River Cottage Handbook

Bread features a host of recipes for all levels of bread-makers, including simple one-flour recipes like soda bread and no-yeast loaves that can be mixed, kneaded and baked in no time at all. First, Daniel examines the key ingredients in baking (flour, yeast, salt and water), explains the science behind the seemingly alchemic processes, and advises on the right kit to get started. He then demonstrates how to make yeast and non-yeast breads, as well as enriched doughs and home-started sourdough.

For the forager, the seashore holds surprising culinary potential. In this authoritative, witty book John Wright takes us on a trip to the seaside. But before introducing us to the various species to be harvested, he touches on such practicalities as conservation and the ethics of foraging; safety from tides, rocks and food poisoning; the law and access to the shore, our right to fish, landing sizes and seasons; and equipment such as nets, pots and hooks.

Curing and smoking your own food is a bit of a lost art in Britain these days. While our European neighbours have continued to use these methods on their meat, fish and cheese for centuries, we seem to have lost the habit. But with the right guidance, anyone can preserve fresh produce, whether living on a country farm or in an urban flat – it doesn't have to take up a huge amount of space. With an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this book is the go-to guide for anyone who wants to smoke, brine or air-dry their way to a happier kitchen.

Nothing beats a really good cheese. These days you can buy great dairy products locally, made using high-quality ingredients and with a unique flavour of their own. The next step is to try your hand at making yoghurt, labneh, mozzarella and even delicious matured cheeses yourself. With an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this book is the indispensable guide to crafting and enjoying cheese and other dairy products.

What could possibly beat a cool pint of beer down the pub or a lazy glass of wine at your favourite bar? The answer is: home-brewed beer or your very own brand of wine. With this, the twelfth in the River Cottage Handbook series, the inimitable John Wright shows exactly how easy it is to get started. You don't need masses of space to make alcohol at home, and if you follow the simple instructions, you won't be faced with exploding bottles in the cellar. But don't forget, it's all about experimentation and finding out what works for you.

Growing fruit at home is a delicious and altogether more enjoyable alternative to buying it in the shops. Mark Diacono offers a practical and accessible guide to making the most of your garden and what it has to offer. The first part of the book is an A-Z of the different varieties of fruit, with old favourites like apples, cherries, plum, blackcurrants, white currants, redcurrants, strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries and rhubarb as well as more exotic species like figs, grapes, cranberries, Japanese wine berries and apricots.

Chickens are a fantastic addition to a garden or outdoors space - you don't have to live in the back of beyond to have a few clucking around and giving you fresh eggs. They come in all shapes and sizes: some are layers, some are just born to strut. Mark Diacono begins at the basics, showing how you can raise chickens from eggs, and look after them once they start laying their own.

In Fermentation, Rachel de Thample shines a light on one of the oldest methods of preserving food, which is just as relevant today, and shows you how to produce delicious and health-boosting ferments in your own kitchen.

Game offers some of the most intense, delicate, rich and varied meat around. And not only is it delicious, it can also be a healthy and more nutritious alternative to traditional red meats. Here, Tim Maddams gives an accessible guide to obtaining, assessing, preparing and cooking game, including pheasant, grouse, venison, partridge, hare, rabbit, boar and duck.