The Genius of James Barber: His Best Recipes

We always knew James Barber played an important role in freeing us from our culinary hang-ups but it wasn't until he passed away in 2007 that a truly astonishing outpouring of tributes from famous chefs and ordinary cooks alike made clear the full extent of his impact. For James didn't just want to make us better cooks; he wanted to help us live better lives by getting intimate with the cooking side of ourselves. And if getting intimate with food led to other intimacies, so much the better! His approach to cooking was revolutionary in its simplicity and stands at the opposite end of the spectrum from the elitist "great chef" approach that makes most people feel they could never succeed in the kitchen. James loved one-pot cooking, using whatever was left on the shelf and still making a memorable feast. In this book some of his most distinguished fans get together to collect James' greatest recipes, from Ginger Tea to Indonesian Fish, and talk about what his art meant to them.