* The Bordello Cookbook – So much to love about this! I’d love to know if anyone owns it already, and I’d love to know some of the reactions as visitors casually glance along your bookshelf. Would be worth buying purely for those moments!

* Consuming Passions: History of English Food and Appetite – bawdy and vulgar, like a scene from Hogarth. History and food collide, and show that there were definitely times before when the British loved their food.

* Fruity Passions – An Introduction to Country Wine-Making – honestly, I’d buy this just for the title, but maybe there could be some fun and games when trying out some of the recipes. Foraging together has to be a very romantic thing to do!

* In the Devil’s Garden: A Sinful History of Forbidden History – food history from a slightly naughty perspective, from the moment Eve bit into the apple onwards. Is there any wonder we end up with food issues?

* The Gastronomy of Marriage: A Memoir of Food and Love – after all that lust and passion comes marriage. This is a great tale of how a couple come together and  learn to cook and eat together, without too many compromises.

Great books then to celebrate food in all its shades of passion from like to lust, through to marriage and even detours to the bordello. Something for everyone!

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* John Torode’s Beef – hard to avoid John at the moment, thanks to the return of Masterchef. And it’s been great to see him running the kitchen, to remind us that he’s not just that bloke on the telly, but a bloke that can cook. I associate him most with beef, and bet this is a bloke’s kind of cookbook, but as I love my beef, I think I’d cook lots from this too.

* Every Day by Bill Granger – I might well have put this one in before, as it is my fave of the several Bill Granger books I have, and love. I am really thrilled to learn he has opened a restaurant in London, as a lot more chance of me eating there than one of his Australian ones. I’ve also written before about how I love breakfast, and this one has great breakfast and brunch recipes in, which are well thumber in my copy!

* Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Vegetarian Cookbook – not the most up to date choice, but when I went through a veggie phase in my 20s, this was my cookbook bible, along with the Moosewood cookbook. I still remember the cheese souffle stuffed red pepper that was a real fave. The fact that I was cooking it in a bedsit with only a handwhisk to hand is not a part I wish to repeat, but the dishes in the book were definitely worth revisiting.

* Kids’ Birthday Cakes from Australian Women’s Weekly – I wasn’t sure which one to pick from AWW, but this is the first one I ever bought. If you ever want simple cakes that will send kids high as kites with sugar and colourings, this is the one for you. That said, kids love the cakes!

*  Quay by Peter Gilmore – I know very little about Peter Gilmore, I only know from looking at this book that the food and the restaurant looks like what I perceive to be quintessentially Australian. I know we don’t always have the weather for these dishes, but there is something incredibly appetising about so many of these!

Maybe these are a good way of bringing some of the Aussie sunshine into the kitchen during our cold, grey days of winter, as we start to think again of lighter summer eating.

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* Thai Food by David Thompson – very comprehensive, covering the breadth of Thai cooking from north to south of the country. Yes it does the things you might know already like Pad Thai, but also things like crispy fish cakes with pork and salted eggs. I also like that it covers a bit about the culture of each area, and also a bit about ingredients as well.

* Thai Street Food by David Thompson – same writer, different approach to same cuisine. I remember being stuck in a traffic jam and looking longingly at all the food being cooked on the street next to the car. It was torture really, so maybe this book would make up for it.

*Stylish Thai in Minutes by Vatcharin Bhumichitr – a good standby or intro text, given that it’s all about quick dinners, with Thai flavours. The cooking style lends itself to speedy dinners, if you have the right ingredients in the right combination. Good for someone looking to explore but necessarily go completely native or expert.

* The Blue Elephant Cookbook by John Hellon – it’s years since I ate at The Blue Elephant, but it was probably one of the first places I had Thai food. Slightly nostalgic for me, but a great book covering a bit of everything, from starters to desserts. Nice chapter on wine matching too.

* Buddha’s Table: Thai Feasting Vegetarian Style – so not forgetting the non meat-eaters, this book seems to get some good reviews even from those who are not massively experienced or keen cooks. I always think Asian vegetarian food is so good that you hardly miss the meat, so could even give this to a non veggie, just for a bit of healthy variety.

