Customer Reviews:
 What's it for? November 20, 2007
The book is well laid out, has great pictures, and is a pleasure to dip into. Some of the write ups are really interesting.
Q: So why the low rating?
A: Because it takes me longer to read Observer Food monthly which a lot cheaper - it's a bit expensive as a [brief] read, some of the articles are a bit like that essay `What I did on my holidays' and it is no use as a cook book, since there is no proper recipe index, which is the main reason for low rating. Shame, I like Mark Hix generally, but apparently his publishers think we should buy British Food as well if we want recipes.
 A little less of London please October 7, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
The book is ok, but...whilst it does give information about food in the various regions around the country there is a constant harking back to London, London chefs and Borough Market. Oh and don't forget the cheese man who sells cheese in, yes you've guessed it Borough Market. He makes a regular appearance.
I also found it a little light on the variety of food stuffs and the range of markets, both traditional and the newer farmer's markets available in the areas. That is with the exception of the wonderfull one in London.
Most of us don't live in London and Mr Hix should remember that.
 Charming culinary bumble around Britain December 4, 2006
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
You can't help wondering how Mark Hix found time to write British Regional Food. As chef director of Caprice Holdings that includes The Ivy, J. Sheekey as well as Le Caprice, Mark also writes a weekly column for The Independent on Saturday.
Nonetheless, he sets off on a cook's tour around Britain, to meet, eat, greet and cook some of our finest. A very personal recollection emerges that is endearing and informative.
Dividing Britain into 9 regions, each follows a similar format. While in The North, Mark flags up such well known and favourite producers as Peter Gott from Sillfield Farm, Barry Pugh of Pugh's Piglets and Andrew Sharp of Farmer Sharp. He encourages us to cook a mixture of traditional - Liverpool Lobscouse or Goosnargh Cakes, and modern - Wild Boar stew with Hawkshead Beer or Fillet of Sea Bass with Samphi (sic), Shrimps and Cockles.
Whether Mark will be successful in persuading anyone to try cooking Cow Heel and Black Peas, or Tripe and Onion I'd love to know. But his meeting with Jack Curvis, one of the few "proper" tripe dressers remaining in The North makes fascinating reading and should not be missed.
Altogether a charming culinary bumble around Britain and with photographs that capture our best treasures, British Regional Food is a reminder of what there is to enjoy about buying and cooking our own. It is as irresistible as the author himself.
Lots of Waxing Lyrical But Not Enough Recipes October 26, 2006
31 out of 31 found this review helpful
This book has loads of really great information, if you are interested in the heritage of British Food, which I guess is the fashion right now what with farmer's markets and the like. But if you want a recipe book of good hearty British food (like me)you may be disappointed as there are only a couple of recipes for each region as the rest is text about the food. There's plenty of talk about local produce but not enough recipes to show what to do with it. Some of the recipes are classics like pork pies or bakewell tart, but others are just too 'down to earth' for my own taste like jugged hare, whole roast suckling pig or tripe. Don't get me wrong this is a great book, just not the recipe book I had hoped for.
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