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Angela
25-Mar-07, 15:17
Maybe this is a bit off the subject, but here goes -

do you have a favourite cookery book? or does everybody get new recipes online?

I have Delia there for the basics, I like Claire Macdonald for fish and puddings & Nigel Slater just for ideas really.

I've just had the BBC Quick & Easy series recommended, does anybody use these?

I know it's a matter of personal taste (no pun intended) but any recommendations would be welcome. I still have a very old notebook of recipes collected over the years, but I'm not sure that anybody still does that! :confused

Buttercup
25-Mar-07, 17:42
I got rid of most of my cook books a few years back as it had become a bit of an obsession with me. I had dozens but never really used them, just tended to stick to the old favourite recipes. One of my favourite books is the Farmhouse Kitchen one that went with the TV series from years ago and also some old SWRI ones going back to the 50’s. They’re great for basic, down to earth recipes. Nowadays I tend to adapt/make up recipes from my basics or if I see something that looks good on TV I’ll look up the internet for the recipe.

Angela
25-Mar-07, 18:58
I'd forgotten Farmhouse Kitchen, Buttercup - that was a good one...but somewhere in my many flittings, it's gone awol :(
I might try and get a secondhand copy....:)

mrs n
26-Mar-07, 07:44
i have the farmhouse cookbook also 2 & 3 and cooking for one and two, mary berry's fast cakes is good too, you just mix everything together, the bbc easycook magazine is good for everyday recipes, next issue 29th march it comes out every 3 months but i am a great one for writing down recipes i fancy

poppett
27-Mar-07, 17:33
"Glasgow Cookery Book" which was on the go when my late mother was in school and was still being used in Thurso High circa 1968. Add a but if common sense and the spirit of adventure and the cookery thingie is well cracked.
My favourite cookery joke has to be when picky folk come to dine. They eat the soup put infront of them and often ask for more. The round table discussion is nearly always who doesn`t like which veggies, then someone pipes up "What kind of soup was that?" ....."Dana Soup"...because it contains all kinds of everything (like the song) in vegetable stock, and usually at least one ingredient that one of the guests would never eat! Blitzed to a nice consistency who would be able to tell one vegetable from another. Cauliflower and Broccoli stalks scrubbed and chopped add a lovely flavour.

emb123
07-Apr-07, 21:01
The Readers Digest 'The Cookery Year'. It's very big, heavy and worth paying serious money for, though you shouldn't need to on eBay - there are usually a few copies for sale - the postage is the problem :).

It covers just about every style of cooking and gives a great deal of general information useful to cooks (and chefs) about preparation etc too. Superb book!

Lucy
09-Apr-07, 20:16
I used to have the "Canisbay cook book" but more recently -well the past 10 years have used a favourite called "Mum".

She always comes to the rescue when we shout that we have a charity stall etc to cater for and she puts us both to shame with the amount and range of baking she can prepare at short notice.

Apart from the baking she is also well known for the pans of soup which can find there way half way round wick to my home. Yum Yum.

I only hope my kids don't expect me to do this for them when they leave home. their favourite cook book had better be " Granny"

SNOWDOG
01-May-07, 22:29
Nick Nairn for meat and Rick Stein for fish. Two excellent chefs who really know what their doing, no showing off, no frills, just fresh honest delicious food, simply cooked. :)

neepnipper
02-May-07, 10:59
Any Delia, Prue Leiths Cookery Bible and just bought James Martins book that goes with the show he has on tv just now about desserts, Sweet Baby James, fab book with loads of yummy pud recipes (and not a bad looking chef either!).

ks
06-May-07, 12:26
Got a Gordon Ramsey one recently and it is quite good.

Dadie
07-May-07, 13:42
I use my mums glasgow cook book too!
its tried and tested recipes dont seem to fail i also like the cook books from the swri that come out ever so often
i have delias and gorden ramsays books but never seem to make anything from them i just use them for inspiration and make up the recipe from whats in the cupboard at the time!

henry20
07-May-07, 13:44
Mrs Beeton - my mum has one of her cookery books, so when I got M&S vouchers, I bought 3 books - only used the baking one so far, but have had no complaints!! In fact, the 2 victoria sponges & 12 buns I made yesterday are almost finished already!!

Angela
07-May-07, 13:56
You're certainly getting into that baking, henry20! :D

I'd like to mention a book I got a wee while ago, called "Muffins, fast and fantastic" by Susan Reimer. I think she lives in Edinburgh, it's certainly from a small local publisher, Cherry Tree Publications.

It's a great little book (£5.99, £4.49 from Amazon) - unfortunately I've lent it to my daughter and I'm not at all sure I'll be getting it back. :roll:

henry20
07-May-07, 14:02
Yes, Angela - I made the mistake of taking some into work, now its a weekly request. Hubby was asking when I was making the next batch too - kind of wish I'd never started :roll:

Chocolate cake next I think ...........

Isis
09-May-07, 22:19
I like Nigel Slater's books, especially the kitchen diaries as it is seasonal and gives you ideas rather than strict recipies to follow.

Also River Cafe books which are good for pasta and seafood.

And Green & Black's Chocolate Recipies has loads of great cakes & desserts.