So, bring some sunshine to the kitchen this winter, and enjoy some variety, some heat and some great flavours.

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Short & Sweet by Dan Lepard – this got quite a few mentions, and some very positive feedback. I know I’ve been debating this one, and think on the basis of these comments, this should be here. Great for breads, cakes, anything on the baking front, but not overwhelming. One of those that you actually could work through from start to finish, and it not be a year’s project.

Made in Sicily by Giorgio Locatelli – I’m including this because it makes me think of sunshine, and I need that more than anything. I love Giorgio and the way he cooks, and the way he talks about food. I also don’t own any of his cookbooks, so this seems like a good place to start, as it’s a different slant on “Italian” cooking.

Jamie’s Great Britain – this got a few mentions, as I’d probably have expected. But I do think this will be a year of Britishness, in no small part down to the Olympics and Jubilee, and Jamie’s got the flags waving already. Even if he has got a British restaurant to promote, I do think it influences and reflects the zeitgeist. Being Jamie, it has good spins on old classics, and I’m sure would turn out dishes that were real crowd pleasers.

Mexican Food Made Simple by Thomasina Miers – not a new book, and not one that I need as I bought it when it first came out, but it’s one I love. If your view of Mexican food is based on Chiquitos and M&S Tex Mex, then you need this book and to cook from it. Fresh flavours, exciting flavours, something to pep the taste buds up after the excesses of Christmas and in the dark days of January. Would recommend this one.

Eat Me! The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes and Bakes According to Cookie Girl- of course I don’t need another baking book, but when did need come into it? This was recommended, particularly for the cookie recipes. I’m replacing cupcakes with cookies this year, so think this could get plenty of use.

So, five to think of (or at least four for me) and a bit of an update for my wishlist. What did you get and love, and would you add anything new to your wishlist now, based on what others had?

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I’ve written a few times this week about nice things arriving through the post, and surely a new book arriving is a lovely thing. But most of us will be putting off purchases until we’ve recovered from purchases. So here are five books to look forward, that are not yet published, that you can enjoy waiting for:

Bread Revolution by Duncan Glendinning and Patrick Ryan – you might have seen these two on the TV recently, helping with the set up of a community bakery, and they are certainly passionate about their bread. You have to wait till March for this one, by which time we’ll be thinking about warmer weather, picnics and sandwiches, so you’ll be needing some great bread.

Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard by Nigel Slater – April, and things really will be beginning to burst back into life, and we’ll be thinking about the bounty of the garden and hedgerow again. And there will be Nigel Slater, with all sorts of delicious fruit based recipes to help us make the most of whatever you come across.

Too Many Cowboys, Only One Indian by Sat Bains – no picture for this one, and it’s not out till May, but I drive past the entrance to Restaurant Sat Bains everyday and eating there is still one of the most memorable meals of my life. There’s not much detail on this one yet, and it doesn’t look cheap, so you’d have to be a really big fan, or one of Sat’s family to order it unseen.

Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting  Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa by Diana Henry – this is right up my street, all cuisines and flavours that I really love. Sure, I’ve got Arabesque, but that’s just Middle Eastern surely? Out on 6 February, so time to summon up some flavours of sunshine when we are still in dank, dark days.

Vintage Teatime from the Women’s Institute – If you’ve read much of my blog, you’ll know I’m pretty keen on cake and baking. And you’d have to think the WI know a thing about cake, from across the decades. I’d find a reason to add this to my collection, if only that I still have my eye on the culinary cup at the village show. Out on 2 February, so would give me plenty of practice time ahead of the show in September.

Have you spotted anything interesting that’s made it onto your cookery or food book wishlist? Always good to have something to look forward to!

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* The Untold History of the Potato – I quite like these sorts of books, where an expert/geek gets to really get indepth on one subject or ingredient. I’ve done Cod, I’ve done Salt, and I quite fancy doing the potato. Reviews look a bit mixed, but then Salt was slow going, and Cod was definitely a slow burner, but in the end I loved it.

* The Town That Food Saved – I saw this when I was in NYC in the summer, and the story really appealed to me. I love the way food can bring communities together, and how it can be economically reviving. A story for our times, and perhaps something to be read in the context of the Portas report this week, which I wasn’t completely convinced by.

