The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat and Think (The Bestselling Cookbook That has Changed the Way We Think About Fish)

Not the easiest to pick up for a dinner recipe tonight. A lot of very unapproachable ‘chef’/technical recipes, and I’m a confident cook. However it is such a complete concept of a book, that is clearly groundbreaking for fishery. I can understand the testimonies from other celebrity chefs that it will become a classic book. Beautiful to look at as well, gorgeous photographs and well made hardback.

What an amazing book. Full of information and instructions. Not as many recipes as a usual cook book but what’s more important it teaches you how to handle different fish and not have any waste. If you feel intimidated by fish it’s a book to buy and learn from.

Watch out for the wrapper it is stuck to the inside covers and easily tears the lining papers as shown in the second photo. Otherwise, a wonderful book, beautifully presented, sublime photos and brimming with ideas and information.

Very nice.

I am well aware that this book has received rave reviews here but I am reminded of the tale of the Emperor's new clothes. The laudatory reviews in the book and on its attached publicity slip all come from established, professional chefs - whose outlook has little to do with the average home chef, however keen he or she might be. Here, on Amazon, the reviews are clearly from a wider readership but I am wary of the 'hero worship' effect.The presentation of the book cannot be faulted - full of tempting colour photographs in the best traditions of cooking books aimed at collectors of the genre - and the parts on techniques, such as butchery, cooking methods, using bits of whole fish that one might never have thought of are outstanding.The recipes, though, are to a pretty large extent of a technicality and 'fiddle factor' that would put a lot of potential home chefs off, however tempting the descriptions and photos might be, and is fair proof that they are aimed at a professional readership with professional catering kitchens at their disposal...and quite likely, the staff to go with them!Furthermore, the book is Australian, with Australian fish types (though European substitutes are given as an afterthought in most recipes) and some unusual ingredients that the average cook would have difficulty in finding.Finally, the concept of 'whole fish': sadly in most of the UK, fishmongers have ceased to exist and getting hold of whole fish anywhere but in certain (but far from all) coastal areas is simply impossible.So yes, a great book and I love it BUT....apart from the techniques part, I'm not so sure that many of the recipes will be seen on domestic dining tables.

Really innovative. Most of the recipes are primarily for Australian fish that would be incredibly difficult to source in the UK, but the book provides alternative fish to use, so solves the issue!

Amazing book!

Purchased as a Christmas present, looks ok, no marks on the outside of the book.