Cookery bookclub - who is with me?

[Curioustiger]

I love cookbooks and have picked up a ton of recommendations since joining mumsnet. I am keen to set up a cookery book club - anyone else interested? I propose:

• we select one book each month
  
• we go away, try out the recipes and generally revel in the deliciousness
  
• we chat about it
  

We could alternate between books people are likely to have eg Nigella, Jamie, Delia and something a bit more unusual. If we have a rolling three month list, that gives people time to borrow / buy books they don't have (from the library for example).

What to you think?

[ScienceRocks]

I was a bit scared of that chapter, Remus...

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

:)

[ScienceRocks]

Why don't you trust Nigella anymore, Remus? Has she let you down?

I'm loving nigel slater at the moment. I read kitchen diaries like a novel

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I had terrible results with a couple of her brownie recipes - had to throw them away.

[Curioustiger]

I've done the entire Georgian feast about six times, I love it (if I find something I like I cook it A LOT). Always for dinner parties. I think I made a mistake with the hachapuri cheese bread as I cooked it in a 23 cm pan and it was just like a huge cheese pie (about four cm deep!) it was so well received though that my then bf insisted I cook it like that every time!

Personally I thought the melon and relish thing was a good accompaniment to the overall menu but not something I would personally make on its own.

[Curioustiger]

Btw I also went to the Georgian resto where she got the recipe to try the authentic dish (it's in hackney) .... Honestly not as good as hers / mine!

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Thanks Tiger. I fancy the cheese bread, melon & relish and salads and could probably serve those with plain roast chicken for the meat eaters. She makes the cheese bread sound a complete faff though: is it actually pretty easy?

[Curioustiger]

I didn't think it was too hard, no, I can't remember if I was following the recipe carefully by try no 6 but if I remember rightly you make a strange yoghurty kind of pastry and then fill it with mixed cheeses and egg. I do remember though I made it once with crappy ready grated mozzarella and you could tell, you need reasonably good stuff.

[Ruprekt]

I am in!!

Not got either books but will look on websites/blogs.

Am also low carbing so will have to adapt recipes for my way of eating.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Thank you.

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

Hello can I join in? I don't have feast but can google some recipes. I have some Nigellas, Jamies, HFW, Bbc good food series and lots of other odd bits. Can I nominate Jerusalem for a future look too? Its my current favourite. I like the sound of the sage chicken for next week so off to Google :)

[Curioustiger]

Jerusalem can be may book no 1!

[Curioustiger]

If you get stuck for the sage recipe I will pm it to you although nigella is extremely generous with her recipes online I think. It's a good one though as she has do many variants on that one in other books eg the chicken and chorizo one in kitchen. (My only complaint about nigella is that she repeats recipes a lot, but I love her and can overlook it on the grounds that she writes really long books fairly frequently so it's bound to happen!)

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Ruprekt - am happy to copy recipes from Feast for you if there's one mentioned that you fancy and can't find online.

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

Brilliant. I'm a bit obsessed with Yotam Ottolenghi at the moment. Ds has only just stopped sleeping so I have a bit of time free in the evenings now. I've really missed pottering around the kitchen, this should get me motivated.

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

I've got the sage chicken one online so I'll do that next week. Off to find a pudding now as I generally love her desserts.

[greensnail]

Can I join in please. I have Feast and it has been very well used in the past but neglected recently so will be nice to rediscover it a bit. Haven't heard of the other one but looking forward to investigating tomorrow (off to work now, boo :( )

[Curioustiger]

I second the suggestion up thread for choc Guinness cake, I think it's one of the best I've ever made.

[pisgah]

Ooh, can I join? I have lots of nigellas books, but not Feast - I'll get it from the library next week.

Remus, nigella is rubbish at brownies, none of her recipes seem to work. I made some once that BOUNCED. Nigel Slaters brownie recipe, on the other hand, are amazing

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Guess what I have in my kitchen right now, Tiger. :)

Pisgah - thank you for that. It's reassuring to hear it's not just me.

[Curioustiger]

greensnail great to have you! Nominations are still open for may book 2...

[Curioustiger]

Remus I am coming round!

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

The kettle's on. :)

[aftereight]

I'm in! Feast is my favourite Nigella book, will try to cook something new from it, using others's suggestions. I tend to default to a couple of tried and trusted favourites otherwise.

[aftereight]

May book 2 - Kitchen Diaries (original)? I love the seasonal feel it has.