98 replies to this topic

[offcentre]

can't find the "Seafood Bible" - but can find Rick Stein's Complete Seafood or Rick Stein's Seafood School Cookbook. Do you mean one of these?

[Gary Marshall]

http://www.amazon.co...3073737-7794215

this is the one i have, the seafood school cookbook.

gary

[The Lady Pleaser]

Any new additions. I am still struggling to find something that I use more frequently than my suggestion at the top of page 2.

[Harters]

I would struggle without my various Nigel Slaters; Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall's "Meat Cookery" and, ahem, Delia's "Complete Cookery Course". Of the more specialist ones, Claudia Roden's "New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is THE book I use for my favourite cuisine.

The rest of the collection are pretty much shelf fillers, which get nothing more than a very occasional outing at best (for example, I don't think I've ever cooked anything from a Nigella Lawson book).

[david goodfellow]

I would struggle without my various Nigel Slaters; Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall's "Meat Cookery" and, ahem, Delia's "Complete Cookery Course". Of the more specialist ones, Claudia Roden's "New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is THE book I use for my favourite cuisine.

The rest of the collection are pretty much shelf fillers, which get nothing more than a very occasional outing at best (for example, I don't think I've ever cooked anything from a Nigella Lawson book).

John, completely agree with Delia's, my wife swears by it, its the most battered, food splattered book amongst quite a large collection, its falling to pieces, but all the recipes work.
Marco Pierre White's White Heat is one of my all time favorites, it still inspires me.

Of late we tend more and more to refer to BBC Food recipes on the web, there are more than 12,000 of them, 400 or so just for chicken alone.

To get the best from it, just put two or three ingredients into the site and its comes up with loads of matches.

[Harters]

Must agree in return, David. When stuck I do find it easier to search the BBC website (or the equivalent UKTV one).

[Lindsey]

I have many of the books mentioned here already but would truly recommend any Joceline Dimblelby books, now sadly out of print but available on Amazon. She has a unique and interesting style very much her own but very accessable

[chefmatt]

Wsa going to start with Roux brothers French Country Cooking but should stay British, there are plenty of good ones.

Richard Corrigan, both.

Henry Harris Fifth Floor

Nose to tail

English Puddings, Mary Norwak

Shaun Hill, Merchant House

Le Gavroche (British?)

If we do allow Roux then Desserts or Patisserie

Of course Roast Chicken, I am fond of the second one, he begins to rant a bit which I love.

Rowley Leigh, No Place Like home

Alistair Little, Soho Cooking

Leith's Cookery Bible if you need to find any trad english recipe quickly.

My dad used to cook lovely recipes from Josceline Dimbleby, in particular some chicken, cashew and ginger number baked in a pumpkin and a lemon bombe wiVh loads of grated chocolate hiding in the middle.

Lots more but these spring to mind right now

[food1]

Yes Matt, I would definately go with Roast Chicken and other Stories. A great read by a fellow who really understands food.

A few other books that I have enjoyed a flick through are,

Passion For Flavour & Gordon Ramsay Three Star Chef, which is a proper coffee table book, fantastically photographed. Do any of the recipes actually work??

Essence by David Everitt Mathias

Nico by Nico Landis, such a single minded chef, who didn't suffer fools. Great intro by him, detailing his life etc.

Rhubarb & Blackpudding by Matt Fort, Paul Heathcote (IMO, Idea pretty much copied by another recent cookbook!!)

Fat Duck cookbook, just through the sheer attention and input given.

Canteen Cuisine by MPW, probably used by every aspiring chef over the last ten years. One chef I know, practically based whole menu upon book. And he's got a star!!!

Meat by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, packed with info.

The first seafood cookbook by Rick Stein.

Any book by Ainsley!!!!!!!!

Edited by food1, 22 July 2009 - 04:23 PM.

