The secret (branded) ingredient
It seems many very good cooks swear by an unusual branded ingredient in traditional dishes. Do you have a secret to share?We've been having fun round our way recently. My family and friends have been...
View ArticleCooking slow and steady
Is the slow cooker a relic of a bygone era, or an essential device for a new generation of environmentally aware cooks?The weather is relentlessly chilly at the moment, and I can barely bring myself to...
View ArticleCookery books of the year
As the locavore tide reached its high water mark, it's been an intriguing year for cookbooks. Which have you found most useful or inspirational?2010 was an odd year for cook books. Several I had...
View ArticleA culture of yoghurt-making
Setting aside the challenges of weaving it, if you make your own yoghurt what's your favoured method?The first time I really appreciated being able to make my own yoghurt was when I worked abroad. The...
View ArticleTime to change the batterie?
Some pieces of kitchen equipment are invaluable but surely no one ever needs a toaster-cum-egg-poacherBrowsing the web for a new piece of kitchen equipment is a bewildering experience. Bog-standard...
View ArticleCookbooks for kids
Have you successfully encouraged your children to cook? If you used any books along the way, which worked and which didn't?How do we get children interested in cooking? The most obvious way is to let...
View ArticleThe cook's bible
Which encyclopaedic cookery almanac do you use most often, and is it worth having more than one?Most homes have one – a gargantuan, unwieldy cookery manual, often dragged from the shelf to deliver the...
View ArticleNew leaves for old recipes
Are there books on your shelf or wishlist written for another generation but still relevant and inspirational today?There has always been a tendency in the food world to look backwards for inspiration....
View ArticleFrom blogs to books
Increasingly, recipe book publishers are finding new authors from within the food blogging community. Are you always keen to engage with a new voice, or do you prefer tuition from an established...
View ArticleSpanish food: not just a little Moorish
A glut of good books on Spanish cuisines shows that British cooks are gaining a deeper understanding of the country's ingredients and techniquesRecipes from Rick Stein's Spain:• Fresh broad beans with...
View ArticleBaby led weaning
How do you feel about letting your baby feed him- or herself?When I first heard the phrase "baby led weaning" it didn't really appeal - allowing a baby to basically "self feed" seemed dangerous and I...
View ArticleBaking books: best of the new batch
There are dozens of new books around to feed the current national obsession with baking, but which will put the icing on your efforts and which fail to rise to the challenge?Reviewing baking books is a...
View ArticleThe best chocolate cookbooks
There are some excellent recipe books focusing on chocolate on the shelves for Christmas, but which is the best? Catherine Phipps investigatesThere is an obvious problem with books about chocolate. If...
View ArticleThe year in cookbooks
It's been a good year for cookbooks, says Catherine Phipps. What were your highlights?This year has been spectacular on the book front – it turned up two books from which I have cooked repeatedly. I...
View ArticleVegetarian cookbooks: pick of the crop
Catherine Phipps takes stock of the current batch of meat-free cookbooks. Do you trust vegetarian recipes written by meat-eaters?I love meat but, mainly for economic reasons, I find myself cooking more...
View ArticleA soupcon of healing comfort
Cookery books thankfully no longer have 'invalid cookery' chapters but food has always been used to combat colds and bugs. We turn to soup but have you considered savoury jellies?Once upon a time, most...
View ArticleSundae worship: the best ice-cream recipe books
Homemade ice-cream is a pleasure you can share all year round, and there are plenty of excellent recipe books to helpI know from experience that cold wet summers do nothing to dampen people's...
View ArticleThe best food books of the year 2012
An inspirational volume on preserving food, a gorgeous guide to pasta and some serious baking manuals complemented the familiar TV-promoted fare this yearJamie Oliver has done it again. For the second...
View ArticleWhy January diets are doomed to fail
January is not the time to start a diet, it's a month to enjoy comfort foods. Save the salads for the summer, says Catherine PhippsIt is generally accepted that those who overindulge in stilton and...
View ArticleEggs: the best recipe books
As keeping chickens becomes more popular there's no shortage of books laying down the best egg recipes … not that there's anything wrong with a boiled egg and salad cream sandwichSome 15 years ago one...
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