This book is very dear to me as it was a gift from my parents at Christmas in 1988. Larousse Gastronomique was a godsend for me as I didn’t know a huge amount about food at the time. I was living away from home and this book taught me so much. I read it every night before turning the light out. 

It’s literally an A to Z of everything to do with gastronomy. The way each letter of the alphabet is used to describe a food item, dish, wine or region is brilliant. And it is concise; full of incredible things and a fountain of knowledge. 

Every time I pick this book up, I find something new that fascinates me. It’s an encyclopaedia of all things to do with food, wine, eating and all sorts of culinary antics. I’m not sure students get this book at college, but I would insist on it as a tool for learning your craft.

The images are wonderful, from a time we have forgotten when chefs wore tall hats and everything had truffle and foie gras in it. A recipe that caught my eye recently was for thrushes stuffed with, you guessed it, truffles and foie gras. Sounds delicious. If you know someone who’s into cooking, they will devour this book.