James Martin’s hugely-popular Saturday morning show has built a loyal fan base and has become compulsive viewing for thousands. It also apparently acts as a catalyst for those who talk about wanting to cook something different. It’s therefore not surprising that The Saturday Kitchen Cookbook (BBC Books, £14.99) has hit the shelves containing more than 100 recipes from over 30 top chefs. The book includes interesting recipes and creative food ideas. The wine tips add to the overall package.

However, the book, I feel, misses the mark despite most of the recipes being relatively easy to follow. Why? Well, few, I would argue, would nip home from the office and be able to rustle up a cob nut, wild mushroom and chestnut stir-fry with roast chicken. Or, how about honey-baked chicken with hoisin, plantain and wilted garlic stems or even duck rillettes. Soy-poached chicken and pak choi, coconut rice and hot and sour sauce is, I would argue, unlikely to find its way onto a mid-week dining table unless you happen to have time off.

Sure, there are recipes for bridies and spiced pork burgers, but this book predominantly slants towards the flash rather than the norm. The chicken and butter bean casserole with basmati rice caught my fancy and it was easy to prepare in about an hour and interesting to the taste buds, but not exceptional and not something we were dying to have again.

For sweet, we tried Russian sharlotka, simply made with three Granny Smith apples, but again the craving for a repeat was not strong. Frankly, the smell in the kitchen was better than the taste of the end product. Possibly, we made the wrong selection, but more of these relatively simple to prepare and execute recipes would have made this more of a book I would turn to in search of inspiration.

The Heaven and Hell section, featuring pop idol Ronan Keating, Coronation Street star John Savident and writer and broadcaster Carol Thatcher, was interesting, but no more than that. Here again, the recipes were not, generally, the ones I would see myself making unless for a special occasion when I had oceans of time.

So, James, love the relaxed style of the programme, but, sorry, I couldn’t recommend the book.