Please help me buy a cookery book for SIL's bday

[mummyineedyounow]

SIL's bday on Wednesday. Shes a fantastic semi-professional cook (loves Indian food, lives in Spain, is a bit of a hippy!). I'd like to get her a recipe book but am unsure what shes got. Can you recommend any?

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this so have posted in products as well.

TIA

just advise you don't do what my sil once did by buying me a low-fat cookery book for my birthday...

Although not exactly Twiggy, not morbidly obese either! She didn't seem to think she had done anything odd at all.

Moro cookbook? Or a classic Madhur Jaffrey one - my mum has the one from her 1st series in the 80's and it is fabulous.

There are lots of versions of the 1861 Mrs Beeton's cookery book out at the moment.

It may be very old, but it shows a cook how to select the best cuts of meat, how to gut a fish, etc.

At the time it was published, curried food was very popular, but that's a bit of a side line.

It goes right back to basics .. which is where every serious chef should begin.

There are some gorgeous reproductions of her original book on the market right now. She's a household name, even now, so it should be appreciated!

Thanks, will have a look at these

LOL's at the low fat book!

the book people have a Mrs Beeton set at the moment might be worth a look!

Madhur Jaffray's Ultimate Curry Bible is very good,lots of stuff from different countries. Hopefully your SIl will not be like me, who ran out to buy all the spices I needed, which are now infesting at the back of the cupboard.

Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries is a good present because it's a lovely book in itself as well as having good recipes - you can read it as well as cook from it IFKWIM.

If she loves Indian food and cooks a lot chances are she has loads of Indian cookbooks already so it might be nice to get her something a bit different?

I just got the Ottolenghi book ...israeli chef with a great restaurant on upper st in islington....it's lovely with lots of delicious mediterrean style food.

i also got the john torode one...but that is pure beef.

i really want some nigel slater books, they look fantastic.

Wow - the Ottolenghi book sounds fantastic in the Amazon reviews - thank you! I want a copy myself as well!

Big books but my suggestions are Hugh F-W's meat and Larousse.

Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diairies is a brilliant suggestion - one of the best books I've ever read, not just a cookery book. It's really inspiring. And yes, banana, you should totally get some Nigel books! They're my fave books, I just love love LOVE him. I just got Appetite and it's wonderful.

Gether the Roussion (not sure about the slpelling). Hang on, I'll google it. back in a mo.

Doh,

Larousse Gastronomique. the Encyclopedia of Food, Wine and Cooking
by Prosper Montagne With Dr. Gottschalk. Edited By Nine Froud And Charlotte Turgeon

The ultimate guide to classical cuisine, now updated for the era of food processors and microwaves, completely freshly illustrated in full color and Americanized by the renowned author of Tastings. Over 900 full-color photographs and 70 black-and-white illustrations.

Fab book.

what about a subscription to Olive magazine. I am a bit of a foodie and love it!

This is great thanks everyone. There are some fab ideas here. I have enough suggestions for my SIL's birthday/xmas for the near forseeable future.