Gizzi Erskine

Chef and food writer

Grigson is right up there with Carrier: my two favourite writers. I have lived by this book. Grigson’s writing wears its erudition so lightly (to paraphrase her former publisher, Jill Norman). Her recipes were quite matter of fact – practical, accurate – but her digressions into the history of a recipe or ingredient were completely engrossing: telling you how to cook, but also why. It’s a kind of poetry of cookery writing and there’s no one else quite like her.

Drew Smith

Author and editor

Jane’s first book was also the blueprint for what followed but shines a light on a historic culture and agriculture here and brings them into the kitchen. You may never think of sausages and bacon in the same way again.

Paul Levy

Writer and former chair of the Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery

The first book on the subject in any language, including French, by my friend and colleague of many years.

Jennifer McLagan

Author

No apologies for selecting Grigson again, hard to choose just one more, but this one is a classic.

Elisabeth Luard

Food writer and illustrator

The first cookbook I read and really used when I kept my own household pig in Andalucia.

Joyce Molyneux

Chef

An invaluable help to producing a boar's head for a buffet.

Gill Meller

Chef

Because it makes me want to be French.

Graham Garrett

Chef and owner of The West House

My Bible, back in the day.

Fred Smith

Beef at Flat Iron

Pork fat and its wonders.

Glynn Christian

Food writer and author

Charles Campion

Critic and Author

Cristine MacKie

Author

Sandy Jarvis

Head Chef & partner at The Culpeper

Tristram Stuart

Food waste activist

Martin Webb

Chef