help

[Cook book]

Yes, I am sure I am 'stirring' up something here, but I am going to have to do some real cooking soon and haven't a clue where to begin. Can anyone recommend a really easy cook book to follow.  One that is no fail.  What about this Oliver fella or the British lady where everything looks delicious but also a bit extravagant for my liking. There is also a yound BBC girl on channel 5 who has tasty food and it looks simple.  I am a bit overwhelmed and need help with a basic recipe book...........help.  Thanks, Kerry.  I am going into the kitchen and I will use a sauce pan.  soonish.

[Betty Croker]

Better Homes and Gardens cookbook was my first and is still my bible. When I married, I couldn't boil water.  Now I reproduce restaurant dishes from the taste.

[notveryserious]

I started with Delia Smith Cookery Course, her explanations are pretty idiotproof.

[Agree with Delia]

Delia Smith's cookbook IS idiotproof.

I also like the "Cook's Illustrated", I found it useful and very informative. Not to mention great recipes.

I hate those cookbook with recipes mostly from 'gourmet places'.... only need one cook book like that. For a day to day, I'll just need one more practical and easy.

[paa]

"A Cook's Companion" Stephanie Alexander is fantastic, almost like a foodie bible.  It is divided up into ingredient chapters i.e. apples, basil, lamb etc.  A fantastic starting point.  I am a cookbook junkie - have about 100 (not joking) and this is the one that I refer to most often.  Each section details how to select, how to prepare, different ways of
cooking food.
it also has fabulous ways to use and appreciate these ingredients. Best of all it is extremely readable - I mean sit comfortably and read it simply for the pleasure of the contents. It explains why certain cuts of meats are the best, how herbs and spices grow and are used, different ways of working with fruits and vegetables.  Mine is covered with splats of oil and dirty finger marks - a sign of a great cookbook.

[Easy]

Delia's How to Cook.  Or in fact, any of her books.  The secret with Delia is to do EXACTLY what she says and it will work.  If you deviate - you can run into problems (I know  ).

As someone else said, Delia is idiot proof!

[Moosmum]

If you just need a few ideas, go on to the bbc website and click on to the food tab. There they have recipes from quite a few different chefs. Then you can see the type of recipes that appeal to you and then you can but their book if you still need to.

Also the site is good because the recipes change frequently.

Good luck!

[kitchenangel]

Delia's how to cook books are a good starting point, then once your confidence is gained, Nigel Slater does some great ones.  I have Jamies new book, which is nice for a novice I suppose, but still for when you are more confident on the basics.  I think Sophie Grigson also has a book aimed directly at novices. Delia would be my choice though.  Be warned though, it is a slippery slope -  I am well on my way to owning a hundred!!

[Spot!]

You could try the Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks. Very user friendly and the recipes are almost guarranteed to be a success. Also very yummy! Good luck.

[Cook book]

I will go and check out Delia then.  "Which book is the best one to start with?  Thanks

[Easy]

If you go and have a look at her books or order online, they are called something like How to Cook.  I think there are now 3.  But as someone else said, be careful once you get you confidence you just can't stop buying her books.  Also, her website is fabulous - I use it often when I'm stuck for something different for dinner (she has lots of cheating options too - my kind of cook!).

[Aunty]

A few years ago I would have said get  the Complete Cookery Course or How to Cook books  but I feel Delia hasn't moved with the times, she's not into low fat, GI etc. I have been given several of her "collection" books and all she has done is take all soup, vegetables, meat, fish dishes from all her other books and turned them into one book concentrating on meat etc. Her Summer and Christmas book are still hugely popular (she brought limes and coriander into British kitchens; in fact UK supermarkets used to ask what she would be using before each new series so they wold be ready for the demand for that product!) I have been registered on Delia's website since it was set up  but again, she keeps repeating the same dishes each season and I don't see any point in paying to get the extras she now offers (she's rich enough). I find Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver hit and miss although his newest book, also a back to basics seems to be very popular too. See if you can have a good look through both of them up on Orchard Road. I'd say look at Jamie's new book, as it is newer before considering Delia. When her series How to cook was first shown,  she and several well known UK based chefs (she's a self taught cook not a trained chef) had a real public slanging match. She was invited onto Ready Steady Cook to cook against AWT but she turned it down but many thought she couldn't think on her feet and come up with a dish within the 20 minutes. You either like her or you don't, and I think she has been replaced by many younger cooks with a great deal of real talent. Like others have said, learn the basics, do measure "everything" and you shouldn't go wrong. Impress your friends with delicious simple dishes before attempting to cook that cheese souffle.  Look on the Beebs website and see all the chefs mentioned, they all have their own websites dotted around the web.

[Rhodes]

Ainsley Harriet and Gary Rhodes do good simple cookbooks.  The Gary Rhodes one tells you all the different sauces you can have with fish, chicken, lamb etc and also explains different cooking techniques like grilling and steaming.  Ainsley Harriet has a 'meals in minutes' collection which is very easy to follow and uses store cupboard ingredients do you dont have to go out and buy so many different ingredients(which is quite overwhelming in itself!).

[British Cooking]

Oh - You want to learn how to cook British food, is it?

Don't waste your money on a British cookbook.  That's like learning military maneuvers from the French.

To cook British food you just throw everything you bought in a pot and boil it until it's dead.

Please send $2.95 for the cooking lesson.

[possum magic]

Agree Stephanie Alexander- best cookbook bible on the market.  If you want a comprehensive book that covers everything (basic sauces, pastries, fish,herbs, to 5* receipes) this is the book.