Food: A cookbook in the worst possible taste

If the title Men Love Pies, Girls Like Hummus wasn’t enough to put me off picking up a copy of Simon Rimmer’s new cookbook, then the photograph that appears on the front cover of the Sunday Brunch host clad in double denim like some smirking associate of Jeremy Clarkson certainly would.

In the introduction, Rimmer defends his choice of title saying “the book is NOT meant to cause any arguments between the sexes. It’s called Men Love Pies, Girls Like Hummus because they are two of the chapters in the book.” By that logic, why not just call the book “Tim Hates Coriander”, another chapter title? (A much less offensive one and a sentiment I can really get behind; I detest that ubiquitous herb).

Have we not moved on from imposing gender distinctions on food? The tiresome “Yorkies-aren’t-for girls” type of “banter”?

What’s even more frustrating than the actual titles is that the chapter for “girls” is comprised of waifish dishes such as crispy oyster mushroom salad (no thanks), while the one for “men” includes shepherd’s pie with cauliflower cheese top, which pretty much sounds like my dream meal.

Sadly, as I prefer my cookbooks to come without a healthy dollop of casual sexism, it’s one recipe I won’t be trying out any time soon.