Today I was feeling very "housebound".  Almost six weeks since surgery and I REALLY miss cooking.  I took a moment to look through a couple of my "classic" cookbooks including this one (published in 1972) ...

Although the title may say "Cooking with Wine and Cheese" I could find very little which included these ingredients.  However, what I did find was a collection of forgotten favourites including:

1. Balls, Blue Balls and Cheesy Balls
2. Cheese Soup, Bubbly Soup and Hungarian Soup with Liver Dumplings
3. Vegetable Creme with Cheese Dumplings, Hawaiian Meat Roll
4. Fish Delite, Tuna Nut Bake
5. Egg and Cheese Casserole, Chicken Mould, Prawn & Egg Bobbles
6. Savoury Devon & Asparagus, Chipped Beef, Sherry Fried Eggs

And for dessert Oporto Prune Whip.

My goodness, how cooking styles have changed!!

Wishing everyone a very happy weekend :D

Welcome to my first ever blog.  I have to say I'm really quite nervous.  This "blogging thing" is a whole new world of which I really understand nothing.  I hope I don't bore you ... here we go :D

After work on a Friday evening, whilst sipping a glass of vino, I logged on to Facebook and created a post which simply said "I am really interested to know what was your first cookbook and who gave it to you?"

Much to my surprise, the response was overwhelming.  Here I was thinking it's only me who has a weird obsession with cookbooks!  Many of my friends responded to my post and shared their stories with me.  Some were school text books, some were gifts and many were handed down from grandparents or other significant relatives, some were beautifully hand-written and held in a box.

What really touched me was the memories that these cookbooks evoked.  It appears the good old-fashioned cookbook is not just a collection of recipes, it is a treasure, a link to our heritage.  It has a heart, a soul and many stories to tell.

My first cookbook (not counting school text books) was "The Complete Margaret Fulton Cookbook".  It was given to me for my birthday in 1984 by my darling grandmother "Hootenanny".  I use it all the time and I think of Hootenanny when I do.  Hootenanny described herself as  terrible cook.  I will never agree :D

So, again I ask the question, "What was your first cookbook and who gave it to you?".  I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers and happy weekend
Liz