* Pieminister: A Pie for All Seasons – this would be to make MGG happy, as chicken pie still rates as one of her top three meals, rotating with mussels and chow mein. I’ve been a Pieminister fan for ages, and I’ve heard nothing but good reports on this book from cookbook addicts that I would trust.

* Bill’s the Cookbook: Cook, Eat, Smile – I’ve never been to Bill’s but if I was ever to run a food store meets restaurant, I would want it to be like Bill’s. It sums up everything that can be fabulous about good food, well sourced, and well cooked, served with love and fun. If I can’t get there, then I’ll have to settle for the book.

* Short and Sweet – It wouldn’t really be my list without something baking oriented, and Dan Lepard’s book is probably the one I would prioritise. I really enjoy his writing, and his recipes. That said, I can imagine putting on about a stone in weight as there are so many recipes that appeal to me in this book.

I’d also be happy with any of the beautiful Penguin books I’ve written about a few times, as they look good, and are great for recipe and for historical context of the development of food and cooking. I’ve particularly enjoyed reading A Little Dinner Before the Play, and have cooked from the Claudia Roden quite a lot.

If Santa brings any of these though, I have to decide which one to move off the shelf, which one has failed to earn its spot…choices, choices!

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* Cocktails with Bompas & Parr – I’ve not been to one of their events, only read about them with great envy. Innovative and imaginative don’t even begin to sum up the descriptions that I’ve read. This would be an adventure in cocktails for sure, so could make for some interesting evenings in!

* Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails – again, another one for the adventurous, who will really enjoy the 80 rare and worth rediscovering recipes. You might want to have a quick scan of the book before you hand it over and maybe accompany it with a bottle of one of the rarer ingredients not perhaps already in the cocktail cabinet. My best recommendation for tracking down weird spirits is TheDrinkShop.com.

* Japanese Cocktails: Mixed Drinks with Sake, Shochu, Whiskey and More – I imagine you don’t see these on your average cocktail menu! Perfect for either a real cocktail mixing enthusiast, or for someone with a real taste for Japanese culture and tastes. Personally, I’ve had enough sake to last a lifetime, definitely an acquired taste that I failed to acquire!

* Margarita Mama: 80 Mocktails for Moms-To-Be – I’ll forgive the awful American title if it gives some alternatives for non drinkers to lime and soda! In fact, these are mainly recognisable cocktails just without the alcohol, but there are some great themed drinks like Baby Shower Shake and Shake Your Booties.

* The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion – amongst my favourite cocktails, there are several based on champagne. And I think a few well chosen additions to any sparkling wine improve it immensly (I had a Sparkling Violet last week, Prosecco plus Creme de Violette, lovely). A great starting point, as my perspective is these tend to be simpler cocktails to make. And very easy to drink!

Some festive spirit, whether including spirits or not! If you want to get them the appropriate hardward to go along with one of these books, then try barmans.co.uk or Drinkstuff.com. Cheers!

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Top of the list overall is River Cottage Veg Every Day! Their exclamation mark, not mine. Part of Hugh’s test conversion to vegetarianism, it’s a great book for veggies and non-veggies alike, and particularly useful standby if you have a veg box each week. As an alternative, although with some meat too, I would go for Everyday and Sunday from Riverford Farm.

Probably no surprise to see Jamie’s Great Britain on the list, with the usual high visibility TV series and marketing campaign to support it. For something a little less geezer like, try the second book from Great British Food Revival, for twists on great British classics.

Lorraine Pascale appears twice on the list with Home Cooking Made Easy the higher of the two. I’ve not watched her series on TV, nor cooked any of her recipes, but seems a lot of positive noises about her. If you want a different model turned cook book writer, then I’d opt for Sophie Dahl’s From Season to Season. I liked this a lot more than I expected to.

For the keen bakers then there’s the Great British Bake Off: How to Bake. From a straightforward Victoria sponge to brandy snaps and no doubt Mary Berry’s roulade, this will give you everything you need to be ready for your audition for the next round. Alternatively, go straight to the winner’s enclosure and buy The Boy Who Bakes by Edd Kimber. My copy already has quite a lot of chocolate, floury smudges on the pages.

