Saturday 21 July 2012

Cookbooks a-gogo! Random Recipes


Since starting my blog, I have seen all of these wonderful challenges that other bloggers have on their sites. And I have been wanting to take part in some, but what with getting things set up, baking and working I really haven’t had the time - yet.

But I happened upon one challenge over at Dom’s Belleau Kitchen that I could squeeze into my schedule (!). Usually his monthly Random Recipes challenge has people making and submitting random dishes from cookbooks. But this month he has asked people to take photographs of their cookbooks. As a Random Recipe virgin, I thought this would be a good place to dip my toes into the water…



My cookbooks all fit snugly on a shelf in the living room. And you may be forgiven for thinking that it is quite a paltry amount I have. However, my love of recipes goes far beyond cookbooks, because I am actually a cook magazine junkie. I don’t know if magazines are allowed in this particular challenge (and my few cooking DVD’s) but thought I would chance my arm anyway.



Regular followers of Cakeyboi may surprised to see that I do not have just books/magazines from the sweet side of life! I do actually cook savoury, quite adeptly actually (must be the Italian genes).




You may also know that I have a love affair with American food, so will not be surprised to see that a lot of my books are American or American inspired. As for the magazines, I used to live in ‘Borders’ going through all the US import mags. But since they shut, I settled for subscribing to them and having them shipped over. Now though, thankfully for the sake of space and my bank balance, I can download magazines to my IPad, hence I have included that in the pics. I actually have a few cookbooks on there too.




One of my favourite books isn’t American inspired however. It’s my Fanny Cradock book, a cross between a biography and a cookbook. I love Fanny, in fact I don’t feel Christmas has started until I see Fanny on the TV. Her Christmas cooking repeats are the funniest thing ever. The woman used to scare the bejesus out of me as a child, but time has mellowed her and she is a bit of an idol of mine along with Martha (yes I have Martha books and magazines by the dozen!).



So there we are, my Random Recipe cherry has been popped…


12 comments:

  1. oh my - you too? We have recorded all the Christmas Fanny Cradock's and watch them in the run up to every Christmas. Just seeing her harangue Sarah for daring to remove a tray gets me in the Christmas spirit! As does her carving the chicken with Johnny's garden secaturs and then piling it up on the green mash!

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    1. The scene with poor Sarah creases me up every time! And when she violates that bird with the mushrooms I really know Santa is on his way lol!!

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  2. love love LOVE Fanny!... look at the FACE!!!... am loving your wee cookbook collection but I know what you mean about the magazines... I didn't even take photo's of mine for fear of running out of space in the digital realm!... love to have another Random Recipe Victim sorry Virgin, on board, thanks for entering and hope you play along next month! xx

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  3. I was very sad when Borders closed too! but luckily between Whole Foods in London and Selfridge's I can still get all the American foodie mags I love! You have a great collection...so great that you must enter into my United Bakes of America challenge - it happens every month, if you bake with an American ingredient or from an American recipe you can enter, would love to have some of your tasty treats in my roundup! The full entry requirements are over on my blog on the home page if you want to check it out :)

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    1. That sounds like a challenge that I could take part in very easily! I shall check forthwith :)

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  4. I am lucky enough to get my Martha Stewart food mags passed on to me by my American friend who gets them ordered in for her.
    Jac tells me you are coming down to the Food Bloggers Event in Ayr so I stopped by to see your blog. Not entirely sure why I haven't been here before. Better late than never. See you on the first of Sept.
    Lou.

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    1. Hi Lou and thank you for checking out my blog :) Looking forward to meeting you too at the bloggers event! You are lucky getting your mags passed on - but thank goodness for my iPad - it makes getting all the magazines I like that much easier! See you in a few weeks....

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  5. I miss Borders for the US mags. Used to get lovely crafting magazines there too. I am trying to curb my magazine habit, they are so brutally expensive these days.

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    1. They are pricey Janice - luckily I found downloading them to my iPad much cheaper. I got a year of my 'everyday food' mag for just £8 - to think I used to pay around £4 per issue!!

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  6. I love nosing at other peoples bookshelves. I am nosey like that :)

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  7. Great collection of magazines - I've pretty much given up mags after I realised I could never find what I wanted. I'm sure you're more organised. Fanny used to scare me too, but in my case I've never got over it.

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    1. Not sure what to say to your last sentence lol!! Just checked out your great website Phil - now a follower. But i'm not organised at all!!

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