Cooking Books

[oldfella]

So having established that most folk read a great deal about gardening, how many cook books do you have; and do you guys read them, or more to the point USE them when cooking, as it appears from the threads on the site that the Ladies, do as much gardening as the guys.

[crowsashes]

i have about 10 and i use them regularly, best way not to waste stuff in my opinion, my favorite is the one pot cook book as a lot of the recipes work brilliantly chucked in a casserole dish in the oven, which is handy.

also have a really good asian cook book as i love curries and dal and another of my favorites is a national trust traditional cook book, oh and i musnt forget my chocolate and baking cook books, theres a recipe in there for a very light and tasty oaty flapjack type thing and a lovely bakewell tart.

im looking for a good one on sushi...

[frozenthunderbolt]

I have 10-20.
This said i tend to use google first then synthesise what i find unless i KNOW of a recipie i am after in a book and it is tried and true

[Silver Ether]

Three... and I have used then a lot you can tell by the stains ... but I do have a tendency now to google ... and use you tube if I am trying something I have never done before like ... Sushi ... I got my list ready for the weekend.

[Milims]

Erm -I kind of lost count at 74 I love them so I collect them. I even have one that has a chapter on how to cope on your maids day off! My favourite is called Northern Cookery. I was looking for a recipe for Singing Hinnies - a North Eastern Scone that my granny made, and spotted this book in the second hand book store. I was in a hurry so I grabbed it and ran. It was only when I arrived home that I realised that the Northern bit refers to Alaska! So I have recipes for Jellied Moose Nose, Roast Polar Bear, Breaded Beaver Tales and Squirrel Friccasse if anyone wants them!

[Mylovelyhorse]

Oh dear. I think I'm about to 'out' myself as a cookery book addict.

I have around 50. And that doesn't seem like very many, really, when you look at them on the shelf. I've recently taken quite a few to the charity shops, so I used to have more but pared them down to this bare minimum!

Some are used virtually daily. Some are just for reference. Some were mistakes and are never likely to be used (though they may have nice piccies). Some are old ones which I keep purely for sentimental reasons (!?). And they're all vegetarian or vegan (with the exception of Jane Grigson's Fish Book, which is kept for the quality of her writing and not because I want to cook anything from it).

And I too have my own file of own recipes, or ones that I've copied from various places. Including my mum's recipe for christmas cake. Things have to be seriously good to get into the handwritten pages of my own file...

[Minnesota]

I wanted to reply to the gardening book thread, but I only have one gardening book. I tend to just grow what my parents had grown...then also, I have two vegetable farmer friends that I get advice from as well.

BUT, Cook books, yawza, I have a large collection of Cook books...at least 100. Many of them are old, the best ones are written by southerners (that is Southern USA). when I cook something new, I tend to look at a bunch of recipes then meld them together. I just recently found a recipe in an old cookbook for Saurkraut soup...it's a creamy potato style soup with Sausage and some Hot peppers and Saurkraut. I haven't tried it yet, I love saurkraut.

PS, Oh yeah, I forgot, that is where I got my famous Beet wine recipe...from a 100 year old cook book. It was actually a hand written recipe that was wedged in the book, there were many hand written notes/recipes in there, I love that.

[indy]

I have at least 60, am addicted to them, most of them are old, some I inherited off my gran, some I have rummaged for. Can honestly say I have used all of them and I use them a lot for reference. I love getting new ones as well for christmas or whatever...got the delia one this year :oops:Also have old books with lots of notations in from previous owners and bits of paper with recipes on inside them, love that also. Found my best recipe for runner bean chutney that way

[JillStephens7]

20? after taking lots to charity shops over the last few years am doing ok an a 'one in one out' strategy).

I love my grans old recipe books particularly all the recipes from friends which she shoved in there and bits she cut out of magazines before I was born. Feel like I'm getting to know another side of her through having these now. My home economic file from school is still in use - got out last night for ginger biscuits - just wish I'd bothered to finish writing down the methods for things ... most come to an abrupt halt half-way through

Favourite is possibly Liz Cook's 'SO what DO you eat?' for veggies and lists of best foods for vitamins and minerals with happy pictures.

Found my best recipe for runner bean chutney that way

Would love your runner bean chutney recipe if you don't mind sharing? That would sort out what to make my dad for his birthday in the summer

[frozenthunderbolt]

PS, Oh yeah, I forgot, that is where I got my famous Beet wine recipe...from a 100 year old cook book. It was actually a hand written recipe that was wedged in the book, there were many hand written notes/recipes in there, I love that.

beet wine recipie please

[Millymollymandy]

Oh god yes I have about a shelf and a half and they do get used, sometimes I just read them for fun or to try to get inspiration. Some are used a lot as reference and others for recipes. They get used a hell of a lot more than my gardening books!

One of my favourites is 'Cooking with Chillies' by Meg Jump. The other is Reader's Digest 'Food from Your Garden' which gives advice on just about every veg and fruit and how to grow it, then gives recipes at the end of every section (so it is a gardening book too). At the end there are pages and pages on making jams, chutneys, jellies, fruit cheeses etc which is really informative with loads of hints and tips and advice. My absolute bible! (sorry Andy and Dave!)

[jim]

Cook books? Over 75 - a symbol of my greed - and used on a regular basis. Dogeared, stained, loose paged and broken backed they all show signs of being well loved. However, the one most used is "European Peasant Cook Book" by Elizabath Luard. The size of my waist is advert enough for it!

Love and Peace
Jim

[homegrown]

Currently I have about five, but after 17 years in the resteraunt game, alot of my recipes are in my head, but the good ones I write down in a small notebook

[spider8]

Oh dear - time to confess
We have so many we've lost count and they sit there on the shelves and only a few get used..........Good Housekeeping Cookery Book, a few Nigel Slater's books and most of Hugh Fearnley-Eat It All's books are the ones used over and over. I've also got piles of recipes pulled out of magazines waiting to be 'sorted'. It's very good to read that we are not alone and there are many, many more like ourselves out there doing the same

[herbalholly]

I have 2 cranks cookery books which are super for reminding me of the little touches that make everyday things extra tasty. So I might make a winter vegetable soup once a week during the cold months and don't use a recipe for it but if I'm feeling like making it extra good I'll look at their recipes and trying adding roasted almonds on top or whatever they recommend. I have one that I use for cakes as I can't make a cake without a book. The Whitley bread book for rye bread starters and all the wonderful bread recipes, (brioche is next to be tried) I have a Scottish cookery book which makes me giggle as it has things like beef tea, calves foot jelly and invalid's chicken; I have a farmhouse cookery book for pies and country fare and five or six small 'frugal feasts' style books for seasonal and vegetarian meals on a budget.

So I have recipes for Jellied Moose Nose, Roast Polar Bear, Breaded Beaver Tales and Squirrel Friccasse if anyone wants them!

Milims - I'd love to know the name of the book with jellied moose nose in it so I can have a look at it on amazon - -it sounds like a step up from my Scottish one!