Tamasin's Weekend Food: Cooking to Come Home To. Tamasin Day-Lewis

This book is based on a nice idea -- if guests are coming for the weekend, what should you give them Friday (something that can slowly cook while you are out or cook quickly when you get home), Saturday (easy, self-service breakfasts, simple lunches, tea, and a substantial supper to go with good conversation), and Sunday (breakfast and dinner -- usually a variation on the traditional roast of some sort). Everything has Day-Lewis's healthy, earthy, flavorful trademark style. Some recipes are duplicated in others of her books, but there are lots of new recipes, great descriptions, and inspriring photos. Day-Lewis's cooking is rooted in English tradition, but, like the best of current English cooking, is heavily influenced by French, Italian, and other international styles, especially Indian, and has a strong bent toward seasonal freshness. It doesn't sound that different from recent American style cooking, but the difference is there, and it gives both the food and the writing an extra dimension. Check out her other books too. My favorite is probably Simply the Best, which is the shortest statement of Day-Lewis's philosophy of food and life.