[RedRum]

If there are 3 books that made my cooking much much better were those three:

1 and 2: the books from the Perfection series with Heston Blumenthal. You do not need to go all the way with his recipes, but taking the basic elements for these dishes make you such a better cook. I had compliments from a friend of mine from Bolognia for my rissoto. My burgers are now famous. My very picky fiancee now admits defeat on the issue of bolognese sauce. My mexican buddy loved my chili. I can boast that I make the best pizza dough this side of Europe (though my recipe is a hybrid between Heston's and Alton Brown's excellent pizza dough)

You know what I mean... some of the stuff in the recipes are too complicated, but you do not need to go all the way.

3. Love him or hate him, Ramsay is a great chef, and his Three Star Chef book apart from being a thing of beauty, has amazing recipes. Again... not going all the way, but the appendix in the end with the basics is a bible for me in regards to classic recipes (I am an amateur home cook mind you...). They all work brilliantly (to answer your question food1), at least to my palate.

Edited by RedRum, 25 July 2009 - 03:34 PM.

[liuzhou]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the late and lamented Keith Floyd. His "A Feast of Floyd" is one of my most battered and be-stained cookbooks.

[thampik]

Surprised that no one has mentioned "New British Classics" by Gary Rhodes. I use it a fair bit.

[pax]

My mother-in-law was convinced I'd never be able to cook properly for her son without every Delia Smith book ever printed. Never used them.

[PS]

Surprised that no one has mentioned "New British Classics" by Gary Rhodes. I use it a fair bit.

So do I - it's the one I turn to for most of the basic stuff - like yorkshire pudding batter, scones, pastry, and I follow a lot of his techniques for, eg, roast potatoes. It's also got some very good recipes for the likes of irish stew, pork pie, rice pudding... the classics.

I was just thinking recently that the TV series Rhodes did in connection with the book was one of the best instructional TV cooking programmes I have ever watched. None of the usual attendant lifestyle pish, just him in the studio cooking, with close ups where required, but none of those excessively close shaky camera things that Jamie Oliver's directors were doing at the same time.

[Ce'nedra]

For those who own (or had a thorough read through) both Nigella Feasts and Nigella's Christmas, which do you recommend and why? I'm leaning towards Christmas at the moment (which I hear can be used any time of the year really) since I've heard great things about it while with Feasts, I've read a few disappointing review (although I adore the series itself).

I already own How To Eat and How To Be A Domestic Goddess and I really love both -found them wonderfully wordy (I love Nigella chatter) but also full of substantial, reliable recipes.

[Ce'nedra]

My my, what a change. I just did some additional homework and there were a number of reviews for Nigella Christmas that advised one to stick to 'How To Eat', 'Domestic Goddess' and 'Feast' and avoid 'Christmas' hmm...

[johung]

I feel British cookbooks, especially those published from the mid 1990s onwards, are too similar to Australian/NZ cookbooks to be really interesting for me. Strangely enough, I have never been a fan of Jamie Oliver because of his manners and his food seem to be identical to Bill Granger or Julie Le Clerc. Gordon Ramsay is too showy.

I do like Marcus Wareing's works and Gary Rhodes's works are good. Margaret Patten's works sound good and what I want - something of British cuisine without the excessively trendiness of the last 10 years. The French influence are not as widespread in NZ or Australia, and the traditional food backs up the historical origins of the "good old Kiwi tucker" very nicely.

[dougal]

... Margaret Patten's works sound good and what I want - something of British cuisine without the excessively trendiness of the last 10 years. ...

You would be absolutely correct in stating that Margueritte Patten is not "excessively trendy".

[dougal]

For those who own (or had a thorough read through) both Nigella Feasts and Nigella's Christmas, which do you recommend and why? I'm leaning towards Christmas at the moment (which I hear can be used any time of the year really) since I've heard great things about it while with Feasts, I've read a few disappointing review (although I adore the series itself).

I already own How To Eat and How To Be A Domestic Goddess and I really love both -found them wonderfully wordy (I love Nigella chatter) but also full of substantial, reliable recipes.

I've only thumbed through Christmas. Didn't buy it.

