Len Fisher

The book that I wish I'd written, if Shirley had not got there first! Packed with information about WHY cooking techniques and recipes work.

OK, my recipe for fizzy champagne jelly is the first one in the book, but the main reason for putting this high on my list is that it tells Heston's personal journey to success as well as including many recipes from his famous restaurant, with a bonus of chapters from a group of us who used to get together regularly to talk about the science of cooking and bemoan the name "molecular gastronomy" that actually started as a joke.

Lively introduction to the fabulous spicy food of South-West Turkey (Gaziantep region). Try the spicy bulgur balls with lemon!

The book that got me and many others started. I still dip into it from time to time simply for the pleasure of reading.

There are many Indian cookbooks, but this is unpretentious little book is surely the best for guiding cooks at any level through the basic steps of Indian cooking.

The title says it all. I just love dipping in to this one for inspiration and ideas.

Delia doesn't say WHY, but her exposition of the HOW of cooking can hardly be bettered, and neither can her collection of basic recipes.

A selection of recipes from Escoffier's famous (and famously impenetrable) "Guide Culinaire", rewritten so that amateur chefs can actually follow them!

Claudia is the doyen on Middle Eastern cookery, and this book is an absolute must.

This little-known book by pseudonymous Australian author "Rosemary Hemphill" (I met her many times at her herb nursery, but never discovered her real name) is an absolute delight, packed with unusual recipes using herbs and spices.