£30 to spend on cook books what do i buy?

elly2

Thank you for the recommendations, Sunnygirl the Delia cooking course looks good so i might add that one . I had a quick nose on eBay and amazon seems better value for the 3 books in my original post :eek: the paupers cookbook is £5.66 + £3.99 p+p on eBay but it is only £5.93 on amazon(my dad gets free delivery )
I will look in my local charity shops but they don't seem to have many cook books (mostly romances). I will have a look at the hairy bikers cookbook and see how well it would suit us, not sure about the magazines as i am sometimes unorganised so would prefer it all to be in one place iykwim.

rachbc

The Book people have a collection of classic cook books about 8 for a tenner at the mo. Brilliant price and even though I have half the books adn tempted to get it just for the other half.

Also check out SH books on Amazon - can get great deals for 1p!

I like Rachel Allen, Delia is a good starting point if not very inspiring but I really wouldn't bother with the how to feed.... book - I think its a bit rubbish!

rachbc

another good bet is to borrow from the library - jot down recipes you like and if you really use lots from 1 book get it

urchin

The Thrifty Cookbook - 476 ways to eat well with leftovers - Kate Colquhoun is a very good book about how to make good food out of what you have left in the house

thriftlady_2

I think Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food might be the kind of thing you're looking for. Lots of pictures including step by step. Plenty of traditional dishes and some curries. There are quick things which might attract your teens and get them cooking. There are breakfast recipes, snacks as well as full Sunday lunches. He gives a storecupboard list with an eye on keeping costs fairly low, and info on equipment. Check out the hundreds of reviews on Amazon. I'm no fan of JO but I thought this was an excellent all round family cookbook

You can't go wrong with Delia either. I recommend The Complete Cookery Course. I find I reach for it quite often these days.

Tibbie's_mum

Sunnygirl wrote: »

Delia Smiths Cookery Course. In true moneysaving style I borrow my mum's! ...........
HTH

I have numerous cookery books, but I always go back to Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course, I also have my mum's copy. It's an absolute godsend when I've forgotten the quantities for making pastry, scones, yorkshire puds, the list is endless with my memory. It also contains, if you're interested, a bit of the science behind the cooking, always good if things don't turn out quite as you expected.

I have loads of other cookery books by the likes of Nigella, Jamie, Gary Rhodes, Hairy Bikers, Keith Floyd, but they are books I use for inspiration and maybe use a recipe now and again. Delia is my reference book.

angeltreats

thriftlady wrote: »

I think Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food might be the kind of thing you're looking for. Lots of pictures including step by step. Plenty of traditional dishes and some curries. There are quick things which might attract your teens and get them cooking. There are breakfast recipes, snacks as well as full Sunday lunches. He gives a storecupboard list with an eye on keeping costs fairly low, and info on equipment. Check out the hundreds of reviews on Amazon. I'm no fan of JO but I thought this was an excellent all round family cookbook

I totally second this recommendation. I never even gave Jamie a second glance till my friend conquered her lifelong fear of cooking and announced it was thanks to this book. I borrowed it from the library to try a few recipes and really, really liked it - in fact I ended up buying three Jamie books when I saw them on sale and I've just subscribed to the magazine I don't like Jamie much as a celebrity, but his recipes really do work fantastically and I think his instructions are very well-written.

I would also recommend a book specifically about baking. I'm a big Mary Berry fan and her Ultimate Cakes book is wonderful (she has a new one out now called Baking Bible which might be nice), and I also really like Rachel Allen's Bake and Nigella's How to be a Domestic Goddess.

seraphina

What thriflady said - the Jamie Ministry of Food book is an excellent, modern family cookbook suitable to all cooking levels. Delia's Complete Cookery is good but I find it quite dated. It's good for essentials though - like Christmas Cake etc.

TBH I'd stay away from niche cookery books and from random celebrity chefs (I know Jamie is a celeb but he has a far superior understanding of everyday family cookery than the vast majority). Student cookbooks are also good for quick cheap meals.

DizzyK_2

I got Rachel Allen, Home Cooking for Xmas and really like it.

I do have heaps of cookbooks, but do tend to end up on the Beebs Good Food website every day!! I was lost when it kept crashing at Xmas I MUST read my books more. I have Apples for Jam which I love reading through but never get round to making anything from..

Viper_7

Why buy?
Find much more than you'd ever find in a cookbook on the t'internet.