Product Description

The Three Chimneys is regularly voted one of the world's finest restaurants. 2006 marks the 21st anniversary of the day Shirley and her husband Eddie, who opened the doors to their famous restaurant in Skye and realised their dream of starting a restaurant, although they had no previous experience. To mark the anniversary, Shirley brings her inspiring story up to date in a new paperback edition of her bestselling book - a winning combination of recipes, culinary essays, personal anecdotes and stunning photography.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #157566 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 168 pages

Review
'I was captivated by the book from the outset ... inspirational and a pleasure to read' Anna Hansen, chef-proprietor of The Providores 'Containing over 1000 stunning images from photographer Alan Donaldson, this beautifully presented book is a combination of mouth-watering recipes, culinary essays and personal anecdotes.' The People's Friend 'It's an inspiring book for anyone interested in the less well-worn roads to success.' The Herald 'It's a cliche to say this book is the next best thing to eating in the restaurant, but it is. Visit it the next time you go over the sea to Skye.' Evening Times 'It is more than a cookery book and a delight to read.' Family Breaks 'I found The Three Chimneys cookbook inspirational and a pleasure to read, with snapshots of family and awesome landscapes contributing to the overall effect' Caterer 'This book is a glorious amalgam of personal reminiscence of two people who exchanged life in Croydon for a cottage by the sea, down a single-track road - and the recipes for which their restaurant has become famous.' Leopard Magazine 'With over 100 stunning photographs by Alan Donaldson, this attractive 164-page paperback combines culinary essays and personal anecdotes.' The Scots Magazine 'My meal was the freshest, brightest, most exhilarating lunch I have ever had' Orlando Murrin, Editor of BBC Good Food Magazine 'I've been eagerly anticipating Shirley's book. At last it's here and it's a cracker' Nick Nairn

Nick Nairn, Proprietor of Nairn's Restaurant and Cookery School
I've been eagerly anticipating Shirley's book. At last it's here and it's a cracker.

Australian Gourmet
To the Scots, Spear is Delia, Nigella and Jamie rolled into one.

Customer Reviews

The Three Chimneys
This is a marvellously evocative book reminding me of my Scottish childhood with recipes for Scottish staples such as rumbledethumps, clapshot, and cranachan. In addition, Shirley Spears provides some wonderful modern twists on traditional recipes serving an Autumn Pudding (as opposed to Summer Pudding) and turning the staple ham and haddie into an elegant souffle. The recipes are interspersed with personal reflections of her life in Skye and setting up the world famous Three Chimneys Restaurant which anyone interested in good food will enjoy.

True to the source
We had a wonderful meal at Three Chimneys last summer, and ordered the cookbook immediately.The photography is stunning, and Ms. Spear's reminiscences are frank, robust and touching. The recipes are true to the restaurant: simple ingredients cooked with care and precision. Ms. Spear is merciful to the home cook by suggesting how best to order tasks in these multi-stepped recipes -- many of the meals here are based on a series of inter-related, enfiladed recipes. But, as a cookbook, it is not perfect: We are almost never told how many servings to expect from a recipe, for instance. Many recipes call for oatmeal, but no guidance is given as to the type (steel-cut or flaked?) or whether or not the oatmeal is raw or cooked. The index is useless, and I have not yet discerned the book's organizing principle (seasonal? menu-driven? alphabetical?) However, in a way, these faults contribute to the book's considerable charm. There is nothing of the slick professional food-writer here, just a gifted, harried-sounding woman trying to communicate her life's passion.

Three Chimneys, Four Stars
Just finished reading Shirley's lovely book. My partner and I recently ate at the Three Chimneys and enjoyed one of the best meals we've ever had. Thus the book is a delight both as a souvenir of our visit, and in and of itself. Shirley's reminiscences are a joy to read - I loved hearing how she and her family took their dreams and made them a reality, and her evocative musings on Skye, fresh, seasonal produce, and life at the restaurant. And her recipes are also wonderful - and includes one for the Famous Hot Marmalade Pudding, which, believe me, is divine. The food photography is also good enough to make you salivate.

I have one or two niggling criticisms: for me, the format is too large - it is such a personal book I think it would work better as a smaller, thicker format, like a book you might read and cook from, the editing could be a bit tighter in one or two places (three mentions in as many pages that langoustines are alternatively known as prawns - once is ample), and I think it's a mistake to hold back content for a second book and repeatedly tell the reader so, then leak little scraps of it anyway - this feels like less of a 'tease' and a bit more like cheating the reader of content, or, more simply, poor organisation. Neither works well.

However, that's perhaps a little pernickety when, overall, the book is such a delight to own. I recommend it - and do of course look forward to Shirley's second offering.