How (not) to write a cookbook

or "was this really a good idea?"

Like most other readers I know I keep a watch on the new books coming into the library system. I am also guilty of suggesting books I think others might enjoy or find useful. I suppose it is something we all do at times.

I have never recommended a cookery book and I am unlikely to do so. I do occasionally borrow one if I need to know something or W... is coming for lunch and has mentioned something I know nothing about but she (at 89) is feeling nostalgic about. I rarely use a recipe for anything. When I do it is quite likely to get changed or something will be substituted. Most of the time I am just cooking for myself and that is rather dull. I fling things into a saucepan or beat an egg or two and hope for the best. I even more rarely bake. I really don't care much for cake or biscuits.

But there was a book I was told, "You need to look at it Cat. It's full of biscuit recipes where you can buy the biscuits and then do things with them." 

I sighed and agreed because I know this person does not give up. They also have a "sweet tooth". They claim to love cooking. (It shows.) I know the brand of biscuits. They are probably the best known brand in Downunder - and beyond. They make sweet biscuits and savoury biscuits, big biscuits and small biscuits. They make plain biscuits and biscuits covered in chocolate or filled with "cream" and more. Most of them have a health rating of less than two stars. They are not meant to be eaten everyday but I suspect most people do. The Senior Cat and I would get through a packet of the "Scotch shortbread" or "Shredded Wheatmeal" about once every three weeks.

I put my name on the reserve list and borrowed the recipe book, a book which uses the biscuits to make other sweet things. There are "brownies" and tarts and a cake studded with biscuits. There are desserts and the inevitable "vanilla slice" recipe.  I flipped through the book. No! You do not put biscuits into pavlova! That "parfait" does not need another too sweet biscuit as decoration. I might use the idea of putting a tiny bear to bed or to ride in a raft but only if I was caring for children who like that sort of thing.

I went back to the beginning and looked at the first recipe. It was for "brownies" and uses a biscuit base and a topping. There is something wrong here. It tells you to beat the biscuit base for twenty minutes. Of course it is a mistake but I know how some people slavishly follow recipes. They will believe they really have to do this.

There is a two week loan on the book. I borrowed it yesterday. I can return it tomorrow and I will because two weeks means someone else is waiting to read it. I do not need to read more. It was an interesting idea but it doesn't quite get there.  Perhaps I could write a better recipe book but I won't.