If you could choose one cookbook it would be...

[pastagirl]

I am sick of books that just sit on the shelf and wanted to know if anyone out there has a favourite that they go back to time and time again. Mine is 'delicious dishes without red meat' by Simon and Alison holst. everything thing in it is cheap and yummy and works everytime.

No longer buy books as I find there are only a handful of good receipes in them. I now use the web, BBC Goodfood, UKTV, BBC Food.

Download them and keep the sucessful ones in a file (or pile up!).

I seem to pick up so many tips on the TV also.

i love my ministry of food by jamie oliver!

I think Bill Granger's Everyday is good.

Nigella's How to Eat

And Ottolenghi amazing for special wonderful recipes... I'd probably choose that

either ministry of food, or rachel allen's home cooking. she's awful on tv, but book is brilliant.

Ditto Jamies Ministry of Food.

I do also print off a lot of recipes from the internet, and have a cookery binder full of those that turned out fab.

Nigel Slater: Tender. Like that the recipes are veg-based for meat eaters - ie a few slivers of 'dark and interesting ham', a bit of chicken stock - really good food, as well.

I'm enjoying Ottolenghi's book as well.

how does 'tender' compare to nigel's other books?

Glad to hear that about Rachel Allen - can't stand her on the telly, but had her book (with reservations) on my birthday list...

I use Jamie Oliver, Nigella, Nigel Slater and Delia the most. Can't single out one of their books though.

Bill Grainger's Everyday and not just because it reminds me of Sydney . Jamie's iphone app 20 minute meals is a close second

The Good Housekeeping Cookery Book from the mid-70s. It was my cooking bible for years, so much so that the covers fell off, pages started coming loose, etc. I eventually managed to get another copy on ebay. I've used it for everything from coming up with ideas for baby food to catering my sister's wedding! It can't be beat.

CristianaVII I would say that in many ways it is much the same sort of food as The Kitchen Diaries (and as in his columns too)! Divided into many chapters, each for a different veg. Has some growing advice too. Lovely photography. We completely love his style of cooking and eating and so far, all the recipes have been delicious.

Elizabeth David from the 60's called French cooking.....her chocolate mousse is sublime and so, so easy!

The home cooking one harimad? It is great, we use it all the time. Love the thai sticky chicken - use one of those packs of chicken thighs and wings (£1.50 at sainsburys!) make up a marinade, stick in oven and its so yummy! Haven't come across any bad recipes yet.

I generally cook the Ottolenghi recipe from that Saturday's Guardian (now that he's moved on to using ingredients that you can actually buy in rural Gloucestershire).

Garden Cookbook by Sarah Raven. Have made over 50 of the recipes and they are brilliant.

I love Nige and have Tender Vol 1 but can't get into it in the same way as say, Kitchen Diaries or Appetite. I find it harder going ( and the index hard to use ) and the recipes not as inspiring, somehow.

Leith's techniques bible. Not the most modern dishes, but great "what went wrong" sections which really help understand how they work- especially of you read them in advance to avoid the pitfalls!

For Italian food, "Verdura" (bloody brilliant!) and for Indian food, "Cooking with my Indian Mother-in-law" (again, bloody brilliant!). Nothing I make out of either book ever goes wrong, and it always tastes delicious.

Either Nigella's How to Eat or Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food. Also maybe my ancient copy of the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book as it's unparalleled for techniques and cooking times etc.

Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course. I don;'t need recipes for all the day to day stuff I make, but I sometimes need reminding of the basics. It's all in there!

Mine is the Good Housekeeping one too. I (very sensibly!) bought it in 1980 at the start of my second year at university when I moved out of halls into a flat.

There's plenty of newfangled recipes in the newspaper mags, or on the web.

sorry took so long to reply ( tonsilitis has kept me out of hte game) but think i will try and find the good housekeeping one and complete cookery by delia. I am a fan of old fashoined cooking ( generally eaiser and cheaper to make) so those sound like they would suit. i would never have thought of nigel stuff, have never liked him on the tv so might browse through a few when i am next in a waterstones. cheers guys

The gh cookery book, or Delias complete for me too - invaluable for the basics of everything

Elizabeth Davids French cookery- was my grandmothers but a classic. Also a beaten up copy of Delias complete cookery course also a cult classic.
Otherwise I like to pinch new ideas from sainburys mag, good food mag and websites

Nigel Slater's 30 Minute Cook or Real Food
Ken Hom's Hot Wok