Many of you will know and own this book. It was gifted to me in ’96 by Adrian, The Royal Scotsman train manager. The River Cafe Cookbook was a big hit when it was first published in the mid-90s. It was a time of simplicity, head-to-head with haute cuisine.

The restaurant in Hammersmith is notorious for being tricky to get a table, and guests have to leave by 10.30 at night as it’s in a residential area. The dishes are expensive, and rightly so as the produce is of exceptional quality.

The book was one of the first that didn’t bother too much about how pretty a dish looked. It was tasty Italian food, using incredible produce. I often mention the meals I have eaten there; squid with chilli and rocket, lamb with salsa verde. The chicken with mascarpone, prosciutto and lemon stuffed just under the skin is mind-blowing, full of flavour and so tasty. The vignole is a dish I have cooked many times, not great to look at, but it has the beauty of ingredients all working in harmony. It’s an orchestra on a simple, white plate with lashings of olive oil.

The controversy at the time of publication came in the form of the chocolate nemesis recipe. It gave many a yuppie, night terrors as their recipe “didn’t work”. It does, and I make it a lot as it’s heavenly. And that piece of gorgonzola I ate there a few years back, made me weep with joy. This book is a must in every home, written by Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers, two fabulous chefs. Sadly, Rose is no longer with us, but Ruth is still there cooking, and just being so cool.