This is not a recipe book, or rather it is A recipe book, setting out over the course of 226 pages, one recipe, which, by his own admission, Thom Eagle rarely cooks any more.
This is a cookery book, the art of cooking summed up succinctly. To paraphrase - with the exception of deep frying, there are two universal methods of cooking anything; with and without water, introduce heat and wait until it's cooked.
The ideas and knowledge contained herein are distilled with the same care as the finest malt whisky, the results equally enjoyable to imbibe. Curled up on the sofa, oblivious to the housework, I drank in every word.
Like the flashing signs as you enter a 30mph zone, this book is a reminder that speed isn't everything, sometimes you just need to slow down. it is a counterpoint to the siren call of "ready in 15 minutes" school of cooking, this book requires the consideration and time that you should be paying to your food.
It is full of the most eloquent of phrases; in the chapter on fish and salt water, he talks of something swimming here, not from Australia, but from the Jurassic - the notion of swimming through time, as natural as swimming through space, adding a fourth dimension to the mysterious deep.
In the same chapter he admits his own limitations, with a generous acknowledgement of the wisdom of others: "I don't intend to lecture you on sustainable fish consumption........................I hardly know anything about it. I tend to leave it to our fish supplier." My absolute favourite phrase from the entire book is in this chapter, when he refers to a "multitude of lithenesses of eels", I can see them now (although I have to admit to cold shivers as I do so, recalling scenes from The Tin Drum)
As you reach further into the book, some reassurances emerge, things we can all relate to: cooking doesn't have to be about showing off, sometimes, most times simplicity will suffice.
Listen to Thom, learn to accept this, cook for pleasure, sleep better at night.
He also touches on intuition, something we seem to have lost along the way. There is no universal rule for how long something will take to cook, there are too many variables. Use your senses, not a stopwatch.
This is all about technique, understanding, respect for ingredients and the wisdom of others. It is not about a quick fix to fill the gap between the school run and swimming lessons, but a better comprehension of methods and ingredients will help.
This book is imbued with wisdom; laced with love of ingredients and the process of cooking; generous with the sharing of passion and knowledge - a generosity almost tangible, that you instinctively know will season the food on your plate.
there is a thread as delicate and as vibrant as a strand of saffron that holds the writing together.
I can't wait to see what he offers us next.
First Catch by Thom Eagle
https://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Catch-Thom-Eagle/dp/1787131475
Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2018 ©
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