What cookbooks would you 'save' ?

morganlefay

We are starting the huge clearout necessary before we move to a smaller house (children flown nest, garden too big etc etc) So I started to wonder which of my cookbooks I'd 'save'. I mentally gave myself space for about 10 (out of what must be nearly 100 - I'm a hoarder of books - and everything, really) and to my amazement I came up with all the oldies I've had for years, mostly without pictures, and not the glossy Nigellas and Jamies and other newer authors. It seems to me that the books I've chosen are the ones which help me make nice things out of what I've got, rather than sending you off to the shops to buy larks' tongues - or whatever the latest exotic ingredient is.
So far my list is:

Katie Stewart's Cookbook
Delia's original cookery course
Jane Grigson's Fish book
Jane Grigson's veg book
Jane Grigson's fruit book
Jane Grigson's Good Things
Anne Willan’s ‘Real Food’
Hugh F-W’s meat book
2 Nigel Slater books (but can’t decide which two. I might have to have more books on my list after all)
Marguerite Patten’s Preserves book
Delia’s Summer/Winter and Xmas books (perhaps they might come bound as one book !!!!)

I'm sure this won't incite people to go off and buy these books as I suspect lots of them are now out of print.
What would you choose if you had to move and downsize ?

newlywed

I'd take my folder with printouts from MSE OS recipes and clippings from magazines and recipes from mum.

Good Food 101 books (coz they're little and very useful and don't have obscure ingredients)
The little recipe booklets that come with Good Food Mag
And my Big Book of Baking with many tried and tested brownie and muffin recipes

The rest I don't use. Including Delia's Fish, Chocolate and other books OH already had.

In fact, maybe it's time the charity shop benefited from the extra ones :think:


Given the chance though, I'd also "acquire" mum's huge Good Housekeeping book from the 70's (I think).

Olliebeak

I no longer have my very well tried and totally trusted 'Mrs Beeton's Household Management and Cookery' that I bought in 1972 when I first got married. I left it behind when I left my ex-OH - I now wish I'd packed it along with my make-up and jewellery as one of life's essentials!

It's good to see that Asda have recently been having some Mrs Beeton's recipe books in their stores in paperback versions. I have picked up a few of these when I've seen them and many of the recipes haven't changed since 1972!

newlywed

Olliebeak wrote: »

I no longer have my very well tried and totally trusted 'Mrs Beeton's Household Management and Cookery' that I bought in 1972 when I first got married. I left it behind when I left my ex-OH - I now wish I'd packed it along with my make-up and jewellery as one of life's essentials!

You can get this online - I have a copy on my PocketPC/PDA. Not the same as a book though

You can download a PDF version here:
http://manybooks.net/titles/beetoni1013610136-8.html

rachbc

Nigella how to eat and feast, Nigel Slater Real Fast Food (my first ever grown up cook book) and kitchen diaries (probably these 2 though I might want a thrid Nigel)). My mums Good Housekeeping is only for the christmas stuffings (we called this the spell book when we were kids and it was spineless and battered even then). Most of my favourite recipes are now in my head or I search on line for. Doesn't stop me buying more cookbooks though...

recovering_spendaholic

Delia's Summer, Winter and Xmas;
Washington Post American classics (bought for 50p in a bookshop about 26 years ago and which is nearly falling apart!)
Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food
Rose Elliot - not just a load of old lentils
Barefoot Contessa - at home and family and friends
The Moosewood Cookbook
Mary Berry Cake book
Be-Ro cookbook
Claudia Roden - Jewish food

I have lots of others but those are the ones I seem to use the most

nesssie1702

I'd hold onto my Good Housekeeping Book, it's a gem! I've also got a set of 10 in the kitchen window that I refer to time and time again - it includes a couple of Nigel Slaters "fast food" and "Fast puddings"

ifonlyitwaseasier

hmmmm

complete international jewish cookbook by evelyn rose (wonderful book!!)
dairy book of home cookery, new edition,
Delias how to cook (all 3 in one)
How to feed your family on very little .......... (a fave on these boards)



though to be honest i'm a book hoarder and it would take fire/flood/earthquake/plague to make me give any of them up.

and yes i have all the jamies, some gordons, a couple of ricks, and some nigella. plus LOTS of other random ones.

newlywed

Oh yeah be-ro - I forgot that and use it all the time - but it's only little so there'd always be space for it

SunnyGirl

Delia's Complete Cookery Course & The Be-Ro book for me! And my own file of recipes from Mum, friends, this site & magazines.

Kadeeae

I would take my homemade recipe folders, JamieO books,Leiths Cookery Bible and my WWII cookbooks/leaflets.