Someone recently asked me when my love for the kitchen began. It made me think back on a million different cooking/baking memories and my very first ones all involve a certain recipe book:

Myself and my mum would use this book at least once a week to make treats for the rest of the family and I loved it. I tried to get her to part with the book when I moved out but it wasn’t going to happen .. I didn’t think for one minute that the book was still being printed until I spotted one on a random shopping trip a few months ago. I was so excited! I think this book definitely helped to develop a love for baking.

I mentioned this on twitter and on the Britmums forum and it seems a lot of us grew up with Be-Ro and it was interesting to read peoples memories of the book and also the favourite recipes of the people who like me are now using it on a regular basis:

Heather on twitter uses it most weeks to make scones or for basic recipes such as cheese sauce.
Mummy Zen a Britmums member has fond memories of cooking with her mum with her personal fave being the Australian crunchie!
Lisa Burns also from Britmums (40s chic) remembers a battered, torn Be ro book and cooking from it each week with her mum. Like me she recently bought an updated version and uses it a lot.

Since I rediscovered my book I have made:

Quiche Lorraine – a really easy to follow recipe for a beautiful quiche.

It didn’t last long in our house!

Cheese straws – beautiful cheesy flakey pastry. I made these for Izzys 1st birthday party and they went down so well that I have no pics. Sorry!

Victoria sandwich and milk chocolate icing – I used the basic recipes for these items in the book before adapting to make a layered chocolate orange cake for a local MacMillan coffee morning. It was delicious.

There are four layers of cake so it was pretty huge!

I’ve also made rich biscuits and chocolate eclairs amongst other things and am looking forward to working my way through the book.

Next on my list is the Australian Crunchie as its one of the only things I don’t remember trying when I was younger. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’m excited to teach Izzy how to cook using this book as she gets older and who knows maybe she will pass it onto her children. 🙂

What are your memories of this book? Any special recommendations?

I’d love to hear from you xxx