12 replies to this topic

[peterm2]

My sister is in London for the next week and luckily has a bit of free space in her bag on the way back. Any recommendations for great cookbooks available only through Amazon.co.uk? I could always pay to ship them here any time of the year, but having them hand-delivered without paying to ship overseas is more fun! Plus there's no VAT on books within England, so you don't even have that savings from shipping overseas.

[Bricktop]

Last time I was over in the UK, I bought several cookbooks. I wish I had just bought them on Amazon and had them shipped. Those suckers were HEAVY and schlepping them back to the US was a PITA.

[Mjx]

Last time I was over in the UK, I bought several cookbooks. I wish I had just bought them on Amazon and had them shipped. Those suckers were HEAVY and schlepping them back to the US was a PITA.

These would be books unavailable on amazon, apparently, and it's the sister who's going to do the the schlepping, so it's another story (I can testify to this, having recently done the mule thing, and brought two cast iron pans – no, I'm not kidding – from NYC to Denmark)

[peterm2]

Yeah, thankfully she has a wheely check-on bag that is otherwise full of clothes and shouldn't be near the weight limit. You're right that I'm looking at ones not available in the same form via Amazon.com. (Ones where the weight measurements have been obliterated for the U.S. market are fair game).

[Jon Tseng]

Hello

Sorry if this is a bit late!!

So basically you want to be looking at good cheffy books from local one or two star chefs. *

The three star bigwigs will have big book deals and you'll be able to get them in the US. The more prosaic "how to bake bread" or "69 ways with fish" books are, to be honest, done better in North America anyhow.

So off the top of my head consider:
Stuff by Andrew Pern from the Star at Harome. His self-published books are plush and excellent - Black Pudding & Foie Gras, and Loose Birds & Game (this title is double-entendre,FYI!).

Books from the endlessly inventive David Everitt-Matthias of the Champignon Sauvage are also work a look - Essence and his Dessert book.

Aiden Byrne who used to cook at the Dorch has a great book called Made In Great Britain which has playful, inventive haute cuisin. Sort of reminds me of Michel Richard.

Formulas for Flavour by John Campbell is by a slightly more toned down molecular type chef. Excuse the horrific title its actually quite good.

I normally tend to avoid compilation cookbooks (too bitty) but if you want a good snapshot of current British haute try Great British Food (published by Dorling Kindersley) - basically the book of our version of iron chef (ok a MUCH more genteel version!)

If you want an all-in-one guide to slightly on-steroids traditional British food you should look at Gary Rhodes New British Classics. It is a great one stop shop for all out best bits.

Hope this isn't too late!

J

* The same sort of logic also works in reverse when I'm browsing bookstores in France or the US

[peterm2]

Thanks for the thoughts, I will look them over!

[Jon Tseng]

Ta

One last one to consider. Darina Allens Forgotten Skills of Cooking

This article will give you the gist of it:
http://matthew-rowle...of-cooking.html

[DanM]

I would take a look at River Cottage's books. I have a few from the UK and am very happy with them.

Dan

[Snadra]

I love 'forgotten skills', even though I have done more reading than cooking from it.

[metacritic]

This comes too late for you but Niger Slater's Tender Volume 2 is only available in the UK (or at least not published in the US) but it might be my very favorite thing he has written. It is superb and should be chased down by all.

[mukki]

This comes too late for you but Niger Slater's Tender Volume 2 is only available in the UK (or at least not published in the US) but it might be my very favorite thing he has written. It is superb and should be chased down by all.

I have this one, as well, and it's going to be available in the US in April (with a much prettier cover, I might add).

[ChrisTaylor]

I have purchased most of these books you've been recommended through Book Depository.uk. Free shipping and good prices. Pern's 'Foie Gras and Black Pudding' is great, but so are all the other titles mentioned. I'd add the Hawksmoor book to the list, too,

[metacritic]

This comes too late for you but Niger Slater's Tender Volume 2 is only available in the UK (or at least not published in the US) but it might be my very favorite thing he has written. It is superb and should be chased down by all.

I have this one, as well, and it's going to be available in the US in April (with a much prettier cover, I might add).

Interesting. April is a big month for cookbooks then. I also love Hawksmoor. Everything I've made from it is superb (though certainly not light).