The Most Useful Cookery Books Ever?

moggins

If anyone sees a copy of Cooking On a Shoestring by Gail Duff then grab it and run! It's a fantastic book full of easy cheap and very healthy recipes using a lot of the cheaper cuts.

And a good one for our new slow cooker owners is Slow Cooking Properly Explained. It's published by Right Way and cost me £4.99.

thriftlady_2

moggins wrote:

If anyone sees a copy of Cooking On a Shoestring by Gail Duff then grab it and run! It's a fantastic book full of easy cheap and very healthy recipes using a lot of the cheaper cuts.

They've got some on Amazon.Just ordered one, thanks moggins!

ladygrey_2

the one on amazon is a 1996 version
but curryqueens link looks good thanks

scholt

I find Nigellas recipes really hit and miss. I made boston cream pie from 'Domestic Godess' and it was disgusting! haha

Never had a bad recipe from Nigel Slater, or Leiths (I'm veggie so the 'Leiths Vegetarian Bible' is just that!)

One of my faves is an old one - possibly one of the first 'veggie' cookbooks 'No Meat for me Please' by Jan Arkles. The date is MCMLXXXVIII whenever that was!

moggins

ladygrey, the book was originally published in 1979, I have the 1981 print but it's a book that is well worth having. Unfortunately my copy is so well loved that's it's starting to fall apart, I can't quite justify replacing it yet though.

Cooking on a shoestring and the Paupers cookbook got me through a couple of very lean years, I wouldn't be without these books now.

thriftlady_2

I like The Pauper's Cookbook too.i have the new edition which is a sort of combination of the original 1970s one and 'The New Pauper's Cookbook'.

If I didn't do OS I wouldn't be able to afford all these great money-saving cookbooks :rotfl:

Since joining this board I've bought 'Just Like Mother Used To Make',the 3 Shirley Goode books,the Bero book,the new Jeanette Orrey book and now Cooking on a Shoestring.I'm not sure how money-saving this is

caroline1973lefty

LIke a few others I find 'How to Eat' by Nigella Lawson great - pleasure to read and, whilst not obviously OS, you really can't go wrong with her instructions in my experience - UNLIKE Nigel Slater whose recipes I sometimes find to be inedible and without clear enough instructions.

I've got tons of cookery books but the one I turn to all the time is 'The students cookbook' by Jenny Baker - had it for 20 years and it has all the basics in ie what to do with every kind of veg, cooking methods, all the standby meals you're ever likely to want to make. Simply brilliant!

scholt

caroline1973lefty wrote:

LIke a few others I find 'How to Eat' by Nigella Lawson great - pleasure to read and, whilst not obviously OS, you really can't go wrong with her instructions in my experience - UNLIKE Nigel Slater whose recipes I sometimes find to be inedible and without clear enough instructions.

I've got tons of cookery books but the one I turn to all the time is 'The students cookbook' by Jenny Baker - had it for 20 years and it has all the basics in ie what to do with every kind of veg, cooking methods, all the standby meals you're ever likely to want to make. Simply brilliant!

Always thought Nigel was top but come to think about it a couple of months ago I ripped his recipe out of a paper for 'Aubergine, Ginger, and Tomato curry'

After listing the ingredients he didn't tell you where to put the chilli or ginger (quite essential really given the recipe!) listed in. I guessed and it was fine btw but don't people proof these things!?

thriftlady_2

scholt wrote:

Always thought Nigel was top but come to think about it a couple of months ago I ripped his recipe out of a paper for 'Aubergine, Ginger, and Tomato curry'

I've had a few problems with Nigel's books too,particularly re timings.I love his writing though.I also had a bad experience with Hugh F-W's family cookbook-raisin bread just not cooked in the time given.I'm an experienced breadmaker(hence my avatar ) and I knew it wasn't long enough,just like I knew Nigel's chicken wouldn't be cooked,but I follow these recipes against my better judgement because I like the writing,philosophy,design of the book etc.

The cookbooks which have reliable recipes tend to be the less glamourous looking ones,less expensive,less pictures and less celebrity.

scholt

does anyone recommend the Silver Spoon? Think that looks quite fab!