Whenever I hear the word curry, I’m filled with a longing for spicy hot food with the fragrance of cumin, cloves and cinnamon. I see deep red colours from lots of Kashmiri chillis, tinged with a suggestion of yellow from turmeric. I think of the tandoor oven, and slightly scorched naan shining with ghee and garlic.When Indians talk of their food, they talk about their life. To understand this country, you need to understand curry. What makes a good curry? Sensual spicy aromas or thick, creamy sauces? Rich, dark dals or crispy fried street snacks? Rick journeys through India to find the answer, searching this colourful, chaotic nation in search of the truths behind our love affair with its food. Chefs, home cooks and street vendors hold the key to unlocking the secrets of these complex and diverse flavours – and Rick's travels take him to the heart of both their long-held traditions and most modern techniques. He uncovers recipes for fragrant kormas, delicate spiced fish and slow-cooked biryanis, all the while gathering ideas and inspiration for his own take on that elusive dish – the perfect curry.

To accompany the major BBC Two series, Rick Stein’s Long Weekends is a mouthwatering collection of over 100 recipes from ten European cities. Rick’s recipes are designed to cater for all your weekend meals. For a quick Friday night supper Icelandic breaded lamb chops will do the trick, and Huevos a la Flamenca makes a tasty Saturday brunch. Viennese Tafelspitz is perfect for Sunday lunch, and of course no weekend would be complete without Portuguese custard tarts or Berliner Doughnuts for an afternoon treat. Accompanied by beautiful photography of the food and locations, and complemented by his personal memories and travel tips for each city, Rick will inspire you to re-create the magic of a long weekend in your own home.

'I've wanted to make a series in Spain for a long time. I love Spanish food, I've been going there since I was a young boy - but until quite recently I don't think people really took the food seriously. Thanks to a handful of really dedicated Spanish chefs and a growing enthusiasm for its rugged flavours, that has all begun to change. To me the underlying point of journeying to Spain would be to discover the 'duende' in the cooking. By that I mean a sense of soul, of authenticity. The word is normally used in flamenco but I think it could be equally applied to the art of Spanish cooking because to my mind, in really good food, there is a communication between the cook and diner that amounts to art.' Rick Stein In his beautifully designed and illustrated cookbook to accompany a major BBC2, 4-part series, Rick has selected over 140 recipes that capture the authentic taste of Spain today. Spain is a country that tantalises every sense with its colourful sights, evocative music, vibrant traditions and bold cookery. Spanish cooking has a rich history, with flavours reflecting a broad range of cultural influences. Rick samples his way through the specialties and hidden treats of each region, taking in the changing landscape from the mountainous northern regions through the Spanish plains to Mediterranean beaches. With over 100 Spanish recipes and location photographs, this is an essential cookbook for food-lovers as well as a stunning culinary guide to a diverse country.

In this tie-in cookery book to the TV series, Rick shares his new-found knowledge, recreating the tantalizing food of his travels and capturing on the plate the rich and varying cultures of the Far East. With over 150 new recipes and breathtaking on-location photography, this book evokes the magic of bustling markets, exotic locations and exciting flavours.

Acclaimed chefs Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala are on a mission to wake Britain up to the versatility of spices. For too long, our spices have sat unused and dusty in cupboard shelves, when just a mere sprinking of cumin, a dash of turmeric or a handful of star anise has the power to turn our everyday food into an explosion of tastes and smells. Tony and Cyrus have taken to the road, exploring the British Isles and adding their own spicy twist to our most classic and best-loved dishes. Try jazzing up a Sunday roast chicken with a honey and ginger, adding a cumin and coriander kick to a shepherd's pie or lacing a Victoria sponge with aromatic fennel seeds and cardamom. With delicious, everyday recipes accompanied by Cyrus and Tony's top tips and favourite spices, The Incredible Spice Men will demystify the contents of your spice rack, and open your everyday cooking up to a world of exciting new flavours.

Real French home cooking with all the recipes from Rick's new BBC Two series. Over fifty years ago Rick Stein first set foot in France. Now, he returns to the food and cooking he loves the most ... and makes us fall in love with French food all over again. Rick’s meandering quest through the byways and back roads of rural France sees him pick up inspiration from Normandy to Provence. With characteristic passion and joie de vivre, Rick serves up incredible recipes: chicken stuffed with mushrooms and Comté, grilled bream with aioli from the Languedoc coast, a duck liver parfait bursting with flavour, and a recipe for the most perfect raspberry tart plus much, much more. Simple fare, wonderful ingredients, all perfectly assembled; Rick finds the true essence of a food so universally loved, and far easier to recreate than you think.

Rick Stein's passion for fresh, well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer. From Fresh grilled cod with shellfish in garlic butter at the tip of St Ives, to Cured red duck breasts with melon, soy and pickled ginger in Sydney Harbour, this collection of over 130 recipes evokes all the pleasure and flavour associated with the coast. Chapters are organised by region: healthy salads inspired by the Californian ocean, sumptuous starters fit for French cuisine, modern light lunches such as Japanese sashimi and Moroccan tagines, and main courses using fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry and game from the most fertile coastal regions in the world. There are recipes for classic treats such as Toad-in-the-hole with porcini mushrooms and onion gravy, staple fish masterpieces such as Poached sea trout with sorrel hollandaise, and recipes for tasty favourites from your treasured holiday destinations: Seafood Paella, Goan Curry, Welsh Cawl and Clam Chowder. All this, plus a delicious range of puddings including Hot bread pudding with armagnac sauce, Lemon Possett and Poached pears with mulberries and mascarpone ice cream. With brand-new recipes and a fresh design, Coast to Coast contains Rick Stein's most popular dishes drawn from many years of travelling the culinary globe. Easy to follow and quick to inspire, this cookbook will bring all the flavour of the coast into the comfort of your own home.