Masterchef madness

I became a fan of the Australian television phenomena Masterchef late in the series, but still found the final tense, have been more inventive in the kitchen lately and can't resist another food-themed post.

Winner of the series, Julie Goodwin, will have a recipe book published in April 2010 by Random House. It is sure to be a great seller, as there has already been a myriad of posts online from viewers speculating she only won because her cookbook idea for home-style recipes, presented to Donna Hay during an episode, was sure to be a hit among the demographic that predominantly purchases recipe books.

I am not a prolific buyer of recipe books, unlike most Australians given how many are published each year. However, I do have many of Donna Hay's and love getting Jeremy to bake items from the chocolate section in Flavours, and own a relatively small stack of others.

The two favourite recipe books I own are:

The Edmonds Cookery Book, a staple in all New Zealand kitchens that my mother gave me. First published in 1907, it is still popular and remains New Zealand's fastest selling book. Inside are a range of seemingly fail-safe recipes, including all the basics like scrambled eggs, along with a great conversion table for when you are stuck with recipes requiring a certain number of grams of butter and only have measuring cups and spoons. Tonight I made roasted potatoes in their skins with a mayonnaise, garlic and lemon rind dressing from this.

The Tra Vigne Cookbook is a favourite as Jeremy worked in the restaurant around the time I met him and we had our wedding reception there. The Italian-themed recipes from American celebrity chef Michael Chiarello follow the seasons of the Napa Valley, where the restaurant is located. Jeremy makes the lemon-baked fish with spinach salad, cooked and presented in brown paper bags, so well that I would never attempt it. In addition to the recipes and beautifully worded introductions to each section are photographs reminding me of the restaurant and cantinetta where I would sit outside sipping expresso and reading while waiting for Jeremy to finish his shift.

There are two recipe books on the horizon in Australia I find interesting. Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights, probably as I am a Sophie Dahl fan (I loved the whimsical The Man with the Dancing Eyes with its delightfully matched illustrations) and it looks gorgeously decatent.

Cook in Boots by Ravinder Bhogal contains the odd combination of food and fabulous shoes, that will actually appeal to types like me. A peek inside shows quirky titled chapters that are actually pretty relevant and recipes that are manageable while still being different from all the rest out there.

What are your favourite recipe books (and why?) and which do you this you'll try next?