I am wanting to get my gf a present for her birthday. She has told me she really loves to cook and follow recipes. I was thinking I could get her an awesome recipe book. Like one that is easy to follow and also covers a large range of foods. It would also be nice if it had nice pictures in it. I have 2 questions here: firstly, will she think I am buying her a recipe book cos I want her in the kitchen and cooking for me all the time? The second is, who knows of an awesome recipe book. I am australian so it would be easier if u know of book that would sell here but if u know of a really good one then I am not opposed to buying one online. Thanks :)

Anything by Tyler Florence would be fun. Pam

i always like willams sonoma cook books

I love my Betty Crocker cookbook. Whenever I have questions like "what do I do if I'm out of baking powder" or "how long will a 12 lb. turkey take to cook", the answer is always in there. As well as a lot of great recipes. Mine is from 1943 and I found it in an antique store. I love the nostalgia of it including the tips for busy housewives (too funny!). You can also pick up a brand new 2008 copy from the bookstore. I'm sure you can these in Australia.

both Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens make good basic cookbooks right now the Rachael Ray books are very popular. instead of getting her a book, or in addition to the book, why not find (or create) an awsome collection of food websites. there are MILLIONS of them. she might appreciate having the sites and what they specialize in .

Donna Hay (Australian) has beautiful cookbooks. Unfortunately, I have not cooked many of her recipes so I cannot vouche for how good they are. I agree that Tyler Florence has some awesome recipes and he is a good all round chef. Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) also has some excellent books and easy to follow recipes. I think your girlfriend will think it is nice that you paid attention when she said she liked to cook and that you bought her something she would really like.

Joy of Cooking. It is the Bible of cookbooks. Nothing beats it, especially for perople who are just starting. I am a professional cook, and I still refer to that book for inspiration.

They've recently come out with a reprint of "The Joy of Cooking" but my go to cookbook on a regular basis is "Betty Crocker Cookbook" reprint of the 1950's edition. (red cover) Here's one at amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Picture-Cookbook-Crocker/dp/0028627717 It has great charts for roasting meat and all the great traditional scratch directions. Good how to pictures .. like how to carve a chicken or truss one. Jessica's Biscuit dotcom site specializes in cookbooks. Her top 40 sellers pan across the home page ina banner ad. It's a good place to read about cookbooks, even if you dont buy there. And what's so wrong with asking her to do some cooking for you. She loves to cook. You love to eat. She loves you. You love to eat. *tease* Nothing makes me happier than to cook something that makes my b/f happy.

My name is Andrew and I live in the USA. I am a culinary school graduate and have worked as a Chef in hotels and restaurants for the last 25 years. The cookbook that I highly recommend is called "The Joy of Cooking". It is a comprehensive guide for the home cook and is often found in restaurant kitchens as well. This is the cookbook that I give to friends and relatives as a gift. This book will be easy to find at your local bookstore or online. Below is a link to the book's listing on Amazon.com.

I'd recommend Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. It's not too intimidating and the food is fantastic. I introduced it to a friend of mine. She's cooked at least a few things from it. Before I coached her at a meal she made at my place and I lent her the book, she really hadn't cooked at all.