Fortnum & Mason: Christmas & Other Winter Feasts

I hemmed and hawed about getting this book because it was pricey and I thought might be heavy on the narrative and light on the recipes. Wrong. The book is wonderful. It does have a lot to say about the Christmas holiday but it is interesting. The drawings are clever. The recipes look terrific. i love the book! If you like food/cooking history, a bit of commentary about the recipe, UK cooking - this book is for you.

Most years I treat myself to a new Christmas or holiday cookbook and I've found some real winners over the years. This year I found two! One of my daughters lives in the UK so I am well acquainted with Fortnum & Mason's - one of the world's biggest department stores, known all over the world for their tea & provisions. Whether you're climbing Mt. Everest or taking a picnic to the park, they've got you covered. And of course their Christmas Hampers are legendary. The current Imperial fills 5 large hampers and includes both a ham and a tea set - not to mention a special party cracker that sits in the middle of your table and explodes, showering goodies all over the room. (Fortnum & Masons pioneered the party cracker. )Usually cookbooks first published in the UK appear there weeks or months before they do here, but as it happens Fortnum & Mason's Christmas and Other Winter Feasts is the rare exception, much to my daughter's chagrin. I was so excited to tell her about this book - and she was so disappointed because that was what she had intended to send me for Christmas. (Ah well, great minds think alike!)Loaded with the history of various fall and winter holidays and recipes for every event of the season, Fortnum & Mason's Christmas is a work of art, lavishly illustrated from their collection of artwork that goes back to 1910 or so. Easy to read, easy to cook from , this is a book you will treasure for years to come.Now, if you live on this side of the pond there are a few things you will want to remember: measurements are in metrics, so you will want a cooking scale. (One can be had for <$20.} Strong flour is bread flour, plain flour is all purpose and caster sugar is the same as bartenders sugar, though I've noticed of late that Domino's is as fine as caster sugar. UK medium eggs are US large and 180C is 350F.As it happens, this is not the first Fortnum & Mason's Cookbook I happen to own. Some years ago my granddaughter gave me a small volume entitled Tea at Fortnum & Mason's, chockfull of recipes for many of the items they serve at their famous Afternoon Tea. I have cooked that little book nearly to shreds, so I've no qualms about recommending this volume to you "uncooked."One special note: While you'll find plenty of recipes to make your winter holidays special, this is the season when fresh game is available almost everywhere in the UK. If you're lucky enough to have a hunter in the family or feel like splurging a bit you'll find a fair few wonderfully classic recipes for venison, partridge, quail, pheasant and rabbit. Enjoy!Highly Recommended! Merry Christmas!

The gift recipient, Brit that she is, LOVED this book! Must say I read through a lot of it and found it a very good read (lots of unrelated to recipe text). The recipes are very British and not what Americans generally cook. Tom Parker-Bowles is a very good writer/author.

The media could not be loaded. From the moment you open the pages of this cookbook you’ll be captivated by the charming design and beautiful illustrations. This is a treasure trove of nostalgic holiday recipes with unique Fortnum & Mason’s twists.The attention to detail is evident on every page. Between the recipes are stories about F&M’s history and insights into the famous hampers and their journeys around the world.Although the recipes aren’t particularly beginner friendly, this book is so beautiful it’s worth the purchase even if you’re not planning on making anything from it. There are recipes and stories from Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years and other winter feasts.A joyful journey, it would make a lovely gift for a foodie.

I feel like I’m cooking for a king when I use this cookbook! It’s great!

I love this book. I did my PhD in England and this book reminds me of the good times. No one does cooking or Christmas better than English.

Recipes and lots more, a great Christmas stocking stuffer if you have a really large stocking. I love this book for year around recipes.

Nothing gets roasted in the Roasted Squash, Feta, and Pine Nut Salad. It is pan fried.Recipes that are continued on the next page are not marked as such, and it isn’t always obvious that the recipe is incomplete. The editor gets a failing grade for these errors and for grammatical inconsistencies. He recommends ingredients that you simply can’t get in the US (Abernathy butter) or that cost $64 for a package of cookies with an $18 shipping fee.