Something tasty from Jamie for Penguin

SALES of Jamie Oliver's latest cook book have helped publisher Penguin to serve up its best financial performance.

Pearson, the publisher's owner, said Penguin will report record sales and profits for 2010 partly as a result of strong demand for Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, which is the fastest-selling non-fiction book and has sold more than one million copies.

Pearson upgraded its profits forecast for the group for the third time in the past half-year. It expects underlying profits to rise by about 20 per cent to 850 million in 2010.

The firm also owns the Financial Times newspaper, which is set to report "substantial" profits growth after advertising revenues rebounded.

Chief executive Marjorie Scardino said: "For the third successive year, our growth is vigorous even though conditions have been anaemic."