Must have US cookbooks?

I agree with NO Rachael Ray. She bugs me beyond words. And whenever I see her I can't help but be throughly unimpressed with whatever she's making....

LOVE Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) - they show her on UKFood now. In fact they show Tyler Florence (not wild about him) here too now. Or maybe they always have but I haven't been home sick for a while. 

Joy of Cooking gets used a lot around here for basics but 90% of my cookbooks (and I've got a lot) are UK ones - I haven't shipped most of my US ones yet and to be honest I find it too much of a pain to convert things like sticks of butter and oven temps. I know it's not rocket science but I'd rather just concentrate on the actual cooking.

I will add though that I still get Fine Cooking sent over. In a lot of ways I prefer magazines to actual books.

In a lot of ways I prefer magazines to actual books

I have to agree on that as well. I buy on occasion Good Food and Easy Food (an Irish publication over here) as well as my mother sending over the monthly Pillsbury cookbooks she gets in the post.

I find more reusable and tastier recipes in these than most books. That's just overall although I do have a few really good books too

Better Homes and Gardens-I have four editions (passed down from my Grandma and Mom). I'll probably buy the 75th anniversary edition soon!

I agree with NO Rachael Ray. She bugs me beyond words. And whenever I see her I can't help but be throughly unimpressed with whatever she's making....

I don't think I've ever watched any of her cooking shows, just those travel ones. But I do find her annoying. Ugh.

The best cookbooks seem to be the ones...with piles of recipes from people. They have the best and tastiest of the recipes.

I like these kinds of cookbooks as well.  I have WAY too many of the 'Gooseberry Patch' cookbooks.  The design of them is a little 'country-cutesy' for me, but they have some smashing recipes in them...

Now I want cable, because I love Barefoot Contessa. I didn't know they showed it over here! Her show is always so relaxing, and her food looks so good. I don't have any of her cookbooks, but I've made a few of her cakes by getting the recipes off of foodtv.com and they've been amazing.

I have WAY too many of the 'Gooseberry Patch' cookbooks

I have or had (mom has them now) a lot of them too. They are cutesy but I do agree there are a few gems in them as well.

Foodtv.com does have a lot of nice recipes. I miss that channel over here so this is the next big thing.

Sandra Lee....although no gourmet chef does have nice recipes and her books are great. Check her out as well. The only thing with a lot of her recipes over here are the fact that she uses some harder to find ingredients for us over here in the UK. Either way, you can sub for similar items here.

I find more reusable and tastier recipes in these than most books. That's just overall although I do have a few really good books too

Exactly. I tend to pull out cookbooks for dinner parties and use magazines for everyday meals.... In the US I liked Gourmet (my mum still sends those to me from time to time) and Fine Cooking. I used to like Cooking Light but now it seems like more of a lifestyle magazine with a few recipes toward the back thrown in. Over here I get Good Food and Delicious pretty much every month.

Over here I get Good Food and Delicious pretty much every month.

They're both great! I subscribe to Good Food, but find that lately there've been too many child-friendly recipe features. I mean, that's great if you have children, but for me it's sort of a waste of valuable magazine space. Is Delicious any better in that regard?

They're both great! I subscribe to Good Food, but find that lately there've been too many child-friendly recipe features. I mean, that's great if you have children, but for me it's sort of a waste of valuable magazine space. Is Delicious any better in that regard?

Couldn't agree more!!! Delicious is a bit like that too but I think it's slightly less "family friendly" (nothing against family, obviously. Just doesn't exactly enter my sphere!) I also think Olive is a bit more grown up but that one has a few too many features/restaurant information stuff in it for me.

And believe it or not, I'd get rid of all of the wine reviews in food magazines - I've never once got any useful information from them and since I always go to Threshers it's irritating that so many reviews are of wines available at specific supermarkets.

Nooooooooooo Rachel Ray. Anyone who says EVOO should be kicked out of a kitchen..

I agree 100% - she's a scourge and must be stopped.  She's actually marketing an olive oil here in the States called... EVOO.  My husband worked at a food/cooking gadget convention a few months ago where they were previewing it.  He says it's the foulest thing he's ever put in his mouth.

I have a totally charming book called the American Woman's Cookbook, dating from the 1930s. It has lots of basic recipes that are very useful and, of course, it's brilliant when you want to go retro.

Couldn't agree more!!! Delicious is a bit like that too but I think it's slightly less "family friendly" (nothing against family, obviously. Just doesn't exactly enter my sphere!) I also think Olive is a bit more grown up but that one has a few too many features/restaurant information stuff in it for me.

I love Olive, but rarely see it anymore. I used to find it at Tesco, but haven't seen it in nearly a year.

I have a totally charming book called the American Woman's Cookbook, dating from the 1930s. It has lots of basic recipes that are very useful and, of course, it's brilliant when you want to go retro.

That sounds great! I have one I found at a sale somewhere of recipes by American "socialites" of the '30s. The recipes aren't much use, but the profiles of the ladies are hysterical!

I agree 100% - she's a scourge and must be stopped.  She's actually marketing an olive oil here in the States called... EVOO.  My husband worked at a food/cooking gadget convention a few months ago where they were previewing it.  He says it's the foulest thing he's ever put in his mouth.

She does have some good recipes though.  I can't stand her to watch her and I'm glad I'm not in the States to witness her meteoric rise.  I'll just go home and make her sloppy joes.. 

Her sister's lazy chicken is good too.

I agree 100% - she's a scourge and must be stopped.  She's actually marketing an olive oil here in the States called... EVOO. 

I was feeling really thick, so just Wicki'd EVOO. All I have to say is ... ugh.