How many recipes do you need to use from a book for you to consider it’s a worthwhile purchase

[PurpleCoo]

I’m terrible for buying recipe books. I have lots. I know you can search online, but I like an actual book, you can browse through, learn things, admire the pictures. Recipes are usually around a theme be that a particular cuisine, or a food type/cooking method or from a favourite chef. I still like to read actual books too, so this isn’t about online vs real books.

So the question is, how many recipes do you need to use from a book, for you to consider that it was worth you getting the book?

I think I would ideally like about 10 recipes from each book, even if I only ever try them once. I do have one book I have only ever cooked 2-3 recipes from, but I absolutely love those recipes, and they are favourite meals I ate in Vietnam and I have been using those recipes for years now. Indeed 10 this year!

I have lots of cookery books but rarely follow recipes. I read them a lot though, so I don’t think they’re a good waste of money.

None tbh.

I don’t think I’d have to have made one of the dishes to feel it was a worthwhile purchase. Maybe the book opens a window on a philosophy of cooking I hadn’t considered, or argues for a relationship with, or way of sourcing ingredients that’s new to me; perhaps the writer has a fascinating life story, or maybe the book just has stunningly gorgeous photographs. That would be enough.

Sometimes I buy novels or volumes of poetry out of loyalty to friends or acquaintances - I don’t always read them …