Introduction

Towards the end of the 1970s Sainsbury’s made what proved to be an era-changing decision: to start publishing small paperback cookery books that would be sold at the checkout in their stores. They asked me to write the first one – as a trial I suppose – and in 1978 I produced Cooking for Christmas, at a time when there were no other Christmas recipe books around. The book sold well and I was asked to follow it quickly with more. After four more in 3 years I was wondering which area of food to work on next, so I asked Sainsbury’s what ingredient they sold most of. ‘Mince’ was the brief but emphatic reply.