What are your top five cook books?

[Cousinit]

I have been collecting cookery books for years and have around 250. I love them but I've run out of space so am in the process of getting rid of the ones I rarely use. There are some that I constantly use and never tire of, although coming up with a top 5 is difficult, I think the following would be on my list: How to Eat by Nigella, Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros, Every Grain of Rice by Fuschia Dunlop, Food from Plenty by Diana Henry and River Cottage Every Day. I also love Nigel Slater but it would be too difficult to choose just one of his books! Would love to have some recommendations for other indispensable books for when I've got some space on my shelves again

[myrtleWilson]

Not in my top 5 - but mainly because I was only given it as a present on Thursday! - but does anyone have The Art of the Larder by Claire Thomson. It looks amazing and I've already earmarked at least 10 recipes to make asap (passing my self deployed test outlined in previous post!)... but keen to hear from anyone who has it and is already using it?

[Cousinit]

I was flicking through that book at the library on Saturday Myrtle. It looked great from what I saw but I
had a screaming toddler with me so back on the shelf it went! Loving how this thread is encouraging people to revisit "forgotten" cookbooks. Am going to get my copy of Ices out and Moosewood too, which someone mentioned upthread. I haven't cooked from that book in a long time and not sure why as it's a great book.

[Cousinit]

Yes, homely and comforting is exactly how I'd describe that book!

[CakeUpWall]

Right you lot, stop it.
I've bought 4 books so far as a result of this thread, and put a couple more on my wishlist. All bargains though:
Apples for Jam - £3.17
Bird in the Hand - £3.96
Cook Now, Eat Later - £2.70
Ices - £1.99
All inc p&p. Very happy. Thanks, Cousin

[myrtleWilson]

Bird in the Hand is a very good book!

[MonaChopsis]

This thread is dangerous! Thanks for the recommendations.

[WeirdnessOfDoom]

I bought Bird in Hand and got very disappointed- the amount of ingredients to make one dish is overwhelming for me.
I do like HFW Veg Everyday, Delia’s How to Cook is a must.
Clarissa Hyman (i think) Jewish Kitchen.
I was always ogling Nigel Slater books as loved his recipes in Guardian but they are expensive.
I need a good kick in the butt, love collecting books but cooking from them seems to never happen here.
Thanks for all the suggestions, will check a few on ebay :)

[everythingstaken123]

A bit like cousinit said, I don't know anyone in RL who loves cookbooks. Most people I know have one or two and come into my house and think i'm mad or worse, a brilliant cook which sadly I'm not.

I've really enjoyed this thread as I love finding out about which cookbooks people rate and what they like cooking from them. I've had a look on facebook and I can only find cookbook clubs that dictate a book to you to cook from and most of them appear to be American and therefore into very different books. Does anyone know of a forum/facebook group or whatever where you can simply ask people about a book you've bought or recommend a recipe from a book etc?

Like others, I am very good at buying cookbooks, having a lovely read of them and then putting them on the shelf when I feel a bit overwhelmed by cooking from them because I have two small children needing attention. It would be useful to get people's tips. If anyone has any ideas, let me know!

I can't believe so many people have the Moosewood books! Kindred spirits indeed! I bought mine in the States about 20 years ago and have never seen one in this country on anyone else's shelf! Feel like i should pick that one up again now.

[IsletsOfLangerhans]

My sister in law got me into Moosewood. I love my Enchanted Broccoli Forest book - Cooked something from it at the weekend :)

[mrsnec]

Everything, I have two toddlers too and I have different cook books for different purposes so my collection is very eclectic. I doubt I will use my copy of Jerusalem very often but it was on my list because of the pictures. I use Nigella's Kitchen when I'm baking or entertaining. I like the Hairy Bikers mums know best book for things I can make for the family I like making the lemon curd from there and the pasties from their diet book. there are the odd days when I'm child free and I cook on my own for the freezer and I use my Mary Berry books a lot then.

[NetballHoop]

The foods and wines of Spain by Penelope Casas has given us a few regular family recipes.

[keely79]

Ooh - love this thread. Our most used ones:

Rick Stein - Venice to Istanbul - love this because most of the recipes have a relatively short list of ingredients

River Cottage Family Cookbook - for child friendly cooking

Curry by Vivek Singh - we love the Bobotie recipe in this. And the goat curry. I like the fact it is curries from all round the world.

The Kitchen Revolution - by Rosie Sykes. Not the most visually appealing (no photos or anything) but is designed to give you a week by week recipe with shopping list and has splits into big meals, leftovers, easy to freeze/batch cook, store cupboard etc. And dishes are delicious.

