Which cookbooks have changed our cookery

A.� Cookery books which emerged after the Second World War are credited with changing the tastes of British cookery. Elizabeth David's Mediterranean Food, published in 1971, was the first glimpse for post-war Britain of a tantalising new world of garlic and olive oil. David is often described as the godmother of modern food writing and she brought the first tastes of Europe to a country which had previously relied heavily on meat and potatoes.

In 1971 Delia Smith made her debut with How To Cheat At Cooking, which paved the way for thousands of nervous chefs with her fool-proof recipes.

Keith Floyd emerged in 1985 with his book Floyd on Fish. He became TV's first real TV superstar with an amusing mix of easy recipes and chat.

Super chef Marco Pierre White published White Heat in 1990, which contained provocative text, complicated dishes combined with dramatic black and white photographs.

Most recently, Essex lad Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef, published a book which offered people a lifestyle choice.

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Q.� Which cookbooks are worth seeking out

A.� There are several classic gems for true foodies. One of the best places to unearth interesting cookbooks is Notting Hill's Books for Cooks, which has works by contemporary American chefs such as Charlie Trotter, and niche books by Spanish legend Ferran Adria such as Los Secretos de El Bulli, written in Catalan.

The shops says books worth seeking out include Gastronomy of Italy, Anna del Conte, Pavilion, �29.95. This is a new collection from del Conte, acknowledged as the most informed and evocative writer on Italian food.

The Cheese Room, Patricia Michelson, Michael Joseph/ Penguin, �14.99. This is the ultimate cheese-lovers book, from the owner of La Fromagerie in Highbury, North London.

With Bold Knife and Fork, MFK, Fisher, Vintage, �7.99. This is the re-issue of the classic collection of anecdotes and recipes, first published in 1968, by America's answer to Elizabeth David.

Roast Chicken and other Stories: Second Helpings, Simon Hopkinson, Macmillan, �20. This is the sequel to a classic food-lovers book with lots of recipes and illustrations.

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Q.� What will be the best-seller this Christmas

A.� Cookery books have exploded onto the literary market as more and more television programmes tune into a new wave of food awareness. Among this season's big guns are the latest from Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein, Delia Smith and Gordon Ramsay, a spin-off from the restaurant of the moment, Nobu, and compilation from old favourites such as Ken Hom and Madhur Jaffrey.

Around 650,000 River Cafe cookbooks have been sold since they were launched a few years ago, and currently Moro: The Cookbook, from the London restaurant revered for its distinctive Moorish-Spanish cooking has sold more than 30,000 copies since it was launched in May.

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By Katharine MacColl