`This is a book you really want. No fifteen minute magic or culinary sorcery, just practical, staged cooking
of the most sumptuous dishes. Made me salivate.'
Yotam Ottolenghi

Cooking for groups can be a stressful operation, yet at his supper club, The Secret Larder, James Ramsden has built a reputation for creating exciting, trendy, tasty food without the gaga gourmet, whilst being able to maintain a relaxed and sociable presence amongst the guests. This is because he prepares the majority of his food ahead.

In this book, James offers an exciting array of inexpensive recipes, that can be prepared ahead and served up without a fuss so that the cook can be with their guests, not stuck in the kitchen. Do-ahead cooking need not be limited to hotpots and pies; James' innovative recipes include scotch quail eggs with homemade brown sauce, fennel soup with brown shrimp and dill, pig cheek salad with pickled shallot and buttermilk dressing, rhubarb crumble ice cream and raspberry gin and tonic. The recipes are not exclusively for entertaining - many double-up as easy after-work suppers. This is a book for every cook's bookshelf.