But having bought Feast in a Charity Shop, I'm actually rather impressed.
I should state that I really don't like TV-Nigella, but find her writing both sensible and thoughtful. (How to Eat is a bloody good book, and Domestic Goddess is a super home cake book.)
Feast is ostensibly about lifting food beyond the humdrum, making it suitable for special occasions.
However, its only on reading through the thing that the subtext emerges of food as an affirmation of life, and celebrating that.
Remembering that it was written in the aftermath of the death of her first husband lifts it way beyond the realm of recipe books.
I think it counts as a 'good book'.


If you like Nigella's territory, maybe take a look at Nigel Slater's "Appetite". (Don't be put off him by the IMHO somewhat egocentric Kitchen Diaries.) http://www.amazon.co.../dp/1841154709/ In Appetite, the focus is entirely on delivering the primal attractiveness of the edibility of the food. Brilliant title.

[Peter Green]

I would hazard a vote for Fergus Henderson's "Nose To Tail Eating". It's a lovely book to read, although the amount of ingredients is very much a personal matter (and I believe that may be his point). I have not bought the second book (but shall when I'm in the UK in February) so I reserve judgement.

Having said that, I would second David Thompson's Thai Food. Yes, it's hard to find some of the ingredients, but his history and general working principles are very, very good. I know I'm a heathen, but work with This book for the ideas, and then improvise as you must. (Has anyone seen his Thai Street Food yet?).

And I also second (or third) Heston Blumenthal's Perfection series. I also have the Big Fat Duck Cookbook, but I haven't had the free time to read it yet, so I shan't venture a verdict.

And it's hard not to like NIgella. Her "How To Eat" is a very nice book.

[Ce'nedra]

For those who own (or had a thorough read through) both Nigella Feasts and Nigella's Christmas, which do you recommend and why? I'm leaning towards Christmas at the moment (which I hear can be used any time of the year really) since I've heard great things about it while with Feasts, I've read a few disappointing review (although I adore the series itself).

I already own How To Eat and How To Be A Domestic Goddess and I really love both -found them wonderfully wordy (I love Nigella chatter) but also full of substantial, reliable recipes.

I've only thumbed through Christmas. Didn't buy it.

But having bought Feast in a Charity Shop, I'm actually rather impressed.
I should state that I really don't like TV-Nigella, but find her writing both sensible and thoughtful. (How to Eat is a bloody good book, and Domestic Goddess is a super home cake book.)
Feast is ostensibly about lifting food beyond the humdrum, making it suitable for special occasions.
However, its only on reading through the thing that the subtext emerges of food as an affirmation of life, and celebrating that.
Remembering that it was written in the aftermath of the death of her first husband lifts it way beyond the realm of recipe books.
I think it counts as a 'good book'.


If you like Nigella's territory, maybe take a look at Nigel Slater's "Appetite". (Don't be put off him by the IMHO somewhat egocentric Kitchen Diaries.) http://www.amazon.co.../dp/1841154709/ In Appetite, the focus is entirely on delivering the primal attractiveness of the edibility of the food. Brilliant title.

Thanks for the recommendation. I suppose I'll get Feasts then; I do enjoy all things celebratory about food. The only reason I had to stop and ponder was because I've heard a few people say the recipes didn't work for them. This may be an individual issue then.

Nigel Slater is another one of my favourites; actually, I have Kitchen Diaries and I love it! hee
I've also been tossing up between Appetite and Real Cooking. Have you had a look at the latter? Appetite definitely sounds like my kind of food though.

Another British chef (recently discovered) I appreciate is Jo Pratt. Good, simple homely food -I have her 'In the mood for food' and it's brilliant.
I don't know why but generally speaking, I prefer British cookbooks to American ones. Something about the way they're written.

