Holiday

Bill Granger has long been something special among TV cooks. His lifelong passion for cooking has been conveyed in an unostentatious fashion, but always with a welcome clarity and avoidance of gimmickry -- and as Holiday conveys, those qualities are carried over into Granger's cookery books.

Bill Granger opened his first restaurant in when he was 22 and the second three years later. A third followed in Sydney in July 2005. The success of those restaurants -- based as much on Granger's personality as on his innovative recipes -- has led many enthusiasts for his TV shows and books to try to emulate at least his cookery -- if not his business success. The concept in Holiday is an unusual one: Granger tells us a holiday is much more than travel, but is about a state of mind and the enjoyment of happy accidents; there should be a sense of discovery -- and that is precisely what Granger conveys in the recipes presented here. This is a particularly personal collection, mainly consisting of recipes that he has created for his own young family. As ever, the recipes are straightforward and uncomplicated (one of the reasons for Granger's considerable success, as most of us could have a shot at the recipes on offer here). Whether you are tempted to try something as straightforward as chicken burgers with lemon grass and lime (infinitely more interesting than the fare you'll obtain in most hamburger chains) or whole grilled fish with curry paste, your gameplan for preparing these straightforward culinary delights is here. As always with Granger, alternatives are presented if particular ingredients are not available. Copies of this book are likely to adorn many a kitchen table. --Barry Forshaw

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Cracking Stuff - Rated
I have been a convert to Bill Granger for years, he is absolutely brilliant. I have all of his books, have made countless recipes and have not been disappointed yet, neither has my husband who enjoys every one!! Even he can follow the recipes and produce excellent results. Have just tried the chocolate filled french toast for breakfast this morning, which I have to say was absolute chocolate heaven, probably not the best thing to eat after going to the gym but it was worth it. If you only ever buy a few cookbooks make sure they are all Bill Granger's, they a feast for the eyes and the soul and make cooking and eating an absolute pleasure.

Excellent cook book - Rated
Another great Bill Grainger book, which reminds me a little of Nigella Lawson's 'Feast', perhaps because he has spilt the book into sections around seasons/holidays. This is a cook book that you can pick off the shelf and quickly find something to cook - whether it be a quick supper or a meal for friends. It's very influenced by asian styles/ingredients, which keeps things light and very tasty. I have all of Bill's books and love them all -if you enjoy cooking you should definitely own this book.

Bill back on form - Rated
I have all of Bill's books and like his style of cooking. After the slight disappointment of his last book, this is return to form. Given that he lives in Sydney, in the past, his recipes and style have been geared toward summery or warm climate cooking. However, this book has many excellent recipes for colder winters. There is still an Asian flavour to many recipes, but this book includes some pork and beef dishes as well as some winter soups. Like all his previous books the recipes never take too long and many include extras that add a lot to the dish. Don't be put off by the "Holiday" title, this is great book for every day cooking.