Secrets and Spies

This book is, it says, intended for all those people who have wanted access to easy-to-understand low-fat recipes and lifestyle information and could never get it. Since it is now quite difficult to find anywhere in the western world without some form of low-fat literature, this seems an extravagant claim. But Rose and Guy have clearly endeavoured to make this book as accessible as possible, and have certainly succeeded. Put together in blocks of brilliantly coloured pages, it looks rather like a simpleton's guide to your home computer: everything is in there. At a glance there are the fairly standard sections on snack attacks (run past the chocolate shop to the gym), the kitchen cupboard (don't fill it with anything remotely edible) and the benefits of keeping a slimming diary. These are complemented by plenty of low-fat recipes interpersed with highlighted tips called Luscious Advice. By and large, the recipes sound appetizing if not wildly original, and the authors provide lots of good alternatives to tempting delicacies like cakes and dips. Where this book really comes into its own, however, is in its nutritional breakdown of meals in general and ingredients in particular. For example, did you know a mere fistful of pine nuts yields a staggering 68.60 g of fat, four times as much as a packet of crisps? If the authors' tips on interrogating chefs about their ingredients strike fear into your soul, you can always try their own chain of cafes, located in Holmes Place Health Clubs. (Kirkus UK)