Dishy by Kevin Gould

There is something about this book that gives you a sense of déjà vu, something you can't put your finger on. And then, it comes to you in a flash. If Austin Powers had a kitchen, Dishy would be his cookbook. This would be Austin's bible if he were rustling up something for Felicity Shagwell. The book is so deliciously tacky and retro that makes it all the more appealing. With Gould's advice, if you perform well in the kitchen, you might score elsewhere! So lads, get on in there.

His ingenious use of flow charts should start a new trend and at the same time, recruit some new cooks to the kitchen. The charts make the recipes look impossibly easy to follow, by breaking down each simple task into single actions. This is clearly innovative and it sets one thinking as to how Ms. Roux and Escoffier's recipes would translate thus. It is refreshing to read the pages in this format, the look is uncluttered and writers for the future could learn from it. Has Mr. Gould patented the idea? He should.

Kevin Gould wants to get ordinary people to discard their ready-made meals and get peeling potatoes. If you lack confidence in this department, Dishy will hold your hand very gently as you discover each new step in a recipe. He has got friends to cook up his recipes and then photographed the results. These are honest and quirky, almost sparse at times but his aim is to let the food speak for itself. The old adage of using the best and freshest of ingredients and cooking it simply clearly works for him.

The recipes reflect an eastern influence with a touch of Italian and more besides. They are interesting, easy and tasty. Try prawns and wilted rocket, followed by polo zheresk, an Iranian dish of chicken cooked with barberries (or cranberries), yoghurt and saffron. Finish this off with vanilla ice cream affogato. This seems to be the pudding of the moment and is so simple, just espresso with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Cooking duck with a hairdryer is different, but it has a point. It means that all the fat can drip off the bird before roasting in the oven. Clever but messy.

The book will leave you with one sobering thought; you will always remember his warning on farmed smoked salmon. The fish lead a miserable life, are pumped full of antibiotics and additives, which improve their colour. Sometimes they are so fat, they are starved before killing. Now it gets worse, when being smoked, one fish can lose up to five litres of oil.

Fortunately, the recipes in Dishy are alive and kicking with flavour. Kevin Gould is the Mr. Cool of the kitchen. His extensive experience in food retailing, consultancy and catering to the beautiful people is presented in this hip cookbook. It is not cheap at £25 but will make a brilliant present for incompetents in the kitchen. Girls, we might now have some competition in the culinary stakes.

AD.
****

Publication Details: pp.208. Photographs. £25
ISBN 0340750952. Published by Hodder & Staughton
2000

Would you like to buy this book from Amazon at a discounted price? Click here.