Appetite cover art

Appetite

A Memoir in Recipes of Family and Food

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Appetite

By: Ed Balls
Narrated by: Ed Balls
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About this listen

 ‘Delightfully different’ – Delia Smith

Ed Balls was just three weeks old when he tried his first meal: pureed roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. While perhaps ill-advised by modern weaning standards, it worked for him in 1967, and from that moment on he was hooked on food.

Appetite is a memoir with a twist: part autobiography, part cookbook, each chapter is a recipe that tells a story. Ed was taught to cook by his mother, and now he’s passing these recipes on to his own children as they start to fly the nest. Sitting round the table year after year, the world around us may change, but great recipes last a lifetime.

Appetite is a celebration of love, family, and really good food.
©2021 Ed Balls (P)2021 Simon & Schuster Audio Food & Wine Gastronomy Memoir

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Critic reviews

"Delightfully different." (Delia Smith)
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I was a bit unsure but thought that I’d give this a try and I’m glad that I did. Some recipes that are perfect for home cooks, intersperse Proustian passages of autobiography.
Many of the scenes of family life will resonate, regardless of background.

My only gripe is that it really needs an accompanying pdf or content bookmarks so that we can find the recipes. No one wants to start scrolling through them on any of these types of book. Come on Audible, please up your game in this respect.

Lovely food memoir

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Enjoyable listen. Ed Balls lives life with a smile and cooks with the same joke de cuvée

Loves life, loves food

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This was an easy and enjoyable book to listen to. Reflective and interesting in equal measure. I too enjoy cooking immensely and so it resonated completely with me the joy of creating food that others enjoy.
Nicely written and read, good job Ed!

Very enjoyable

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This was a lovely listen. I am about the same age, so the reminiscences are of similar vintage. The recipes are fab, the political gossip is fun, but it is the love that Ed Balls has for his family that really shines out.

Warm and comforting, like a tray of Yorkshire puds

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loved this, some great recipes as well as an interesting listen to Ed's life.
liked the recipes so much bought the book as well

Great book

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I really enjoyed this book. It has everything I love: food, history, politics and family life. I listened to it whilst cooking. It made me very hungry.

What is it not to love?

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I really enjoyed this audio book learning more about Ed and his family. The one thing I didn't like were his large nasal intakes of breath when reading it. Surprised this got through the edit TBH.

Really lovely story told in meals

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I could take or leave Ed Balls but after reading a newspaper review I thought I would give this book it a go. I’ve really enjoyed it and now I think I’m a fan, (never thought I would say that!)
If you’re after a nice easy read, warts and all, give it a go. Well done Ed.

ENJOYABLE READ

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What an enjoyable ramble through family life with anecdotes and recipes too. Although the frequent mention of coriander had me grimacing! if Yvette ever kicks you out Ed, I'd be delighted to have you! A man who does the cooking....bliss! I hope she appreciates how lucky she is!

A lovely feel good book

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I can't say I ever cared much for Ed Balls during his years in politics, and I am generally wary of (former) politicians and their cultural efforts, but "Appetite" is a gorgeous feast of moving memories, extremely relatable family stories and mouthwatering recipes. I was moved to tears several times, especially when the author talked about his lovely relationship with his parents and his mum's fight with dementia.
Overall, moving, funny and surprisingly relatable, "Appetite" is a most delicious literary treat and one of the best memoirs I've read.

Gorgeous, moving and mouthwatering.

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