Food & Drink: Cook Book of the Week

EVERY NOW and then, I suffer from an acute attack of ennui induced by the current steady stream of cookery books from chefs. Why do we need so many, especially when they all seem so similar? And then, just when I have decided that they are all utterly irrelevant to ordinary mortals, Alastair Little's Soho Cooking lands on my desk.

As I listlessly flick through its pages, I suddenly find my attention caught by, of all things, the recipes. potage bonne femme, Japanese-style duck salad, smoked haddock mousse, cold bok choy (dressed in lemon and soy sauce), and apple and amaretti tart.

They all sound good. In fact, so good I felt tempted to make one then and there. Furthermore, the writing is not pretentious, it's interesting, amusing and informative.

The book has been devised around the idea that Alastair Little's career was shaped by his relationship with Soho - which spans 25 years of cooking, shopping and socialising.

After a brief history of Soho, he launches into the recipes, which are organised into no-nonsense chapters along the lines of Soup and Bread, Cold Starters, Hot Starters and so on. I suspect Alastair Little has simply chosen a selection of his favourite recipes and then linked them with his memories of Soho. How else can you explain the inclusion of Eton mess?

Good taste has meant that you are offered everything from traditional recipes like coq au vin to modern dishes such as tiger prawn noodle salad. Virtually all the recipes engage you with their evocative references to local shops, restaurants and characters, many of which have now vanished. All have clear instructions and look delicious. Everything is explained, even down to the appearance of the melted butter for a lemon butter sauce. This is not only an excellent cookery book, it is also a fascinating insight into the roots of modern British cooking.