Top Cookery Books Available At play.com
play.com was one of the first retailers to sell its products exclusively online to customers in the UK. It originally only sold DVDs, but since 2004 it has also offered a wide range of books for sale. The nature of its online-only business model means that it can offer a wider product range than high street retailers. Unless you’re a collector of antique books, it’s likely that you’ll find every book you ever need on the website, and its range is expanding every day.
If you’re like me, and you’re something of a gourmand-with-ambition – somebody who can’t stop experimenting with new ingredients and exotic flavours – then you’ll love the range of cookbooks available on play.com
The site is packed with great books by top chefs that educate and inspire in equal measure. Here are a few of my favourites:
The Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal
The famous (or some might say infamous) ‘molecular gastronomist’ Heston Blumenthal tells the story of his rise to foodie fame and the events that led to him establishing his triple-Michelin-starred ‘Fat Duck’ restaurant. The story makes for interesting reading, but the best part – in my opinion – is the recipes. Heston divulges the secrets behind 50 of his signature dishes, including snail porridge and bacon-and-egg ice cream. Most of these recipes are – let’s be honest – a little too complicated to try out on an average Wednesday evening. But simply seeing how the fascinating flavours and unusual ingredients come together is a true joy. The book is available in two versions, the ‘standard’, cheaper version and the more expensive ‘big’ version, which is lavishly packaged. Both versions are available at play.com
Delia’s How to Cook by Delia Smith
Along with the TV series of the same name, this book catapulted Delia Smith back into the public consciousness. Her masterstroke was to go back to basics – in complete opposition to Heston Blumenthal’s approach, she wasn’t interested in showing how to create mind-bogglingly impressive dishes, but simply in educating the British public on basic cookery. Thus, she explains how to boil an egg, how to make fail-safe pastry, and how to cook up the perfect British Breakfast. Thanks to this simplistic approach, the book and TV series were immensely popular, and reportedly led to a massive rise in the sales of eggs in the UK. Choose this cookery course for a no-jargon introduction to the world of gastronomy – it’s available at play.com
Good Things in England: A Practical Cookery Book for Everyday Use by Florence White
Unlike the two books we’ve already looked at, which take a distinctly modern approach to cookery, Florence White’s cookbook looks at recipes dating back to the 14th Century. This approach – and the fact it was first published in 1932 – means that it isn’t the most practical recipe book for the contemporary chef, with many ingredients and techniques being entirely unfamiliar. Nonetheless, it makes for fascinating reading, and there are plenty of ideas that can be gleaned from our culinary ancestors. Thanks to the publisher Persephone Books, this rediscovered classic has been reprinted and is available at play.com.
A wide range of cookery books such are available from play.com including publications from Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal.
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