An illustrated cook book - traditional recipes

[ThreeGs]

Please can you help? I have a friend who would like to make a steak and kidney pie and I realised buying her an illustrated cook book for Christmas would be a perfect gift but which one? Recommendations, please!

the hamlyn all colour cookbook is full of traditional recipes
i have had a copy for years

Is it traditional British grub she's after? If so, Gary Rhodes Best of British is very good.

nigella's domestic goddess book has been a staple favourite here

Thank you. Do the recipes turn out well?

The version I've got is not illustrated, but I swear by Mrs Beetons for sheer numbers of traditional recipes.

I have to admit, I make up steak & kidney pie, as I go along, but as long as your friend follows the instructions, there's no reason to think they won't work, which ever book you chose for her.

Thanks everyone - you're great - I can feel hours of trawling Amazon coming on . Is there a definitive book I should be looking at? I initially thought of something like Good Housekeeping or Beeton, but will be doing a compare and contrast of all of these. Mmm - book hunting ....

Is there an illustrated version of Beeton? My friend is Spanish, reads English well, but I figured the photos would help, as well as making a good pressie.

I find Mrs Beetons a fail-safe back-up to more modern chef cookbooks. It always, without fail, has the recipe I want or - failing that - something I can adapt easily.

my grandpa always said, 'if you can read, you can cook!' i tend to agree

nigella's book is worth buying, IMO< simply because it covers everything from teh basics, to Xmas dinner, to childrens' parties, and it is so well written...

My Good Housekeeping book has seen better days, so I guess that shows I use it a lot! Some of these TV chefs are OK, but for a classic that will really last, I'd go for Mrs Beeton or Good Housekeeping.

Doh - x posted.

I think there is a hardback version which I would recommend because the paperback does come apart after constant use.

The one I have is illustrated, but all the pictures are in the middle, if you know what I mean. I think the sheer volume of recipes prevents each one being illustrated.

I like the high fearnelly whittingstall books, there are lots of nice photos and commentary.

But the photos aren't always step by step.

Ah, fantastic. Thanks again - I must admit I have Nigella on my wish-list but she might be too laissez-faire for my friend.

I like nigella for writing but I ALWAYS have to modify her recipes.

But for me, and I think for anyone who is a reasonably experienced cook, cookbooks are not about step-by-step instructions but about giving you the feel for the dish.

If your friend is new to British cooking, is it possible that she would like something more evocative and less step by step? .

But if it were me getting into Spanish cooking, thats what I'd want, a really good food writer.

I think fillyjonk is spot on actually. I can refer back to Mrs Beeton's because I know what I am looking for - like a reference book.

But if I was new to British cooking, I wouldn't necessarily know where to look or what for.

A really good cookery writer like Nigel Slater would probably give more of a feel.

My friend is an excellent cook but I have the feeling she would like step-by-step instructions - a personality-thing I think. I don't imagine she'd do the crossover of recipes and culture. I have a couple of Slater's but they wouldn't be her cup of tea.

Thanks again, this is helping me to narrow the field down - what nicer thing to do on a Saturday morning, well it beats the housework .