Cookery books

[pink21]

Although I own a lot of cookery books I never tend to use them as they never seem to be quite what I want. Can anyone recommend a good everyday cookbook that has basic traditional receipes and that aren't too fancy. I tend to find the newer books available that are on a specific topic seem all very similar and have enven the same pictures and recipes as each other.
What cookery book do you swear by?

[Quizmonster]

My personal 'bible' is the Good Housekeeping Cookery Encyclopedia compiled by the Good Housekeeping Institute and published in 1982 by Treasure Press with the ISBN 0 907407 82 X. It may well be out of print now, but I'm sure you could come by it somehow if you wanted a recipe for anything from "Anchovy Butter" through "Ragout of Liver" to "Rhubarb Wine".

[Quizmonster]

Incidentally, I picked the three recipes above not as examples of 'traditional recipes' but just at random from the beginning, middle and end of the book.

[kaztuz]

Another good one is The Dairy Book of Home Cookery, I always use this for recipes. It is a good basic cookbook that has traditional recipes and advises on all cooking basics like different cuts of meat, etc.

[shaneystar2]

I always refer back to good old Delia Smiths Complete Cookery Course first published way back in 1978 in spite of having shelves full of cookbooks.
For basic baking,cakes ,pastry etc I have a very dog eared Bero Home recipes book that belonged to my mother and all the ingredients in the recipes did not exceed ten shillings including eggs at 3/6 a dozen !
The only up to date one I refer to is Nigel Slaters Real Cooking which is an excellent book with drool making pictures and lots of lovely recipes for leftovers !

[lewisgcox]

We use The Good Housekeeping "Woman's own cookbook", ISBN 0 600 40336 x. it's ancient, but it does the trick. maybe the best idea is to check the modern version!

[Donquixote]

Nigel Slater's 'Real Food' is excellent, it really is...simple, concise, and something for every level.
You can get it on Amazon...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nigel-Slaters-Real-Foo d-Slater/dp/1841151440/sr=8-1/qid=1167160564/r ef=pd_ka_1/202-7318721-6857417?ie=UTF8&s=books

[missjef]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Cottage-Family-C ookbook/dp/0340826363 - i really like this book as it has simple basic recipes, and its easy to follow

[jessiedog]

Good Housekeeping Cookery Compendium published in 1952. Mum had one when I was a child and I used to love looking through it. Time passes and the book disappears (happens a lot in our house with almost everything). Recently found one in pristine condition at a jumble sale and now I can cook all the old basics that I had forgotten about.

[Bellringer]

I have put my own together in a ring binder. Look through all the books/web site/ newspaper articles etc etc. Cut out or copy those you fancy or wish to keep (ie squirrel pie) and make up your own. I have not got round to making all those I have collected but I may one day.

[chitchat]

I have a Be-Ro book that I always use for my baking. It has 1/6d on the front. God knows how old it is - I pinched from my mum. We found an up-to-date one in Morrison's earlier this year and it still had some of the original recipes for cakes and pastries etc. Brill!

[pink21]

Thanks for your suggestions I shall be looking at them all, looks like I will be adding a few more to my collection but hopefully they will be ones I actually use!