The Joy of Cooking

Americans love their culinary bibles and none more so than 'The Joy of Cooking', by the mother-and-daughter team of Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker. This extraordinary tome was first published privately in 1931, and with the first commercial edition in 1936 'The Joy' first hit the big time. We have a copy of the 1953 edition, and whilst a lot has changed in terms of techniques and ingredients, the book remains sound and sensible.

Over the past year, new editions, with colour photography, have been appearing at the instigation of Ethan Becker, respectively son and grandson of the authors. The first quartet of titles have been joined now by two very seasonally apposite titles: "Party Food" and "Breakfast and Brunch". The step-by-step technique remains the same, the food is as sure as ever, and the quiet time between Xmas and New Year is just the right time to put your brunch expertise into action

(Both titles are published by Dorling Kindersley @ stg£12.99)

See Recipe of the Month taken from "Breakfast and Brunch"