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Cookery bookclub - May - Jerusalem by Ottolenghi and Kitchen Diaries I by Nigel Slater

521 replies

Curioustiger · 25/04/2013 10:40

Come join the Mumsnet cookery bookclub! Each month we choose two cookery books - one popular, like Nigella / Jamie / Delia, so you probably already have it / can borrow it and one a bit more unusual. We cook a minimum of two recipes each - you choose the recipe, they just have to be ones you have never cooked before- which works out at four new recipes each month.Then we chat about them!

To see our April thread about Feast by Nigella and the Smitten Kitchen blog / cookbook, click here ... This thread is still live as we're quite taken with these books and are keeping on going!

For May, our books are:

  • Jerusalem by Ottolenghi
  • Kitchen Diaries
and we'll post on this thread.

For June our books will be

  • Mexican Food Made Easy by Thomasina Miers
  • Thirty Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

We will always try to pick at least one book with recipes available on the Internet, and local libraries are great for cookbooks if you can order in advance, so don't be put off if your cookbook collection isn't threatening the foundations of your house extensive.

We have veggies, low carbers and 5:2ers on the thread so this is very diet compatible! Although I refuse to take any responsibility for cake-induced weight gain (even my own).

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 29/04/2013 20:18

I agree with Remus re HFW. Have the MJ curry bible and it's brilliant.

Another suggestion - Jamie's Great Britain. I don't generally get on with JO but this one really is very good indeed.

ScienceRocks · 29/04/2013 20:56

Tiger, my borough doesn't have them Shock

Nolda · 30/04/2013 11:36

Hello, please may I join in? I've managed to get the wrong Kitchen Diaries from the library but have now ordered the other one. Jerusalem is still on order, I hope I'm not the 10th on the list!

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 12:14

I love jamies great Britain too. I am a cookbook whore, so far I have endorsed all books suggested.

Curioustiger · 30/04/2013 12:31

But pregnant, what do you think about Jamie's Great Britain?

OP posts:
OddSockMonster · 30/04/2013 12:46

Grin What's that pregnant, didn't quite catch that?

Xiaoxiong · 30/04/2013 13:02

aww pregnant, I'm so pleased you agree with me so emphatically Smile I too am a cookbook whore - Eat Your Books has been a godsend!!

pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 13:09

Yes, typical, a post in which I profess to be a whore just had to be repeatedGrin

Bloody smart phones. I love all cookbooks, I hate my smartphone.

ScienceRocks · 30/04/2013 13:16

Pregnantpause, are you sure you love cookbooks and hate smartphones? You have seemed more sure about other pats on this thread Wink

ScienceRocks · 30/04/2013 13:16

Posts, not pats, obviously Blush

Curioustiger · 30/04/2013 14:50

Right, I have been on ocado this morning and the ingredients for chicken with caramelised onion and cardamom rice, and Swiss chard with tahini and yoghurt sauce, plus prob mejadra (sp) are winging their way to me ahead of the weekend. So that's my first two from Ottolenghi. I have to say that I really like this book so far; it's a great read and while the recipes are pretty unusual, they don't look that difficult.

OP posts:
EnglishGirlApproximately · 30/04/2013 14:53

I really love the Mejadra and have made it a few times now. Same with the Shakshuka. This is by far my favourite book in years. He was so lovely on the webchat too.

Xiaoxiong · 30/04/2013 14:55

Didn't he say on the webchat that he and his partner have just adopted a baby and would be stopping by MN for advice? Smile

Curioustiger · 30/04/2013 15:31

Oh I've just read that a webchat... What a lovely man!

OP posts:
Cherrypi · 30/04/2013 16:13

Right I'm joining in. Ordered Jerusalem from the library. Determined to widen my cooking repertoire this year.

karmakameleon · 30/04/2013 17:09

Signing in for the new thread. Been a busy weekend so not had time to look at either book but will get on the case tonight.

Science if you live in London, you can join libraries in other boroughs too you know. I've just done that as every man and his dog wants a copy of Jerusalem in my borough so I was way down the queue. I just walked down to the library in the next borough with my ID, filled out the forms and took a copy of Jerusalem away with me. Very easy.

Also, given that there seem to be a lot of bakers on the thread, maybe we could have a dedicated baking book one week. My vote would be for Dan Lepard's Short and Sweet but I'm sure there are plenty of others. May have to balance it out with something healthy though that month, are there any decent low fat cookbooks?

Curioustiger · 30/04/2013 17:51

On the healthy point, I'd like to nominate the hairy dieters one for later months as a lot of mners rave about it and I have it at home, spine uncracked, pages pristine! I'll put Dan lepard on the list too.

I was thinking about proposing a challenge alongside the two books each month actually eg this month, we will cook two recipes each from x and y and also make macaroons, or learn how to cut up a whole chicken or whatever. Or maybe having a separate thread. Basically I think I would benefit from hearing about other people's misfires! If anyone is interested let me know.

OP posts:
pregnantpause · 30/04/2013 18:45

(sneaks in to confirm my credentials as cookbook whore, by saying, I love the hairy dieters bookGrin )

ELR · 30/04/2013 19:07

tiger that's a fab idea, I actually have my own business teaching cooking classes mainly to children but am doing some work with the probation service at the minute, just basic cooking skills and bread making. I don't have any qualifications in cooking i just love food but there are still a few things I have never done.
The main things I have never tried are to cut up a chicken, make macaroons, make fresh pasta, make fresh gnocchi and id like to fine tune my meringue making!
I second the Dan Lepard book, not sure about hairy bikers though am willing to try it.

On the menu tomorrow is the beef meatballs with lemon and broadbeans from Jerusalem.