Forget the Fear of Food, The Essential Guide, by Dr Chris Finn

Forget the Fear of Food The Essential Guide by Dr Chris Finn is an interesting book.

Nutritional consultant Dr Finn covers a wide variety of topics in her book. She asks, and answers a number of questions such as:-

Why can low fat foods make you fat? How can 'dieting'  make you put on weight? And how do you stop food controlling you?

The book contains much good advice and information on what happens when we eat, why some people eat more than they really should, the psychology of eating and dieting and how we can learn to control what we eat and not let what we eat control us.

However, a point of caution. The book seems to point out problems but fails to address them adequately. Dr Finn seems to imply that exercise will not help to reduce weight, and that sugar is the food of the devil.

She bases this on the fact that in 1972 John Yudkin published a book called 'Pure, White and Deadly' in which he roundly attacks sugar as being responsible for much of the ills besetting mankind. Although doubt has been placed on the results of his research. ("What's that professor? You fed a rat the equivalent of a human eating 100 pounds a day and it fell ill? Remarkable!" is a parody of the arguments raised, but there is a fair point. Rats aren't people and deal with sugar in a different way to people. )

I feel that the book would have worked better with an index, but it is a worthwhile book, even so.

It is published by Need to Know Books in paperback at £9.99.

Squires Kitchen's Guide To Making Sugar Figures By Jan Clement-May

Where there's a celebration there's a cake! And what better way to decorate it than with fun and colourful figures made especially for the recipient.

Popular sugar artist, Jan Clement-May, shows you how easy it is to model and personalise figures in Sugar Dough using just a handful of basic tools. After explaining the essentials of modelling in sugar, she covers three popular subject matters - occupations, hobbies and celebrations - and presents an imaginative selection of figures within each chapter.

So whether you're making a bride and groom for a wedding cake (complete with jolly vicar!), a cute baby boy or girl for a christening or baby's birthday, a cub scout or brownie for a children's party, or a cake for a sportsperson, this book is for you! Plus, if you're looking to make party bag treats, wedding favours or if you're simply short of time, there are quick and easy cupcake designs to accompany every figure.

Author Profile

Jan Clement-May started sugarcrafting in 1995 after being inspired by a novelty cake book.

Having originally qualified as a graphic designer, Jan applied her artistic talent and creative flair to cake decorating and began to make cakes for her two children, as well as for other family members and friends. In 2001, she set up The Too Good to Eat Company from home and shortly afterwards began to contribute projects to Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine.

Since then, Jan has become a tutor at the Squires Kitchen International School of Cake Decorating and Sugarcraft. She has established herself as a popular contributor to Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine and continues to run her successful business. She has written three other books, Merry Christmas Cakes, Bob the Builder™ Celebration Cakes, and Squires Kitchen's Guide to Animal Modelling (B. Dutton Publishing Ltd.).

• Learn how to model 23 fun figures in sugar, great for decorating party cakes or for personalised edible gifts.

• An enjoyable activity for modellers of all ages, perfect for keeping little hands busy.

• Step-by-step instructions and full-colour photographs throughout.

Squires Kitchen's Guide to Making Sugar Figures by Jan Clement-May is published in March 2012 by B. Dutton Publishing Ltd., RRP £12.99. Available from bookshops (including the That's Books bookshop) and direct from the publisher at www.squires-shop.com.

ISBN 978-1-905113-32-3.