Split into four chapters - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter - Rowley picks out exactly what is in season, and devises menus for a variety of events which range from the downright amusing 'club dinner for the rich uncle', to a painstaking 'the vegetarian in Lent' to terrifying 'still courting: a foursome'. There is nothing here that could not satisfy the most pernickety of diners, and Rowley ends each chapter with a practical hint on a particular subject, such as frying steak properly or a discourse on the Jerusalem artichoke. With over 250 carefully selected recipes, a brilliant suppliers list and directory, the reader and cook is transported instantly into Rowley's own kitchen at home, where simple, seasonal food is cooked as vibrantly as possible.