Monday, September 17, 2007

The Daily News Cookery Book

The Ceylon Daily News Cookery Book was a book I’ve seen and heard about from the time I was a child. All the great cooks I knew (all my aunts were absolutely fabulous cooks) seemed to have a copy of it. I, for some unknown reason, attributed their cooking skills to the recipes in the book. So at the beginning of this year I thought I too should get hold of this marvelous book. When Jehan wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday, I promptly remembered the book and asked him to get it for me.

Having gotten hold of it, I eagerly scanned its pages for ‘makable’ recipes. Imagine my disappointment when quite a few of the instructions seemed to be vague or missing or left instructions to experience or imagination I guess. I tried the ‘Chocolate Cookies’ and what I got was a horrible looking mess which I fed to the dogs… seriously.

I tried several more of the recipes in them….. and what I figured out is, that the book is either

a) HORRIBLE

b) Is meant for more experienced cooks (then why would they need this book pray tell?)

c) Leaves a lot to the imagination (what about those who lack imagination then?)

d) Written by people who don’t want you to actually succeed (???) doesn’t sound right does it?

e) I certainly can’t make any of those recipes (that sounds more like it – I thought)

Well, on my recent visit to see cousin Emma, who by the way is another great cook (and her husband is a well renowned chef to boot), we got talking about this particular book… and guess what???? She told me precisely the same thing..…. So maybe I was not too far wrong in my thinking then!

4 comments:

chattycat said...

i am shocked to find out ur comments about the book because i have been dying to get the book just like u did for the same reasons.
my grand mother was given the book when she was 17 and newly married by her husband.he apparently used to taste food and make adgustments on the very pages of the book.

my grand mother was the best cook i knew and she passed her gift on to her eldest daughter, and her to her own daughter,my cousin.they are all devine cooks.although all my family memeber are good at cooking not as much as these three.they tresure this book.i have been looking in to getting the book delivered to australia.now i am really worried.my mother still has a few pages from my grand mothers book that she uses.i don't know what to do now.
the only other cook book i can think of is mrs mallika josephs'.my mother and the said cousin used to go to her pastry and dessert class when i was small.my mother says she is really good and all her recipes are tried and tested.
thanks for the review by the way.

Ruani said...

I have tried Anita Dickman's book which does not have loads and loads of recipes, but I have tried a lot of them and they all come out perfectly well... so Chattycat, if you are looking to buy a useful book, that is one that I CAN recommend. Ms Joseph's books is also probably good, but I have not seen it.

Eileen said...

What is a measure in some recipes mean, it will ask for a measure of lentils?

Unknown said...

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