Chewing the Fat: Tasting notes from a greedy life

''This is Rayner at his rambunctious best: upfront, full-fat, and always deliciously written.'' Nigella Lawson

''A sophisticated palate and a fiery, comic tongue. Jay Rayner''s food writing is brilliant.'' Stanley Tucci

Why are gravy stains on your shirt at the dinner table to be admired?
Does bacon improve everything?
And is gin really the devil''s work?

In this rollicking collection of his hilarious columns, the award-winning writer and Observer restaurant critic Jay Rayner answers these vital questions and many, many more. They are glorious dispatches, seasoned in equal measure with both enthusiasm and bile, from decades at the very frontline of eating.

''Deliciousness served up in book form.'' Philippa Perry

''Wonderfully funny, foodie and perfectly short.'' Tom Kerridge