Finally in this five is Heston Blumenthal at Home. I have to be honest, I’m not sure about this one. I mean, I can’t see Heston getting home from work and knocking up a sausage pasta bake like lots of us. But I would imagine this is great for those who see themselves as a real technical whiz in the kitchen, and fancy a bit of spherification before breakfast. Maybe try Ad Hoc at Home: Family Style Recipes by Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, which I have heard good recommendations for.

So, you can go down the most wished for route, and I would think that most of these will be well received by most people. Or you can slightly more off piste, and give them something a bit different without going completely bizarre! I mean, I’m the person with Merry Kitschmas on her wish list! What cookbooks are on your wishlist?

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How would you describe your emotional state in the run up to Christmas? Excited? Nervous? Stressed? Taken to drink? Personally, I love Christmas, especially the part when all the cookbooks come out and the planning starts. Here are five that would you get in the seasonal spirit, either in the traditional sense or something a little more modern. Or even just a bit more unusual.

* First off, not entirely cookbook, but on my absolute lust list (and it’s all English Mum’s fault) is Merry Kitschmas. The fact that this year I could get one from £1.11 means I could definitely justify it. I mean is there a better Christmas than one that is camp, cheesy, sparkly and just a tad over the top? I mean, what’s not to love about a weener sausage tree?

* WI Complete Christmas: Festive Food for a Perfect Christmas – Of course the WI are going to know how to do Christmas. This is Christmas A to Z, with everything from the perfect turkey to great mince pies. If you’ve never done Christmas, I’d start here.

* I love Martha Stewart. So if you want to offset the very Britishness of the WI book, then I’d go for Martha Stewart’s Christmas: Entertaining, Decorating and Giving. Which sounds like the perfect combination of activities for the time of year. Again, another one you wouldn’t have to spend a lot on, as copies are available from just 90 pence, which is a bargain. More to spend on Christmas itself!

* For more do it yourself meets a natural looking Christmas, combined with some great food and some good food gift ideas, then try Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas. Does what it says, as covers all aspects of the season. Again, you could get this for a bargain price, as some of the resellers on Amazon have this from just £2.97 for a new edition.

* Finally, to offset my kitsch tendencies, then go posh and classy with the Ritz London Book of Christmas. As you’d expect from the Ritz, they have their own traditions, a whole heap of great recipes and some brilliant drinks to go alongside. This is for those of you who want a Christmas long on tradition, style and sophistication. Just don’t turn up to Tarver Towers looking for it!

So, however you do Christmas, now is a great time to get planning and to start creating your own family traditions, whatever style of Christmas you want to do!

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The Playboy Gourmet – a 1970s epic, that somehow has not been preserved as a classic through the years. Written by a man for men, by his own admission, this includes recipes such as Brandied Peach Alaska Pie, Curried Avocado Dip and even San Remo Dip, whatever that might be. Perfect for some retro entertaining, and a wry smile if this is a gift to be opened.

Eat Like A Man – a more recent cookbook, and billed as the only cookbook a man will ever need. Quite American and quite meat heavy, but I seriously considered bringing this back from my last trip from NYC. Probably not one if he has foresworn on meat.

Len Deighton Action Cookbook – renowned for his action writing, and characters like Harry Palmer, but less well known for his cooking initially. But this cookbook rapidly gained a cult status, indeed helping it to be reprinted recently. So this might be slightly less uncommon on bookshelves now, so you could try his French Cooking for Men as well.

The Grillin’ Wild Cookbook: Innovative Recipes for Hunters, Fishermen and Outdoor Enthusiasts – apparently this comes from a show of the same name in the US, all based on cooking in the great outdoors. Sounds like the sort of thing where you’re expected to catch your own dinner first, not to mention gut and skin it. But if that’s his thing, then this could be the perfect book.

The Butch Bakery – because who says real men can’t bake? These are cupcakes without all the fluff and flowers, and big gutsy flavours. Because, yes, unless my eyes deceive me, that is bacon on top of that cupcake. You don’t get that in the Hummingbird.

So, man up, and man that kitchen!

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