Lumo Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I've been asked to give someone a good 'general purpose' cookery book for Christmas. Not a speciality one or a themed one, just a general purpose book with good, but not too difficult or too easy, meals to cook. Preferably not a celebrity one as the recipient isn't t too keen on celebrities. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have an old copy of the "Readers Digest Cookery Year" sitting around at home and think a modern version of something like that would be good, but without recommendations it's hard to know what to chose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I've heard that the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book is pretty good, and although I do understand the feeling regarding zeleb cook books, Delia Smith's are considered to be pretty good in 'cooking from scratch' terms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lumo Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Thanks Chrissy, those are good suggestions. I have just been looking at and was thinking of Bill's The Cookbook: Cook, Eat, Smile http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bills-Cookbook-Cook-Eat-Smile/dp/1444703900/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323634599&sr=1-7 based on not much other than the Amazon reviews. I'll check them all out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 That looks gorgeous Duncan, so much so I have added it to my basket to buy in the new year! I particularly liked the comment made in the first review that reads "I've found them original (not in a ground breaking way but imaginative takes on old favourites) and reliably good." That says to me decent recipes without a load of faffy nonsense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lumo Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Well I have now ordered Bill's The Cookbook. Yes, I also liked that it is based on old favourites and not full of fancy sounding/looking fashionable things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Butter Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Funnily enough, I ate in Bill's in Lewes last week - fun, but manic! If I'd seen this sooner I'd have suggested Delia, but Bill looks pretty sound too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) Good food cook books are normally good. I'm always on their website using recipes. It's updated constantly. They do all sorts of cook books depending on what you're after from meals for 2, quick 30 minute suppers, one pot meals and many more. Most recipes are fairly straight forward although they do have some harder one's thrown in too. Def worth a look in my opinion. Hope this helps Edited December 12, 2011 by Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Well my money is definitely on the Good Housekeeping Book. Of all the cookery books I have that is my Bible. I go back to it time and again for the cookery basics and some mouthwatering recipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lumo Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 I have one of the Good Food cook books, the one pot dishes one, and do indeed find it quite useful. Amazon say the copy of Bills cook book is on its way, looking forward to seeing what it is like. Thanks for the other suggestions all, I've had a look and added some to my wishlist as I like cookery books too. It's tempting just to look things up online, but I find a book more fun to browse through for ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) The ultimate "go to" cook book we have is The Joy of Cooking. It has great recipes and talks about basics, like buying the right cut of meat, what kind of pan to use, etc. How to cook different cuts of meat as well. http://www.amazon.co...23718700&sr=1-2 Everything from soup to salad, deserts and all inbetween. Edited December 12, 2011 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 just a general purpose book with good, but not too difficult or too easy, meals to cook. Preferably not a celebrity one as the recipient isn't t too keen on celebrities. If stuffed and roasted slowly celebrities can be quite tasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 (edited) The Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cookery Book is one of the standards in this household too. I learned to cook using Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course, and remain a great fan of that one too - much better in my eyes than her later Complete How To Cook. She only became a celebrity because she was so good! My favourite 'everyday' cookery book at present is Diane Henry's Cook Simple. Amazon reviews are unanimously laudatory too. I've cooked recipe after recipe from it, all highly popular within the family. Her other books are really good as well, and equally praised in the reviews. Edited December 13, 2011 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 The best general purpose cookbooks I know are the Betty Crocker Cookbook (that's the one my mom has used forever), Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and The Joy of Cooking, which is a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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