperback or a thin volume, or £20 or £25 for this type.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't seem to watch much TV cooking these days but I happened to catch The Hairy Bikers one day and found them quite engaging so picked this up when I spotted it in the library. It's the familiar travel and cooking format but to start with at least there wasn't too much food snobbery, and I still found the 'boys' engaging in print. I was surprised to find the "Bike Bits" section of each country's chapter interesting. I also thought I might actually try some of the recipes although mostly it made me hungry. It seemed to go off a bit towards the end, but it was a nice bit of reading sunshine in a gloomy November.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only some wonderful recipes but a tour of various countries with sly humour thrown into the mix as well

[Judy Beyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the boys, their casual approach and their jokiness. In this book, the chicken liver paella dish with nuts and other lovelies is just gorgeous.
Oh ay!

[Gary Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Hairy Bikers, they are normal people.
Great easy to follow reciepes.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good solid book from the hairy bikers. Interesting tales of their bike journey and good food recipes.