Cook Books

I am planning on getting my DS a cookbook for christmas.  He loves, loves, loves to cook and I would like to get him a simple cookbook that will help him explore his creativity in the kitchen.

He can bake (bread even!) and he's a fantastic pizza maker.  But he is just dying to do more.  I would like to get a cookbook that will inspire him. 

I have the Joy of Cooking and a few others that are good but he needs one all his own. 

Any suggestions/recommendations would be helpful!!  Oh, and he's 13. 

Help! My Apartment Has a  Kitchen--Kevin Mills & Nancy Mills (his mom)

Not sure about inspiring but it has  a lot of great simple  recipes and it is easy to read..tells you how difficult the recipe  is..what you need  right up front. I LOVE it. also has  advice about  stuff you should have in the kitchen,  what dishes work well together..etc. Doesn't make cooking  seem  daunting

I had a thread like this over the summer, some people gave some good suggestions. I'll try to find it and post the link.

I've also started to use the Taste of Home Cookbook, www.recipezaar.com and someone just recommended www.allrecipes.com to me. I got a premium membership to recipezaar.com so I can now organize my recipes into different cookbooks. There is also a forum there for people to talk about cooking tips.

Here's my thread! http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=36208.0;all

I really like the Tessa Kiros book, Apples for Jam. It has simple recipes with families in mind. The pictures and anecdotes are really inspiring and there are a variety of ethnicities since her background is Finnish and Greek Cypriot and her husband is Italian.

I am only wondering if it might be a bit girly...

I really like the Tessa Kiros book, Apples for Jam. It has simple recipes with families in mind. The pictures and anecdotes are really inspiring and there are a variety of ethnicities since her background is Finnish and Greek Cypriot and her husband is Italian.

Ooooh, she's amazing, isn't she? And her books are gorgeous!

Ooooh, she's amazing, isn't she? And her books are gorgeous!

I know! We had Apples for Jam and Falling Cloudberries in the shop and I read them both like novels. 

I have a load of cookbooks but the ones I look in most are Ainsley Harriot's Friends & Family,  The Encyclopaedia of Mexian Cooking by Jane Milton and The Legendary Cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida.  All are straightforward and easy to follow with peltny of information about ingredients etc.   I have another lovely book called In A Persian Kitchen by Neda Afrashi, ful of beautiful pictures. I don't use it much because I don't want to mess it up! But it would make a nice gift.

These are great ideas!  Unfortunately, Apples for Jam would be too girly so not the best idea for his first 'own' cookbook.  After he's got a few in his collection then I think he could handle it.  It would be my first choice though. 

I do like the "There's a kitchen in my apartment" It sounds like it would appeal to him.  and it's written by a BOY and his mom. 

He likes Mexican food and his favourite thing to cook is mexican so that's a possibility as well.  Maybe I'll get him two..

My aunt bought me the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook when I first moved out on my own and even though I have a ton of other books for all sorts of other things, this one is always the one I go to when I need to know the very basics or when I have certain ingredients but don't know what to do with them.

They have it on Amazon.co.uk, but I'm not sure if the measurements are in US or UK?  Anyway, it's a great every day cookbook with a very wide range of recipes.

I love Apples for Jam too! Lovely book.

My sister just bought me the Better Home & Garden Breast Cancer cookbook.  My original is absolutely falling to pieces and kept together with a rubber band, and I saw the pink gingham book at home and was intrigued. It's basically the original cookbook with this section at the beginning with women - either survivors or not - and their stories and favourite recipes. Really moving stuff...

Perhaps not for hubby but a nice idea for those who dont have BH&G..

What about one of the Nigel Slater cookbooks? Real Food or Real Cooking or Real Fast Food?

What about one of the Nigel Slater cookbooks? Real Food or Real Cooking or Real Fast Food?

I was going to suggest him. His writing style is easy to read (and amusing as well) and he encourages creativity rather than slavish recipe following. Most of his books have simple stuff like bangers and mash, fish pie, etc. I would highly recommend them.

I was going to suggest him. His writing style is easy to read (and amusing as well) and he encourages creativity rather than slavish recipe following. Most of his books have simple stuff like bangers and mash, fish pie, etc. I would highly recommend them.

I love his writing style. Nigella's too. I remember a cookery show he did many moons ago and found his descriptive narrative a bit irritating - he has a bit of a whiny voice. But I love to read him. He does recipes in Observer on Sundays (or is it Times on Sat?) and I always look forward to it.

The Observer. Yes, I don't really enjoy him on TV. But I love, love, love his writing. I also enjoy Nigella's writing, but I figured a male cook would be better for MrsPink's son to start with (or maybe not? ).

Madhur Jaffrey's cookbooks on Indian cooking, any of them are excellent.