[richyvk]

Hi,

I'm new here - well, been lurking for ages, but this is my first post :)

This thread prompted me to sign up properly.
Some great suggestions, and I guess you're looking for more modern stuff, but unless I missed it I couldn't see anyone mentioning Mrs Beeton:

http://www.mrsbeeton.com/

[johung]

Hi,

I'm new here - well, been lurking for ages, but this is my first post :)

This thread prompted me to sign up properly.
Some great suggestions, and I guess you're looking for more modern stuff, but unless I missed it I couldn't see anyone mentioning Mrs Beeton:

http://www.mrsbeeton.com/

Welcome! IMHO one reason no one mentions Mrs Beeton is because the Britain of Mrs Beeton is too distant in culture from the Britain of Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay as to the point of being incomprehensible. If Margaret Patten's food is said to be of historical interest only, you can gather that many modern Britons think Mrs Beeton better belongs to the museum.

They only buy the book for the purpose of literary analysis and gender studies at universities, not as a practical cookbook!

[nbaines]

Fergus Hendersons - Nose to Tail Eating

[richyvk]

I'm sure you are correct - it is a curiosity these days I guess - but I still think there are some great recipes in there.

Funny you should mention Jamie Oliver too, I'm glad to see he didn't get too many mentions in this list - I'm not really a fan. I loathed him in his early days, but had sort of warmed to him with the later stuff. Then I recently watched most of a Jamie at Home marathon on TV and after a few hours I found I was totally bored with his food - it is almost all the same - very formulaic.

I also recall seeing Jamie Oliver branded salt when I was in Sainbury's in the UK last time I was home - it was twice the price of Maldon - that's just ridiculous to me!

[DaveJes1979]

Egullet folks,

I'm an American looking for a few (2-3) of the best British cookbooks that include modern takes on traditional British cuisine (or, at least British ingredients even if the dishes are not traditional). I have started with Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub food (and I also regularly cook his shepherd's pie from Cooking for Friends). This is a good example of what I am looking for - nothing too advanced for me to cook at home; modern dishes without being too posh. Where should I go from here?

[andiesenji]

Have you looked at Nigella Lawson's cookbooks?

I have two or three of the books published a few years ago and found some excellent and certainly not difficult recipes.

Yes Chef! includes recipes from several chefs and might work for you as a reference to see whose recipes and methods make the most sense for you.

The National Trust produced a cookbook of traditional British recipes this past December. I bought it for my collection and have spent a lot of time reading through it but have not yet prepared any of the recipes. (I have a huge backlog of "to-do" recipes that I must do first.)

It is beautifully written and as one reviewer wrote (before the U.S. publication and what prompted me to purchase it) it has some old recipes that you would have difficulty finding anywhere else and they have been brought up to date for today's kitchens.

Edited by andiesenji, 15 March 2011 - 12:39 PM.

[rickster]

Egullet folks,

I'm an American looking for a few (2-3) of the best British cookbooks that include modern takes on traditional British cuisine (or, at least British ingredients even if the dishes are not traditional). I have started with Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub food (and I also regularly cook his shepherd's pie from Cooking for Friends). This is a good example of what I am looking for - nothing too advanced for me to cook at home; modern dishes without being too posh. Where should I go from here?

I'd recommend New British Classics by Gary Rhodes. Not sure that it's still available in the US - I bought mine 7-8 years ago. I think it hits exactly the subject matter you're looking for.

Edited to add link to Amazon UK:

New British Classics

Edited by rickster, 15 March 2011 - 12:57 PM.

[Carlovski]

I second the Gary Rhodes recommendation, either New British Classics or the cookery year books sound like just the thing. His TV persona is somewhat annoying, but the recipes are good.
Other recommendations would be anything by Mark Hix, or possibly this one that I was having a flick through the other day Canteen:Great British Food

[miketerry]

Another mention for gary rhodes,i have had all his books at some point,most lost or lent out to other chefs,the complete cookery year is very good,very easy to follow recipes.Marcus wareing books are also very very good,nutmeg and custard being my favourite.

My stand out book is cooking by tom aikens.I have been working in Lancashire uk ,around gastro pubs,hotels and restaurants for 25 years now,and this is by far the best ive found.cant recommend it enough.

Previous favourites are river cafe and canteen by marco,as i posted in another thread.