Nothing seems to excite the senses as much as food and cookbooks provide the perfect setting for starting out on an eating adventure. And with so much information on a variety of cuisines available readers are spoilt for choice. So what makes a good cookbook? This is a topic that many people will have an opinion on and is very subjective, but that’s what also makes it so much fun. The simple answer seems to be whichever book allows the reader to cook the food that interests them, excites them, tempts them. But how does somebody know when they pick up a cookbook it will take them on such a journey?
An important tip for beginners is to make sure the basics of food are covered. We’ve all heard the expression that you need to learn to walk before you run and that is exactly the same for cooking. And each food has its own basics that need to be covered. Be it eggs, rice, pasta, meat, baking a cake or whatever type of food you wish to prepare, you need to understand the basics. I like cookbooks that explain the basics without going in to science you need a degree to understand.
Once you have the basics covered, a suggestion is to look for recipes which have fresh ingredients, are visually exciting and can be enjoyed by friends and family. Often this can be a family favourite which may have a twist. At this stage you should choose a recipe which can be easily followed, have ingredients easy to source and is not too technical to be daunting. Once you have your confidence up, you are then limited only by your imagination.
Another consideration is the amount of time you have available for each dish. While from time to time is fun to experiment and create that special dish, often we are limited by time and budget. After a busy day often the last thing we want to do is spend hours slaving over the stove and so a cookbook containing quick, easy to prepare recipes using fresh, healthy ingredients is a great kitchen companion. Such meals can be a healthier and cheaper option than eating out.
One of the joys that I find with a good recipe is the memory association that can attach to it as we get older. These can be memories of joy and happiness and the comfort this brings. Such recipes need not be complicated or expensive but must be cooked from the heart. Cookbooks containing such recipes are priceless.