Jamie Oliver was relatively unknown when he became a Penguin author in 1999. Six TV series and worldwide sales of more than eleven million copies of his books later, he is one of the UK's favourite chefs and an international celebrity who has changed the face of the cookbook. In Something for the Weekend, Jamie pulls together a selection of recipes specially chosen to make every weekend taste delicious: from barbecues and lazy lunches to Sunday roasts and impromptu parties.

Something for the Weekend is my little contribution to celebrate Penguin's seventy years in publishing. But my mum told me that I shouldn't call it this because it's rude, what with the associations with condoms and everything. We certainly couldn't have used a title like this seventy years ago but times have changed!

Anyway it's called this because the weekend is when I get an opportunity to cook at home and have a wicked time with my friends and family. And now I've got kids the weekends are so important for cooking with them - it is really grounding and always a laugh. Remember - cooking is supposed to be fun and not a chore. So, here is a collection of some of my favourite recipes from the books that I've written over the past few years. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with them so roll your sleeves up and get stuck in.

This collection of recipes couldn't be more apt - it really is 'something for the weekend', whether you're looking for breakfast ideas, snacks, lazy lunches, proper dinner parties or whether you're after a really good party cake recipe.

Have a great weekend cooking. And Happy Birthday Penguin.

Love Jamie O x

Buy this book, or buy the boxed set

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In Defence of English Cooking - George Orwell
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