I made a deal with myself three years ago. If I get a new cookbook, I give one away. And that allows me to keep my collection at a number too embarrassing to admit.
I actually like Nigel Slater and have adapted the bolognese-like ragu from the first Kitchen Diaries into my favorite pasta (double the tomatoes, halve the meat to make it saucy; use Better than Bouillon Vegetable base -very umami- for the broth) but mostly his first books, such as Real Food. The original ragu recipe (obviously without my changes) is on FOOD52.
Ottolenghi - I only use Jerusalem and the two Plenty books.
That's an admirable approach, but one I think I am too weak to take right now. I love talking about cookbooks because they can be so personal. No book is going to work for everyone at every stage in their life. I definitely think there are people who Nigel Slater, for example, is great for, but his style hasn't quite clicked with the current version of me. There are certainly books I've loved in the past and stopped using, or books that haven't appealed in the past that have become current favorites. That's what makes it so hard to get rid of books!
I love the Ottolenghi books and recipes… however, I will NEVER cook from one of these books. It’s all much too fussy. I resisted buying the for so long, but I think/thought that I was missing something because he’s all the rage. I want someone else to cook from his books for me, however, because the recipes are beautiful.
I need to do this with my red lipsticks 😂
I made a deal with myself three years ago. If I get a new cookbook, I give one away. And that allows me to keep my collection at a number too embarrassing to admit.
I actually like Nigel Slater and have adapted the bolognese-like ragu from the first Kitchen Diaries into my favorite pasta (double the tomatoes, halve the meat to make it saucy; use Better than Bouillon Vegetable base -very umami- for the broth) but mostly his first books, such as Real Food. The original ragu recipe (obviously without my changes) is on FOOD52.
Ottolenghi - I only use Jerusalem and the two Plenty books.
Interesting piece.
That's an admirable approach, but one I think I am too weak to take right now. I love talking about cookbooks because they can be so personal. No book is going to work for everyone at every stage in their life. I definitely think there are people who Nigel Slater, for example, is great for, but his style hasn't quite clicked with the current version of me. There are certainly books I've loved in the past and stopped using, or books that haven't appealed in the past that have become current favorites. That's what makes it so hard to get rid of books!
I love the Ottolenghi books and recipes… however, I will NEVER cook from one of these books. It’s all much too fussy. I resisted buying the for so long, but I think/thought that I was missing something because he’s all the rage. I want someone else to cook from his books for me, however, because the recipes are beautiful.