Practical Cookery

That's the title of this book It was written by Ceserani and Kinton and my copy is the fifth edition which I purchased in 1982. It was a set book on the City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 courses when I took them in the mid-1970s; I bought a later edition after the one I had at college was lost during a move.

I usually put a knife across the book to keep it open while I'm getting ingredients together or firing up the oven - here it's open in the preface to the Beef section and you'll see that the recipe index includes the English and French names of the dishes. This is a great book for anyone who wants to get started with standard dishes and the fonds du cuisine - it proudly proclaims itself to include "the foundations of professional cookery".

So there you go - and arty shot with a bit of history and one of my little couteaux d'office. Enjoy your Friday and get a good hard grip on the weekend.