cookery books and their uses

[violetblue]

Does anyone else suffer from the phenomenon of being regularly seduced by the lovely pictures in cookery books, but then not being prepeared to actually make any of the recipes therein? It's usually the length of the ingredients list that puts me off. I've got loads of cookery books, but end up making the same boring stuff, none of which came out of a book.

[sue11]

I hold my hands up to this one! I normally get put off like yourself with the ingredients or the amount of work you have to do to make the damm thing! I have just bought the death by chocolate cook book and everything looks just incredibly delicious, but guess how many of those recipes I will be making up!!

[wendilla]

Not only the cookery books .If I watch a cookery programme on tv I think I might make that but I won't be in all my glamour and my kitchen will be an absolute mess with things everywhere.Not all nice and immaculate like you see on the tv.And getting back to your point yes I agree with you.

[Snowy Owl]

Yes, I agree with you about long lists of ingredients. I love cooking and experimenting (as far as my OH will let me!), but I draw the lline at lists of 15 or more ingredients for a supposedly `simple` supper. It`s very often the case too that one or more of the ingredients will only ever be used for that recipe and so will stagnate at the back of the cupboard for months. Such a waste.

I don`t mind a slightly complicated recipe, that`s part of the challenge as far as I`m concerned, but the moment the ingredient list looks too long, I switch off and turn the page.

[violetblue]

I'm glad it's not just me, i thought I was just being lazy! Thanks for your replies.

[Brownlow]

I never follow recipes, to the letter, but love to look at cookery books with pictures, so that I know what the dish looks like and have an idea of what it should taste like. That way, I can make it to suit my own taste.