MiMi Aye

Written in 1978, this is still the best Burmese cookbook around and worth tracking down; it's the only book that I'll refer to when I write my own Burmese recipes. It's straightforward, honest Burmese home cooking and, as the title suggests, there is advice on how to hold a Burmese dinner party, which, although out of date, is nevertheless absorbing. My only criticism is that most of the Burmese names for the dishes are missing, and those that are there are poorly Romanised so as to bear little resemblance to how they are actually pronounced ...

I've always been a sucker for the novelty cookbook, but this one is genuinely good. Produced as a tie-in to the HBO series and ostensibly compiled by Artie Bucco, it's peppered with fun in-character anecdotes, but the recipes also work. It's made me want to cook Italian food more than any other (poe-faced) tome.

The popular Western impression of bento is of endless, cutesy boxes crammed with adorable anime characters made of sushi rice, seaweed and tiny hotdogs. In reality, your average Japanese bento is filled with food that isn't that visually interesting, but is still delicious. This is a translation of a book intended for locals - salary men and women, mothers and fathers - who need to make packed lunches on a daily basis. Some of the ingredients are hard to come by if you don't have access to a Japanese supermarket, but the food tastes just like you're in Tokyo.

Confession time: I've never actually cooked from this book, but I do love to read it for its single-minded devotion to one of my favourite ingredients. Even now, when I see friends or family slice the fat off a pork chop, I weep inside.

I've been a long-time reader of Nguyen's blog Viet World Kitchen, so it was a no-brainer to me to buy her cookbook. It's a real labour of love and just reading it makes me hungry.

I picked this up for 50p in a charity shop many years ago. I was tickled to discover that pork floss, a beloved Burmese snack, is also a Fujian dish, but more importantly, the book taught me the differences between American and British terminology, as the edition I have lays out the ingredients in two columns (who knew that pork fat was known as fat back?). Even better, it's open in its use of monosodium glutamate as an ingredient!

As the title suggests, this is *the* book for people interested in Japanese cooking rather than just recipes. In fact, the sections are divided by technique rather than ingredient, and this in itself is an important insight into how Japanese cuisine works - dishes (and indeed courses in restaurants) are described as simmered or grilled or pickled, rather than starters and mains. Overall, a captivating insight into Japanese food and food culture, and worth the investment of time (it's a dense read) and money.

Written by the former Master of Ceremonies and Chef at the royal palace of Luang Prabang, this book is a translation of his Lao recipes plus notes on Lao ingredients and methods. As a close neighbour, there are similarities to Thai cuisine, but this is an essential for those wanting to know more about Lao food.

It's a classic for a reason - it's well-researched and delivers proper Thai food. I also enjoy seeing how many Northern Thai dishes overlap with Burmese ones. Its nifty ribbon dividers help you bookmark favourite recipes.

The recipes in this book are ridiculous, but it's fascinating to see how what was a joke seem to have permeated into real life. For example, it decreed that there be no more pasta, as it caused lassitude, pessimism and lack of passion - how many people expound carb-free living these days? The recipes in this book are ridiculous, but it's fascinating to see how what was a joke seem to have permeated into real life. For example, it decreed that there be no more pasta, as it caused lassitude, pessimism and lack of passion - how many people expound carb-free living these days? It also proposed that food would arrive rapidly and contain many flavours, but only a few mouthfuls in size - tasting menus, anyone? The most bizarre of the ideas, that food be experienced using all of the senses seems to have culminated in Heston Blumenthal's dish Sound of the Sea which requires one to listen to a recording of ocean waves whilst eating. Purely as a cultural artefact, the Futurist Cookbook makes my Top Ten.