Ten best cookbooks of 2010

Cookbooks – can you ever have too many? Definitely not! But seeing as we can’t buy them all (boo hoo) we asked members of the Good Food team to tell us which of this year’s hundreds of cookery books were not to be missed. Take a look at our top ten…

1. Shopping coordinator Sarah loves Bill’s Basics by Bill Granger. “It’s not fussy or pretentious, just good, accessible food cooked with great ingredients, presented in a clear andstraightforward way. Familiar things are often given a new low-fat twist: once you’ve made his baked porridge you’ll never use the microwave again and his buttermilk ‘fried’ chicken spelt the end of my sneaky takeaway habit!”
Bill’s Basics by Bill Granger (Quadrille)

​3. “Diana Henry’s Food from Plenty has a really great ethos; it’s all about plentiful and satisfying food that doesn’t drain your pocket or the environment”,says Caroline, bbcgoodfood.com’s Food editor. “There’s a lot of useful information about shopping smart, from the cheapest and tastiest cuts of meat to which fish are sustainable. I really liked the ideas for leftovers and alternative ways of cooking the same recipe so you can make the most of what you have. The Moroccan lentil soup was quick, cheap and delicious – I’ll definitely be making that again”.
Food from Plenty by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley) 

​5. Barney, our esteemed magazine Food editor, loved Thai Street Food, “David Thompson is a leading authority on Thai food and this beautifullyphotographed book is not only filled with some of the most authentic street food recipes you’ll find but images that evoke street life and really help to set the scene.”
Thai Street Food by David Thompson (Conran Octopus)

7. Web editor Andrea’s favourite book of the year was the perfect one to try out on a group of friends. “The Spanish have known it forever, and now the rest of the world is cottoning on – sharing small plates with a bunch of mates and perhaps a jug or two of Sangria is one of life’s great pleasures. Simone and Inés Ortega have captured the spirit of tapas perfectly in their wonderful new book. Some may bemoan the lack of pictures (about half the recipes are illustrated) but with its easy-to-follow recipes and go-with-the-flow style, it’s hardly worth worrying about. A classic in the making.”
The Book of Tapas by Simone and Inés Ortega (Phaidon)

9. “I’m enjoying Rachel Allen’s latest, Entertaining at Home, for its modern, relaxed approach to entertaining”, says Sub-editor Emily. “Alongsideimpressive dinner party menu ideas for small, medium and large groups, and smart party canapés, there are more casual suggestions, which fit more with the way I cook for friends. There are brunch and lunch dishes, as well as curries, fish tacos for everyone to put together at the table, big pasta dishes and a very hearty Cassoulet.”
Entertaining at Home by Rachel Allen (Collins)