[whatareyoueatingNOW]

Everything's taken- I'm part of lots of cookbook clubs, but as you say they cover specific books. I'd definitely join a more general "this is x from y cookbook" club- if you were thinking of setting one up, you've got one member

Although I'm sure it would lead to my buying ever more books.

[Cousinit]

I also picked up my original Moosewood book in the states 20 years ago Everythingstaken!

Have just ordered a copy of The Roasting Tray. Really looking forward to trying some of the recipes when it arrives. I'm hoping it might have some recipes that will appeal to the more fussy eaters in the house as well.

[Cousinit]

Sorry, I obviously mean The Roasting Tin

[julie81]

Love this thread, I have about 250 cookery books and sneak some on my kindle too, I also have Good food magazines delivered, keep meaning to cancel but forgetting. Love Nigel Slater, and the old Diary cookery books. I too have Moosewood, was given it by a friend in florida 19 years ago and am going to get it off the shelf.

[everythingstaken123]

cousinit i just made the 10 minute chocolate chip cookies. 10 minutes to make, 10 minutes to cook and 10 minutes to eat the whole lot. They were so easy and so delicious! I don't think I can make those very often because they won't help anyone's waistlines.

keely79 i ordered The Kitchen Revolution to try out. I couldn't resist seeing as it was £3.15 including postage on Amazon. My no more cookbooks resolution went up in smoke again.

whatareyoueating I would start a group! i'm still looking to see if one exists. Joined another yesterday and that's Australian but rather than cookbooks it's just a general chat about food. The only problem I have with some food type groups is that too much food on my fb/insta feed makes me feel a bit sick if it's not presented nicely!

I'd put smiley faces but I'm on a chromebook which doesn't have all the symbols on it (insert fed up face).

[finks100]

I have just come home to find my Apples for Jam here n
It is a big book and has some great pictures, happy to take any ideas for a good recipes from it, although I have put post it notes in a few pages already!

[Cousinit]

Yes that chocolate chip cookie recipe is dangerously simple. I made a batch this week at my daughter's request. They never last long!

[ILikeyourHairyHands]

Interesting thread, I used to be an acquisitor of cook books but only have about 50-odd now and don't really use any of them any more as I have a massive repertoire of mental recipes these days. I used to use them for inspiration, but again have plenty of ideas myself now I'm a knowledgeable and confident cook (thanks to the many cook books I have owned I might add!).

I tend to use the internet more now if I need specifics or if I've got an ingredient I'm not massively familiar with (I'm a sucker for buying esoteric foodstuffs).

But I haven't bought a cookbook for years (other than Nigel Slater's Christmas one, but I just enjoy the way he writes about food, it's hugely evocative and he really understands the way food and memory are so entwined).

So no help from me OP, I say, get rid of most of the books and just get cooking!

[ILikeyourHairyHands]

I am aware my post makes me sound like a massive tosser though...

[Cousinit]

You don't sound like a tosser . I would struggle to edit the collection down to 50 but good on you. I'm too much of a hoarder but I am getting better at culling books that aren't used. I also use the internet lots these days but the quality of recipes out there is variable so will always look for a trusted source rather than a random. There are some good food bloggers though. Anyone familiar with Smitten Kitchen? I want to eat everything that lady posts!

[myrtleWilson]

Interesting point Ilike - I have culled cook books significantly and am now trying to be aware of why I want to buy - case in point, I spent a couple of weeks lusting after the Syria Home book but couldn't find in a shop - I could have ordered of Amazon but I had a nagging feeling I needed to see before I buy... Still not found it yet (it was a big seller before Christmas so suspect stocks need replenishing) but have resisted the urge to buy before seeing!

I use internet a lot too but agree with Cousin that it can take a while longer to find the recipe sites that work for you - I've always found for example the Felicity Cloake Perfect series work for me - but a poster upthread found the opposite. There are some recipes I've found on blogs etc that I go back to but I think it takes me a while longer to be a blog fan as opposed to knowing which cookery writers are in my "sphere" so to speak....

[Aethelthryth]

Netball Yes! Penelope Casas has lots of really good, workable recipes

Someone mentioned how having many cookery books gives guests unrealistic expectations. So true. I have over 400, on shelves between the kitchen and dining room. Everyone gets very excited. The reality is: one good, carefully-prepared course, made in accordance with a practised recipe; one that's ok but probably made up and not perfectly timed; and one which is a bit rubbish because I'll have had too much wine by the time I make it. There'll also be a side dish/salad/cheese/similar which I completely forget to serve

[keely79]

Am seriously tempted by the 5 ingredients book by Jamie Oliver - has anyone tried/would recommend? Have come to the conclusion that I need quick and simple recipes more than ones that require a lot of prep (though I still love looking at the beautiful ones...)