I wanna basic cook book for beginners

jackyann

I agree, Delia. And IMO it doesn't "dumb down" at all. I am an experienced (and my family seem to think I'm a good cook) and when I'm flummoxed I turn to Delia.
However, I also agree with rummaging in charity shops, and also use the library (kind to copy recipes though and not splash the pages!)
Here are my "desert island" cook books:
Delia: How to Cook
Nigella: How to Eat (all the good recipes, none of the fuss of her later books)
Rick Stein: French Odyssey - for the basic French classic recipes written simply; you can graduate to Elizabeth David
Elisabth Luard; European Peasant Cookery - for serious money-saving recipes and an education as well
Dorothy Hartley: Food in England - for the history as well as the recipes
Any Leon cook book for good, inexpensive, healthy food
Look out for any book that helps you understand food in season because buying out-of-season and imports are expensive
Look out for "fund-raiser" cook books as well because they have gems in them
Use BBC Food, free, on-line

anniemf2508

i bought this for 40p just after i had my daughter 12 years ago and it was a great help
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dairy-Book-Home-Cookery-Nineties/dp/1860194850/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323367245&sr=8-4

tracey12_2

The Dairy Book of Homecooking is a good one. It is a mixture of real basic things such as jacket potatoes, pancakes, cooking veg, rice pudding etc to family meals, sweets, chicken recipes, beef recipes, soups, starters, cakes and biscuits etc.

Tracey

tracey12_2

anniemf2508 wrote: »

i bought this for 40p just after i had my daughter 12 years ago and it was a great help
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dairy-Book-Home-Cookery-Nineties/dp/1860194850/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323367245&sr=8-4

Great minds think alike, we posted at the same time

Tracey

Yolina

If you want to try something a little bit different, then the Francoise Bernard books are good - I'm French and generations have learnt to cook using her books since the 60s (my mum has the 1967 edition, I have the 1987 one :rotfl: ) There's an English edition on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cuisine-Everyday-French-Home-Cooking/dp/0847836290/ it's just a shame they haven't translated her standalone baking recipes as well, it's full of rather nice stuff

System

Oh wow, i had the new edition of this book for a Christmas present from the same person for many years running. Maybe she was trying to tell me something

I loved receiving them.

kerleytops

Another vote for The Dairy Book of home cookery

becs

I can't believe no one has suggested the good housekeeping cookbook. I'm the queen of cookbooks and have a couple shall we say! :eek: but this book is completely brilliant, i bought it for a friend who knew nothing and wanted to learn however when I had a flick through te book I loved it o much I had to get my own copy. It was on sale in the works for £7 last ime I saw it when I bought another copy as a prize for a baking competition and again it was much admired!

Stephen_Leak

I'm a great fan of the "Cooking For Blokes" trilogy (CFB, Foreign CFB & Flash CFB). They don't assume you can do anything. The first book even contains recipes for boiled eggs and cheese on toast. I got mine in one of those discount bookshops.

meritaten

Am another fan of 'The Good Housekeeping Cook Book'! my copy was a wedding present in 1977 and is falling to bits its been used so much. I class myself as an accomplished home cook - but, in times of crisis or simply for a recipe for something retro (and delish) I turn to it time and time again! I also like Delias 'how to cook' - but seem to be the only one who finds it hilarious! I cant help reading it with Delias 'no-nonsense' voice in my head and it makes me laugh! Sorry Delia!!!! but it is amazingly straightforward! I would probably buy both books for a new (beginner) cook and tell them 'In these two books you will find a lifetime of cookery recipes, techniques and skills - explained to you in language you can understand!'