http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/dec/23/best-food-books-decade

Interesting article as this includes books that have no recipes. The books are also “popular” ones in the UK and not “International” ones that are hard to get in the UK.

I am only going to comment  on the ones that I have read.

The top one is Thai Food by David Thomson. This is a cook’s cook book – no pictures. The best part is the clear description of ingredients. I have eaten at David’s restaurant on The Rock near Sydney Harbour. It was a strange place as the inside is very much Wagamama style with long tables. The menu was also very short.

I am aslo a fan of Niget Slater’s Kitchen Diary, Nose to tail Eating (St Johns was voted as  one of the top restaurant in the world) and Moro.

McGee’s is more of an academic book. Sichuan is ok but the greatest chinese cook book is by Barbara Tropp. I have over 100 Chinese cookbooks – 90% is written in Chinese.

The fat duck book is great to look at, however, you will find it difficult to reproduce most of the dishes.

I shall publish my 10 food books later this week.

Eddie

Comment:

Where is Ottolenghi The Cookbook on The Guardian list? Surely it should have made the top ten (especially as Yotam Ottolenghi has a regular column called the New Vegetarian in the Observer/Guardian). I must have bought this recipe book for half a dozen friends and each one comes back raving about the recipes they have tried and instantly loved (the apple cake made with olive oil, harissa-marinated chicken, chickpeas with honeyed sweet potato). Am suddenly getting hungry.

Lydia

thefooddiaries.com

Hi Lydia,

I like Ottolenghi. Did a write up about him early on on Bottles and Cooks. My only problem is that he uses middle east ingredients that are hard to come by. Do you know a good supplier?

Eddie

Lydia’s answer re ingredients

Good question! You’ll find my answer now posted on www.thefooddiaries.com.