If there is one thing I have learned from working with the lovely ladies here at The Amazing Blog it is that women admire a man who can cook. Personally, I think cooking can be a bit overwhelming. And with all those wordy and dull recipe books out there, I have never had a desire to learn more. But with my recent discovery of Timothy Bilton’s new Bilton Basics cookery book, there is a change in the air. From the opening pages, Bilton claims that he has designed this book as a simple and straightforward guide to learning the skills of cooking. The words ‘simple’ and ‘straightforward’ grabbed my attention immediately and after thumbing through the first few recipes I couldn’t seem to put the book down.
While this book is indeed simple, Bilton takes a rather wholesome approach to the skills of cooking. Starting from the beginning, Bilton explains various cooking techniques including boiling, poaching, stewing, braising, roasting, frying, baking, and steaming. I was familiar with these terms but never fully understood them. His instructions make learning these techniques quite easy. This cook book covers a large range of foods from Baked Scallops and Scottish Salmon to Venison and Lamb. If you are not too fond of the seafood or game dishes, he has also included some sweets such as Puddings, Yorkshire Ice Cream and Rhubarb. Being a big steak fan myself, I would love to master Bilton’s Yorkshire Flat Iron Steak. It seems like a fairly simple recipe and hopefully with a few tries I should be able to make it at least somewhat appetising. And for dessert, I definitely want to experiment with Bilton’s Rhubarb creations. Although I will say, the chocolate tart looks equally delicious. With just a quick glance through this book you’ll see why all his dishes are enticing. Each recipe is complimented with a beautiful photograph courtesy of David Walker that is sure to get your taste buds tingling.
Bilton Basics captures the true cooking choreography that all recipe books should, one of delicious dishes, clear recipes, beautiful images, and a little bit of story and wit. Timothy Bilton has turned complexity into simplicity - making it easy to learn some luxurious recipes and cooking skills. For £25 you can began to surprise the women in your life with your new-found cookery. It’s a purchase you won’t regret. Available direct from Butchers Arms at 014 8468 2361 or info@thebutchersarmshepworth.co.uk and also on amazon.