I love books – I grew up in a house full of them – and one of my best childhood memories is going with my Dad to the bookshop to buy a new one as a weekly treat (and the row that ensued one week when I refused to pick ‘Robinson Crusoe’!)
I still consider buying books a present to myself and there are some that I’ve had for years that I could never get rid off. And then there’s my cookbook collection…………
Those of you who know me on Twitter will know that I suffer from a ‘slight’ cookbook addiction and that cookbooks have a tendency to follow me home from shops!
I have approximately 200 cookbooks (well 188 to be more precise!). I know this because due to recent house-painting they all had to be removed from the shelves so allow the painters near the walls and I took the opportunity to count them!
The true number probably exceeds 200 as I found a few more today which had obviously been mis-filed! And then of course there’s the collection of booklets, food magazines, recipe files; not to mention the five lever arch folders from my time at Ballymaloe ( cookingisfun.ie)!
As I was re-filing them I noticed that while some were much thumbed and much-loved there were others had barely been opened but were sitting there like trophies (yes Gordon I’m talking about you!)
So then I had an idea – why not use my cookbook collection as the basis for my blog (with a few other bits & bobs thrown in of course!) . All those books that are sitting there looking pretty will now have to pay their way! I’m challenging myself to work through them and try a recipe a week and give my tuppence worth on the book!
Now I need to examine my collection carefully and select the first star………………Any requests?
Hey Pesto! 
Aren’t we all tbe same, as regards cookbooks! As regards a request, I will leaf through mine & let you know 🙂
I hope I have whichever one you pick in my collection – otherwise I may have to go shopping………………
How about a picnic lunch to have in the carpark of the Ploughing before heading on a long journey home?
Talk about putting me under pressure!!!
Do i spy with my samsung enhanced vision Hugh F W and Nigel Slater shouting ever so politely “pick me first please……”
Michael I find Nigel talks to me quite a lot – Hugh & I have never had a very close relationship……….. he tends to just lurk in the background!
Oh I love Hugh. Please bring him out of the background. Let him have a bit of the limelight…..
Looking forward to seeing what you churn out!
He Can come out to play – but maybe not for a while!
name out a few of the unloved /unused ones and we can chose from there.
Helen I think I may ease myself in with a few favourites…..
Sophie Grigson, Neven Maguire, Simon Rimmer or Monica Sheridan – with whom should I start?
A cookbook is always a friend on a rainy day when the cupboards are full and you don’t know what to cook!
and even more so when the cupboards aren’t that full!
Nigel please or maybe Nigella? I have a similar problem I have just over a hundred here in Ireland with probably 50 more sitting in boxes in the US.
Eva
Both if those getting votes – I’ll be doing Nigella pre Christmas and Nigel will prob get out at stage!! I only have one book by each of them – maybe I need to go shopping…………….!
My heart belongs to Hugh, I hate Sophie because of her stupid cutlery earings, but I would like to register a vote for the excellent Mary Berry. She is often over looked as she is old and cranky, but the GBBO has put her back in the spotlight, where the cranky old bag belongs. Otherwise the mother of cooking in Ireland, Myrtyl Allen, the best Allen by a mile!
Anne Marie I’m a big fan of Mary – picked up another of her books recently which needs to be tested! I have to admit I don’t like Sophie on TV but I like her recipes!
don’t think I have any of Myrtle’s but I’ll check…..