A year or so ago I read that, perhaps unsurprisingly, Norfolk’s finest, Delia Smith remains the nation's favourite cookery book writer – perhaps more surprising is the fact that despite her success the average Briton only attempts to make 35 of the 1,000 recipes they have in the home. And while there are 171 million cookbooks in the nation's homes (about a million of which are in mine), according to the survey 61 million remain unopened and on the shelves.
The majority of people are put off trying out a new recipe before they have donned an apron - 80% because they look too complicated and 70% because they are short of the right ingredients. Almost two thirds of adults (65%) in the survey admit that they keep cookery books for show rather than for use … in my case that would certainly be true of the Nobu cookery book.
It will come as little shock to most women that despite the rise of the modern man, only 28% will try to cook new dishes, compared to 71% of women. Wannabe chefs in the East Midlands are the most likely to have a cooking disaster, with 13% seeing nearly half of their attempts end in failure. I guess that must come from growing up with the Crossroads Motel as a culinary reference point.
Londoners are most likely to use a recipe book for everyday cooking, according to the survey. A third (34%) of people turn to the Internet for recipes and cooking advice, while 31% use recipes passed on from family or friends.
And? Well it led me to thinking that this might represent an opportunity, in particular an opportunity for me. Why not review what it’s like to cook other people’s recipes. How easy they are …. or not, as the case may be. Where to buy the ingredients, Whether to believe the timings, what to serve them with and last but not least whether they hit the spot with my family and friends.
Perhaps more importantly, I hope this inspires my kids and builds up into a kind of Cookfamily cookbook, something that will inspire my children to enjoy cooking as much as I do.
My fondest wish is that this gives them the confidence to cook, to not just look at cookery books but to actually get their hands floury.
Secretly I also hope that one day they’ll invite me to their houses and cook one of these dishes for me.
A blog seemed the best way of keeping the whole thing up to date and easy to access, hopefully it will also let them keep adding to the 'cookbook' with their family favourites … and maybe one day my grandchildren will be cook something for me from it.
The majority of people are put off trying out a new recipe before they have donned an apron - 80% because they look too complicated and 70% because they are short of the right ingredients. Almost two thirds of adults (65%) in the survey admit that they keep cookery books for show rather than for use … in my case that would certainly be true of the Nobu cookery book.
It will come as little shock to most women that despite the rise of the modern man, only 28% will try to cook new dishes, compared to 71% of women. Wannabe chefs in the East Midlands are the most likely to have a cooking disaster, with 13% seeing nearly half of their attempts end in failure. I guess that must come from growing up with the Crossroads Motel as a culinary reference point.
Londoners are most likely to use a recipe book for everyday cooking, according to the survey. A third (34%) of people turn to the Internet for recipes and cooking advice, while 31% use recipes passed on from family or friends.
And? Well it led me to thinking that this might represent an opportunity, in particular an opportunity for me. Why not review what it’s like to cook other people’s recipes. How easy they are …. or not, as the case may be. Where to buy the ingredients, Whether to believe the timings, what to serve them with and last but not least whether they hit the spot with my family and friends.
Perhaps more importantly, I hope this inspires my kids and builds up into a kind of Cookfamily cookbook, something that will inspire my children to enjoy cooking as much as I do.
My fondest wish is that this gives them the confidence to cook, to not just look at cookery books but to actually get their hands floury.
Secretly I also hope that one day they’ll invite me to their houses and cook one of these dishes for me.
A blog seemed the best way of keeping the whole thing up to date and easy to access, hopefully it will also let them keep adding to the 'cookbook' with their family favourites … and maybe one day my grandchildren will be cook something for me from it.
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