Marie-Claire Digby's top cookbooks of 2006
COOK WITH JAMIE: MY GUIDE TO MAKING YOU A BETTER COOK
Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph, £26)
The title sounds a bit worthy, but the cheeky chappie still shines out from his seventh and, in my opinion, his best book. As a kitchen manual it's first class, and the recipes are good, too.
Must cookBaked potatoes stuffed with bacon, anchovies and sage. Scoop a hollow in a raw potato with an apple corer, insert the filling and use the bit you removed as a plug to keep the stuffing in place. Clever.
APPLES FOR JAM
Tessa Kiros (Murdoch Books, £25)
Quite possibly the best cookery book of the year, and without doubt the most attractively designed. A whimsical delight but not a mere triumph of style over substance. This book is full of things you'll want to cook.
Must cookPenne with prawns, cream and tomato. Simple but delicious.
A TALE OF 12 KITCHENS: FAMILY COOKING IN FOUR COUNTRIES
Jake Tilson (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, £20)
Part memoir, part travelogue and part cookery book, this records the eating habits and culinary adventures of an artistic family as they move between London, Tuscany, New York, Aberdeen and Los Angeles. A quirky, pictorial feast that's also a great read.
Must cookBlizzard duck. Yes, really. From Aberdeen via ancient China, a recipe that involves burying a boiled duck in a bank of snow before finishing it off in a hot oven.
RACHEL'S FAVOURITE FOOD AT HOME
Rachel Allen (HarperCollins, £17.99)
She shouldn't have done that TV programme that showed us how to make a ham-and-cheese sandwich, but this is a useful and appealing book that I consult regularly for straightforward, modern classics that always work. Particularly strong on baking. Just don't count the calories.
Must cookChocolate and almond cake with brandy cream.
CRADLE OF FLAVOR: HOME COOKING FROM THE SPICE ISLANDS OF INDONESIA, MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE
James Oseland (WW Norton, £22)
James Oseland, executive editor of Saveur magazine, has been travelling to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for more than 20 years, so he brings an authoritative note to this collection. He has useful advice, too, on kitchen techniques, unusual ingredients and authentic serving suggestions.
Must cookChicken rendang with cinnamon and star anise.
BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND TEA: THE MANY LITTLE MEALS OF ROSE BAKERY
Rose Carrarini (Phaidon, £19.95)
Look beyond the uninspiring cover and you'll find the philosophy, and the healthy recipes, of the English tearoom that's wowing Paris.
Must cookThe individual carrot cakes that are their signature recipe.
MADE IN ITALY: FOOD & STORIES
Giorgio Locatelli, with Sheila Keating (Fourth Estate, £27.99)
Big, bold, beautiful . . . and the book's not bad, either. Locatelli's writing is a pleasure to read, and the recipes are updated versions of Italian classics. Dan Lepard's gorgeous photography steals the show.
Must cookPasta parcels with pumpkin and amaretti.
A YEAR IN MY KITCHEN
Skye Gyngell (Quadrille, £25)
As well as being a food writer with Vogue, Gyngell is chef at the Petersham Nurseries cafe, a cult lunch spot near the Thames in southwest London, where the waitresses wear wellies and the kitchen turns out exciting seasonal food from very modest surroundings. Truly original food writing is rare, but Gyngell's collection of 100 seasonal recipes is full of inspiration.
Must cookTea-smoked fillets of wild salmon with pickled cucumber salad.
LEITHS BAKING BIBLE
Susan Spaull and Fiona Burrell (Bloomsbury, £35)
This rather scholarly tome doesn't jump off the shelves at you, but it's a mine of information that will render most of your other baking titles redundant. Plus, there's a whole chapter on gluten-free baking.
Must cookChocolate-chip macadamia-nut biscotti.