Cookery books.

[goodlife]

I just had to tell you...I'm soo excited...
I treated myself couple of books.
I know many of you already have these..but I finally got round to buying them for myself.
River Cottage preserves and veg everyday.
I've just flicked over them while slurping cups of coffee and so far I haven't seen a recipe a food that I could not eat or being too troublesome to make...ARRRGH...I'm hungry!!!
I can't wait now for getting all those yummy fresh veg from lottie and start tinkering with my 'concoctions' in a kitchen.. ;D
OH who NEVER watch cookery programs sat down watching one of Hugh's veggie episodes and we were both salivating after those dishes. In that episode there was these hunky firemen that like the food too so suppose OH must have been impressed of it..and me of the hunks.. ;) ;D
So with his acceptance we decided to buy the veggie book.. ::) ..that's for him and the preserves for me.. ;D
Now if I could only get him take over the kitchen..but opening tin is his speciality.. :-X

[goodlife]

[antipodes]

I actually asked for (and got) a cookery book for Xmas! It was a bread recipe book, for breads from round the world. And it is totally brilliant!!!! It is for bread machines and actually explains why your bread goes wrong in the machine and how to fix it (my efforts are often haphazard!) It tells you to examine the dough after so many minutes and then to adjust the water or flour depending on the dough. Wel, it's exactly right! SInce I did this, the family has said several times, "oh that bread is really nice". It has all sorts of breads and doughs, even English muffins, (that you take out the machine obviously), all types of fruit breads, really excellent.

The cookery book I never regret getting is the Good Housekeeping. Excellent and thorough explanations.

[goodlife]

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It tells you to examine the dough after so many minutes and then to adjust the water or flour depending on the dough. Yes...that's what I do too. I'm surprised its not really mentioned on instructions that come with machines..after all flours and yeasts vary.
It's good to tinker and being nosy when doing bread..with machine.. ;D
We've been several fruit breads now..one after another..and I started with instructions book recipe..that is now totally taylored to our taste. Fruit amount is more than doubled..sugar changed to different sort..spices added and used more than in original..LOOOOve it..

[small]

Antipodes - me too, got the Good Housekeeping book for a wedding present in 1974 and I still use it - some of the stuff is dated and looks unhealthy now, but stuff like the soup recipes are brilliant, I use the Christmas cake every year, I've never tried one of theirs that didn't work. How unlike some of the celebrity cook stuff ....

[saddad]

We have it, and use it,  too!  ;D

[artichoke]

I was given Mrs Beeton in 1966 for a wedding present and still use it for the basics, especially for the marmalade made by boiling the oranges soft before slicing. Some are simmering as I write. Saves SO much trouble. But I use less sugar than she does. Difficult to believe she died at 28 having achieved so much when I remember myself at that age - very little to show for my life except 3 small children and a regularly milked cow......

Also recently bought Veg Every Day, and am pleased with the idea you can keep a bowl of made up bread dough in the fridge for ages, pinch a bit off, and put flat in frying pan when you feel hungry. Excellent drizzled with oil and used with dips, salads, toasted cheese etc etc.

Husband has Good Housekeeping book, and will never glance at any others.

If the Preserves book is really good, might consider it. I do make chutneys, jams etc but am building up to gluts of fruit and need new ideas.

[antipodes]

I like the GH one because it tells you all sorts of basic stuff in the one book, like icings, sauces, and all the basic cakes and biscuits. I have not had one of their recipes go wrong! Some are maybe dated now (mine is a 90s version) but as they don't go into really fancy things, you can always get the ingredients and it's not too complicated. I use their scone recipes, which are very good, and they have a lovely cauli soup too!  ;D