'Weighing in at 2.5 kg ‘the cooking book’ certainly lived up to my expectation of being a comprehensive culinary resource but also a lot more. But it is not just another ‘complete,’ ‘total,’ ‘all-inclusive,’ cookery ‘bible;’ although it is all those things, but has stepped up to a new dimension, as one would expect from Dorling Kindersley.
So what should be looking for in a 21st Century cookery book? First some basics. Every recipe should be illustrated (There is nothing worse than not having a clue of what you are trying to create.) Recipes should be briefly introduced, with preparation and cooking times clearly given. They should be in logical chapters with the ingredients and methods clearly detailed in both metric and imperial, celsius and fahrenheit (yes, some of still have scales only in pounds and ounces!) The design should not be overproduced using different inks on different coloured pages you can barely read and every page be numbered.
To me these are basics that make all the difference from a cookbook being consigned to gather dust or becoming a well used and thumbed family friend. Well, I’m glad to report that ‘the cooking book’ not only ticks all the right boxes but a lot more too.
Brilliant additions are the ‘Recipe Choosers’ pages, indispensible for when you roughly know what you want to cook but are stuck for that initial inspiration. Suitable variations, accompaniments and leftover tips are given for many recipes (yes there are more to leftovers than just fishcakes, cottage pie or curries!)
As for the most important test – the actual recipes. I always measure a cookbook by several favourite dishes. (If it tells you to cook scallops for fifteen minutes it goes straight back on the shelf.) Some further random sampling also produced recipes both technically correct (none of those ingredients listed and missed out in the method) and also a delight to the palate.
The recipes range from the basic, even the most accomplished cook’s mind can suddenly go blank, to the more challenging – for me fail-safe soufflés and advanced breads. The indexing works well and is accurate. I pity any indexer of cookbooks. How to you index French Onion Soup? Here it is sensibly put under all three.
Two additions to the book are a ‘techniques’ CD and a shopping list booklet. The CD did seem rather laboured and also disconcerting as you only get to see the demonstrator’s hands. However the shopping lists book is a very inspired idea. No bigger than an average pocket diary it lists the ingredients for every recipe in the book. Not only saving time in not having to write out your list, you won’t loose what you have written on the back of an envelope or not being able to read your own scribbling. I know we should plan ahead but sometimes it is liberating to just go to the shops and buy what takes your fancy, something looking fresh and in season. Armed with your booklet you won’t forget any of the ingredients.
So, the ultimate test. Did I take it to bed with me? Well, unequivocally yes! I’m not saying it is the only cookbook you will ever need, to do that it would need to be of Encyclopaedia Britannia proportions. It is a beautifully planned book for Western European cuisines and gives the reader some flavour of other continents such as Asia and South America. It is certainly a solid and reliable cornerstone for any kitchen library.'
Customer Review:
Review by: Miranda, 04 July 2009
'This is one of the most fantastic cookery books I have ever seen. I can''t think of a single recipe that is missing. Definitely worth having.'
Customer Review:
Review by: Marie M, 03 April 2009
'I set out to treat myself to a book yesterday and ended up coming home with this absolutely brilliant cook book. It is so well thought out with the CD and shopping list. I have already started my cooking!'
Customer Review:
Review by: Maureen, 05 November 2008
'I was fortunate enough to win a copy of this and it is absolutely brilliant. The beautiful illustrations and very clear and concise explanations are the best I have ever seen in a cookery book. Often, you are left wondering exactly how to do something - this explains and shows exactly what to do in fantastic detail. Also, all the recipes are ones that an ordinary person would want to try out - not something that is way beyond the capability of most of us. Having said that, it does cater for the more ambitious too. I''m having great difficulty in hanging on to it because my mother and sister are both very keen to get their hands on it. I can''t praise it highly enough. It would make a wonderful Christmas present.'
Customer Review:
Review by: Lola, 27 October 2008
'As an avid book lover, the first thing I do when I pick up a book is “measure” its “exterior quality”, which, though by no means the most important attribute, is nonetheless, in my opinion, a very important one and one which ultimately plays a substantial part in my decision to purchase the book or not. In that respect, The Cooking Book was an instant winner. The extra thick hardback coated in plastic and heavily stitch-bound pages promised to survive any abuse the book may be put through once seriously tested in the kitchen. The paper chosen makes it a pleasure to flick through and the photographs are seriously tempting. I even loved the smell of the book! But would the interior content match the glossy exterior in quality?
The first thing that caught my attention when opening the book were the cleverly contained DVD and “shopping list”. The idea of a separate handy booklet that contains a list of ingredients for all the recipes in the book was very novel to me and I found it very smart and practical. Being a lone parent with a rather hectic lifestyle yet completely intent on cooking decent meals for my son and myself, I found myself on several occasions flicking through the shopping list booklet – which I keep in my handbag - on the underground, to decide what the meal of the night would be. Having my “shopping list” meant I could make sure I’d get any missing ingredients on the way home. I think what I most liked about The Cooking Book though is that it covers a seriously wide range of dishes in a rather balanced way. From starters to desserts, there is a long road that navigates through all sorts of bites, snacks, breads, salads, soups, vegetables, pastas, grains and pulses, different meats, game and poultry, fish and shellfish… The cakes and desserts section is an absolute treat and takes up almost a quarter of the entire book. I was delighted to find some refreshingly different recipes, many of which contain a lot of fruit (and chocolate!). Finally, there is a last and extremely useful “techniques” section, which aims to facilitate the cooking of any of the recipes. The techniques are simple steps and tips, which can make the difference between a meal preparation being a pleasure or a total nightmare. It certainly turned my Béchamel sauce preparation from a messy dread into a newfound delight! While each technique is generously illustrated, the DVD clarifies some of the instructions even further, in brief clips, which my 8 year old son enjoyed watching so much, I had to repeat them several times! I don’t think there is anything I could criticize about this book, I am really enjoying using it and trying out some new tastes! If there were one thing I would add to it to make it almost perfect, it would be a nutrition table for each meal. Though I suppose that would be pushing it and besides, it could make some feel guilty, when pleasure should be totally guilt free! I definitely give it the thumbs up!
