Charmaine Solomon's The Complete Asian Cookbook is the one I use most often out of my dozens of books about Asian food.I think it's out of print, but there are always copies in second-hand bookshops, also Amazon and Book Depository.My other standby is Neil Perry's Harmony and Balance, which doesn't cover Japan but has wonderful S E Asian food.
n00dle,
Apr 21, 5:20pm
These days, I only look at NZ cookbooks (and sometimes Australian).I've found that the imperial measurements are awkward to get my head around, and half the time I can't find an ingredient in the recipe.I regularly use recipes from the Healthy Food Guide.The Australian Institute of Sports (AIS) also put out some good books.
dippychik,
Apr 21, 6:15pm
Some great ideas thanks (keep them coming) and also a lot of inspiration to go back to cookbooks I havent used in quite a while (the Alison Holsts, Sophie Grays and good ol' Edmonds).
muppet65,
Apr 21, 6:51pm
the best book in the whole cooking world is jamie olivers .Jamies Ministry of Food
rosathemad,
Apr 21, 7:35pm
Google is really my most-used tool - I even converted my old, broken-hinged laptop into a wall-mounted kitchen computer! But I do love Donna Hay's books for special meal inspiration - she has lots of recipes that are just special enough to seem flash without being too difficult to prepare, and even better, every recipe has a photo.
I also think Jamie's Ministry of Food is great for the basics - getting a grip on great chilli con carne and how to make your roast meals good and make proper gravy.
sarahb5,
Apr 21, 8:43pm
The one I use most is The Cookery Year - a Readers Digest one that my dad bought me - it has all the basics and then some but I love cookery books and don't care whether I use one or 100 recipes from them.I use Edmonds sometimes, Edmonds Junior for kids favourite baking, Dairy Cookbook from the UK that my mum sent me, a few AWW ones - each recipe book has some favourites in it so I do use most of them
I have the Reader's Digest one aswell! And agree completely about it being a really good reference book, in fact I've just got a copy for a friends young daughter who's a budding cook! My favourite's are anything by Ainsley Harriot because of the West Indian influence and my favourite Indian cook Madhur Jaffrey
stevee6,
Apr 21, 11:36pm
Google is fantastic, but you have to know what you're looking for. For baking, the two 'Ladies a Plate' volumes are fantastic, along with a few old favourites gleaned from friends or the early Edmond's cookbook(the new ones have got Hokey Pokey biscuits so wrong!).
sew.obsessed,
Apr 21, 11:54pm
My favourite is Sophie Gray - Stunning food from small change. So much so that I bought one each for my three sons! I also get and use, recipes from this message board:-)
sclaredy_cat,
Apr 22, 12:24am
. I have my grandmothers book too. I made a beeline for it when she went into a home and we cleared her house out. I was terrified it might have already gone to the sallies! It is so cool to reminisce about things I remember her making, as well as her handwritten notes; 'Gordon's favorite' etc (my grandad) I'm not sure anyone understood why I wanted that book so badly but it was the only thing I wanted from their whole house :)
dippychik,
Apr 22, 12:53am
I love these too. my mother has books full of comments like "v good", or "add more milk", "don't bother - it's revolting", or my favourite is when she refers herself to recipes in other books that are better!
nickyd,
Apr 22, 4:48pm
Another vote for the Sophie Gray books - I think I have about 4 of them.Also like Annabel Langbein - but yes, more and more we tend to use websites, especially when looking for something specific - we especially like theones with ratings and comments like BBC good food, or Taste.com.au, or All recipes.com - have had some great recipes from those.
mr-and-mrs,
Apr 22, 10:25pm
I have a heap of cookbooks too but after having so many that I only like a few recipes from each book I have bought a nice hard back book and the recipes I use regularly I have written into my own book that way I don't have to spend hours sifting thru books to find what I want.
irishdymonz,
Apr 23, 7:11am
Definitely the Edmonds cookbook, Alison Holst's dollars and sense cookbook, Healthy food guide. and I have several Gluten Free cookbooks that I refer to a lot.I also have a book for my collection of tried and tested recipes, either from the net or from friends and family.
dollmakernz,
Apr 23, 7:33pm
I have got soooo many! And I've decided that I'm getting rid of most of them! Seems daft havning all these books that I never open and most of the time when I do need to look for a recipe, it's quicker to look for it online!
bev00,
Apr 26, 6:46am
My fave baking recipe book is the Hummingbird Bakery book . just fab.
elliehen,
Apr 26, 6:57am
bev, I so look forward to the threads you find to bump.They are always worth giving another life.
I like the fact that you tip-toe out very late at night too - like the tooth fairy ;)
miri_s,
Apr 26, 8:24am
The Guardian Online's food and wine section has replaced most cookbooks for me.
Edmonds is still a must for the staple recipes.
dippychik,
Apr 26, 2:37pm
Wow, what a funny thread to find again after a year. You'll not be surprised to know that I still buy recipe books that I dont use much. Though I am doing a bit better, currently in love with Nigel Slater - Appetite.
rainrain1,
Apr 26, 2:48pm
Beautiful shop bought recipe books get used for a while then put away, but I always keep going back to the wonderful books put together by the locals, and now I have a folder with fab recipes off here
jimmy2102,
Apr 26, 2:57pm
Im obsessed with nigel slater at the mo, love his writing and have just purchased tender and ripe, stephanie alexandra the cooks companion, and yotum ottolenghi books plenty and ottolenghi the book.
carolyn20,
Apr 26, 3:38pm
This has now been updated and reprinted recently because I purchased one when it was hot of the press.I've had a few Charmaine Solomon books out from the library over the years and had always wanted to buy this particular one.Tricky to find though, the book shops don't have many copies. Well worth the $$.I keep it on my bench and cook something new out of it fairly regularly.
cgvl,
Apr 26, 3:39pm
I have several but these I use regularly are: Aunty Daisy and Edmonds, Alison Holst Dollars and sense, Maggi recipe books, and my own hand written one and a casserole cookbook from the 70's. Also haveJo seagar, Sarah brown Vege, Sonia Alison and another that are used fairly frequently. There are others as well but those would have to be my most thumbed ones.
carolyn20,
Apr 26, 3:57pm
have Ottolenghi the book and made many of the recipes so impressed with his excellent recipes have ordered Plenty.
sarahb5,
Apr 26, 7:09pm
I have a few of the AWW ones that I use for different things - for most basics I love my Reader's Digest Cookery Year even though it's written for the Northern Hemisphere so the monthly recommendations are out of sync with us.Occasionally use Edmonds - more often the junior one.
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