Favourite cookery book writer....

[BertrandRussell]

....you can only choose one to cook from the rest of your life. Mine’s Nigel Slater.

Why Nigel? I'd choose Nigella because she writes so warmly.

I would probably choose Nigella too because she does a nice range of recipes from breakfasts, snacks, casual/easy suppers, fancy dinner party stuff and cakes/puddings. I generally find her recipes work consistently well as written, which is not always the case with others that I otherwise like, such as Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein where I seem to have to do a lot of adjustments to cooking times and proportions to get them to work.

I like Nigel Slater too and would throw in a second choice vote for the Hairy Bikers....

I'd choose Ottolenghi because I'm pretty good at doing the basics and putting my own spin on them, which is what Nigel Slater seems to do; Jamie Oliver's stuff isa bit greasy for me, but Ottolenghi is full of complicated delciious recipes for fresh stuff that I rerally want to eat and could never make without his help.

I'm very old school and don't really like cookery books with pictures in. (Unless they are step by step instructions pictures.) Anyway, I would choose Jane Grigson - wise, knowledgeable about all sorts of things not just food, loads of her recipes appear in other writers' cook books anyway but without her wit and charm; her English Food is my number one cook book of all time.

If I could only have three cook books they would be English Food; Richard Olney's Simple French Food (that nearly made it to my number one spot, the most informative and exciting cookery book I've ever read, but it has no cakes in), and Margaret Costa's Four Seasons Cookery Book (did seasonal food back in the sixties and full of brilliant ideas).

Delia - normally v reliable. Other than that I would have Nigella's How to Eat or Nigel Slater ( is it "simply good food" ) - ha ha - I'm a risk taker aren't I . But then I speak as one who gave away the River Cafe cookery book because it was just too hard and not accurate ( I found) in a domestic kitchen

Nigel for bedtime reading and correct recipes. Ottolenghi for aspirational ideas

Another vote for Jane Grigson

Simon Hopkinson. Laurie Colwin. Jeremy Round. Early Nigella.

If I REALLY have to choose only one, it would be SiHo

Diana Henry - everything I've tried has been wonderful and lots more inspiration still to come. But before that it was SiHo too.

Agree with early Nigella - How to Eat is easily her best book. Roast Chicken and Other Stories is a classic. Also SiHo and Lindsey Bareham's The Prawn Cocktail Years, a book I adore.

BasiliskStare I also gave away the River Cafe Cookbook. I'm not keen on all that cheffy lark, though I have used Fergus Henderson's Nose to Tail Eating quite a bit.

100% Nigella. For recipes that I want to both cook and eat (Compared to Ottolenghi, which I love eating but sometimes can't be bothered to cook). And because her writing, especially in How to Eat, is gorgeous. I could read it like a novel.

Ooh Diana Henry for me too. Loved her writing for many years since Roast Figs, Sugar snow and How to eat a peach this year a triumph. Her recipes are like alchemy, simple ingredients transformed to more than the sum of their parts and that to me is what cookery writing should be. Wish she would do more vegetarian recipes though.

For actual text, Nigel.
For lovely, warm blathering, Nigella's
For actual sensible stuff about recipes Delia
Also soft spot for Rick Stein chuntering and grumping along.

I cannot watch Nigel on TV though, yet his Christmas Chronicles is one of my favourite food books.

Oh Delia without any doubt.

The recipes are reliable, they work and she covers everything.

I know she's not exactly fashionable but for me it would have to be Delia Smith. I was given her Complete Cookery Course for my 21st birthday (well over 30 years ago) & still consult it regularly. Her recipes are classic, faff free and most importantly they work. She taught me how to cook & I have most of her books.

I like Nigel Slater too, no fuss & down to earth, food I want to eat.

I have never got on with Nigella. I find her writing fluffy & self-indulgent, her recipes faff-abouty and her desserts way too sweet so I have to adjust them.

Nigel Slater every time. His recipes actually work for me, unlike Jamie Oliver's which never turn out right. I also like Hugh FW's recipes, and Rachel Allen's.

I love Nigel Slater’s writing, especially the Christmas Chronicles. I also enjoy reading Fushia Dunlop. But I find Nigella’s recipes the easiest to follow

Nigel or Elizabeth David

There seems to be a divide between the books a confident cook would choose and the books that people who actually need a cookery book would choose. I think if I needed a book, I would choose Delia. But if I needed a book to help me cook nice things and give me ideas, it would be Nigel.

I don't really follow recipes closely, and rarely weigh or measure ingredients. I read cookery books for ideas about combinations of flavours or creating interesting textures.

Like so many others here, I love Nige, and get a lot of pleasure from reading his books.

I also often return to my old battered collection of Elizabeth David. They were the first cookery books I bought as a young woman, back in the days when the only olive oil came in tiny bottles from the chemist, and avocado and aubergine were rare and exotic!

Delia Smith wins hands down for me!

River cottage veg probably. Or any hfw tbh I luffs him

Nigel Slater for his brilliant turn of phrase (am reading the Christmas Chronicles at the moment - it exudes Christmas!). Also great for ideas.

Nigella and Delia are up there too.

Have never got to grips with Jamie Oliver - his books all recently went to charity