'
Customer Review:
Review by: Michelle, 26 October 2008
'If you could only have one cookbook in your kitchen, this one would fit the bill perfectly. Pretty much anything you might have heard of and want to know how to cook is here - from poached eggs to lobster thermidor. There are also some basic techniques for preparing food and even ideas for sandwich fillings!
I like the way that each section begins with an overview of all the recipes in that section, which is great if you are just browsing for ideas. And I also appreciate the ideas for using up leftovers, and the fact that some of the recipes are marked as low in fat.
My only real criticism is that the index could be more complete, as sometimes things aren''t listed where you would expect to find them. The shopping list section doesn''t have an index at all, which I think is a shame - it would be handy for when you are in the shop and spot a bargain but don''t know what to make with it! And I did find the DVD a little tedious - while it is useful to see some things in "real time" I didn''t feel the need to watch butter melt!
But that is just being ultra-picky because it is hard to find real fault with this book and I would thoroughly recommend it to beginners and to more experienced cooks alike. The recipes are clear and easy to follow, and aren''t full of ingredients you haven''t heard of - and anything that is even slightly unusual is explained in a little box to the side. And of course, being Dorling Kindersley, the photos are plentiful and stunning.
All in all this is a great book and I reckon that if you learnt how to do everything in it you would be a dead cert on Masterchef! '
Customer Review:
Review by: Michele Platman, 21 October 2008
'What a fantastic book! It''s quite large and probably a bit too unwieldy for my small kitchen, but I was absolutely stunned by its beautiful presentation (in DKs own inimitable way!). The photography is fantastic and the recipes are very well set out in sections. I consider myself to be a competent amateur cook, but I''d be thrilled to receive this book. There''s a great range of classic recipes from all over the world, to everyday supper dishes, and separate sections for different techniques, e.g. preserve-making, pastry, cake-making, etc. So many cookbooks nowadays have a few cookable recipes, which are padded out with a load of dishes that you would not cook in a month of Sundays. But Victoria Blashford-Snell has produced a book of recipes that are all infinitely "do-able" and, most importantly of all - they all work perfectly. Perhaps it''s not a book for the beginner, but it would be a great way for keen cooks to learn new techniques and increase their repertoire. I''m going to buy another copy to give to my two cookery-loving nephews, as I am sure they would get hours of pleasure from it! And I would not hesitate to have this as my desert-island cookbook. Even if I couldn''t find the ingredients, I''d enjoy them vicariously!'
Customer Review:
Review by: Rachel Bridgeman, 21 October 2008
'Unfortunatley I can only echo the other reviews-this book is brilliant!!!!For a slightly more experienced cook there is still much to learn and taking you back to the basics gives a good foundation for putting your own twists on classic recipes. The addition of a dvd is genius, so you can see techniques in action and omg you don''t even have to write a shopping list as one is included! (I only hope I don''t lose it like my handwritten ones!)
Buy this book for Christmas!'
Customer Review:
Review by: Martine, 16 October 2008
'This cookbook is amazing. From the moment you open the front cover, right to the very end. As you open it up, you are greeted with an instructional DVD and a little, handbag sized, book of ingredients, set out in order of recipe. This I assume is to take to the shops with you so you can make sure you can get everything. Very handy.
The first few pages are helpful tips, ie: storing, freezing, serving and shopping. The contents page has the title of the dish, and a colour photo of the dish next to it, so you see at a glance if it''s what you''re looking for without having to find it in the main book first.
The dishes are set into clear sections, ie: starters or deserts, and have subsections, such as hot deserts, cold deserts, fruits etc. There are recipes from all over the world, and a good selection of vegetarian ideas.
The recipes are set out step by step, and are extremely easy to follow. Recipes have shaded boxes next to them with variations on the recipes, either to nake a meat dish a vegetarian one, or just different ideas on what to use in the recipe. and what other dishes the recipe would go well with. There is also a section on ideas for leftovers, which is ace!
Throughout the book, there are pages explaining the different types of a certain food and what each type is used for, and how it is used, ie: potatoes, steak and chocolate.At the end there is a large section on techniques, it shows you, step by step how to do everything if you are unsure of a direction within a recipe.
I cannot praise this book enough. I love cooking and trying new recipes, I only wish I had found this book years ago. I honestly think I will donate my other cookbooks to the charity shop, as this book has everything I will ever need. There are even a few ideas for drinks in the desert section.
I have not had a chance to look at the DVD yet as my DVD player is broken, but if it as good as the rest of the book as I imagine it will be, this is the perfect book for beginners and experts alike, and would make an ideal gift. I love this book!
'
Customer Review:
Review by: sallyann, 03 October 2008
'I have to admit to not being the worlds greatest cook but even I could manage the mouthwatering recipes in full colour.'
Customer Review:
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