Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: shaun on September 02, 2006, 15:41

Title: cooking books
Post by: shaun on September 02, 2006, 15:41
I have just got THE RIVER COTTAGE FAMILY COOK BOOK of ebay for £12
its got loads of realy simple and proper recipes in it (highly recomended).
also got FOOD LOVERS GUIDE TO VEGETARIAN COOKING for £5 this one is a bit more detailed or complicated but a realy good book for veg lovers.
just wondering what other books you guys would recomend ?
Title: cooking books
Post by: John on September 02, 2006, 18:13
The 1955 edition of Parkinson Cowan Perfect Cooking - our most used cookbook!!
Then we have a great big Madhur Jaffrey book on Indian cooking (fantastic and we've hardly scraped the top)
Title: Ah now you're into my specialist subject ...
Post by: wellingtons on September 02, 2006, 20:59
... it depends what you're looking for really.

If you're not the best cook in the world you cannot beat Delia Smith ... whatever you cook from her books will turn out right.

If you want something quick and easy for an after work meal, Nigel Slater does some brilliantly simple recipes.  His most recent food diary is a really good one, because he grows his own veggies and buys in season.  Ainsley Harriott's books are fun and my teenage son loves his recipes.

I love recipes rather than one specific book though ... so I have a folder with handwritten, typed and ripped out recipes.
Title: cooking books
Post by: Annie on September 03, 2006, 14:13
Where to start?
     I agree with Wellington,Delia is the best 1st book to have.I also like Jane Grigsons Vegetable Book,and then the most thumbed book in our kitchen  is the Moro cook book..really good this time of year,Aubergine with garlic ,mint and chilli,courgettes with pinenuts and raisins,sweet tomato sauce...see what I mean.I have a shelf of "look at cook books",which when single meant looking ,choosing what to cook then finding it was too late and eating a sandwich!
    I nearly forgot the internet,especially when dealing with courgettes!
Title: cooking books
Post by: supersprout on September 07, 2006, 21:43
Preserving and Canning for Dummies - honest guv, it's brilliant :oops:  :shock:  :D
Title: cooking books
Post by: puravida on September 08, 2006, 10:32
My current fave is "The Silver Spoon" - essentially the bible of Italian cooking traditionally given to just married couples in Italy and recently translated.

Fabulous book if you like Italian cuisine, and the way it is laid out makes it very easy to cook with what you have available rather than having to search high and low for silly ingerdients.

Not tried any of the brains dishes yet though  :shock:
Title: cooking books
Post by: Flower on November 11, 2006, 22:15
The Silver Spoon sounded just great, till you mentioned....brains. Yuk.
I love Delia TOO. I think I I've done everything in her old book. However ,  I've gone veggie these days since my old butcher died, so I shall definitly give the Food Lovers guide a go.
( John , its  definitely time to chuck the Parkinson out ) Treat yourself to Jamie Oliver, or Sarah Raven's, Great vegetable plot.
Title: cooking books
Post by: muntjac on November 11, 2006, 22:21
thewellywackitinandwait folder, a work in progress :lol:
Title: cooking books
Post by: silver8 on November 12, 2006, 14:28
Dont like to say shaun but Smiths are selling the River Cottage Family cookbook for half price at the moment £10. I agree good straight forward book full of ideas. I also like his meat book and like some of the other old fashioned cooks - like Delia and Margaret Pattern.
Title: cooking books
Post by: shaun on November 12, 2006, 19:05
ive had the meat book out of the library for a month now it realy is good,
went to borders this afternoon theres loads of cooking books for £4 but my son came 1st with kevin pietersens book 18 blooming english pounds i could have bought the meat book for another £2  :shock:
Title: cooking books
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on November 12, 2006, 19:43
the book will have to have pictures as i dont think the wife :lol:  can read.
Title: cooking books
Post by: muntjac on November 12, 2006, 19:49
cor theres  a brave man,,,mind my ex had small feet and loved white utility tools
Title: cooking books
Post by: tetley on November 18, 2006, 10:54
the weightwatchers pure points cookbook,  really simple and varied.  Bought it a few years ago, but use it alot generally now.  Very simple to use, not too many ingredients and classic recipes  :D
Title: cooking books
Post by: mum of 3 on November 18, 2006, 11:48
although Jamie Oliver grates on me a bit i love his style of cooking.keeping things simple so you can taste the flavours is the key
Title: cooking books
Post by: John on November 20, 2006, 20:17
Although we're not veggies - Rose Elliots books are good - esp The Bean Book - that's one of my stalwarts esp when I do the boxing day family get together for veggies.
Title: cooking books
Post by: muntjac on November 20, 2006, 20:30
i have clarriisa dickson white's and johnny  scotts  book on game  " the game cookbook " cos i needed a nice woodcock recipe  yumyum
Title: cooking books
Post by: MumoftTwo on November 22, 2006, 19:56
Lots of HFW, but favourite of the moment is "It's Raining Plums" edited by Xanthe Clay - essentially it's a collection of lots of seasonal recipes by normal people, all divided into months - so recipes on everything from Purple Sprouting Broccoli to Rhubarb
Title: cooking books
Post by: muntjac on November 22, 2006, 20:02
suggestion from my sons for a title of one if i ever wrote it  
"if ya can keep it down it will do"
Title: cooking books
Post by: Jake on November 23, 2006, 12:25
I've got to vouch for the Silver Spoon, you don't have to make the brains recipe though lol, there's loads of stuff in there, lots to do with rabbit (although its got to be pie for me), hare, all sorts of porky goodies.

I like Mrs Beatons books too, don't care that there generations old now, real good english cooking.