Ground Beef and Frypan Cookery ~ June Houghton

OK, you're right - this book is very 1970's, but having been published back in 1974 that is to be expected. And that said, and despite the fact that I was vegetarian for almost 5 years, I kind of like this book. It is unpretentious, and despite almost every recipe being mince based, it has some interesting ideas.

The book starts with the winners, the burger recipes, and this is where it first appeals. June obviously had a little bit of a sense of humour, naming the 'devilled' style burger featuring Tabasco and horseradish Satan Burgers. There are some quite reasonable offerings in this section, such as the Tarragon Burgers, though I suspect most of us would skip the Liver Burgers - it was 1974 though, so bear that in mind when you judge.

Following the burgers come the meatballs and then the meatloaves. Pies, casseroles and forcemeat are followed by ground beef dishes from abroad, such as Korean meatballs and Moussaka, and bringing up the rear are the gourmet frypan recipes. This last section is a little more diverse with Glazed ham steaks and Curried cod, and other non-beef recipes ~ I think this is where the Frypan cooking comes into the title. The recipes are simple to read and simpler to follow. Most of them are quite edible and although simple and a bit outdated it's a handy little cookbook.

Recommended for those without a family history of heart disease. Not recommended for vegetarians. Your dad might like it.

- kath