My daughter has requested a cook book or two. She has been living away from home for a couple of years now, but has only recently started to cook. She's at university, she's not overly endowed with money (read: broke) and prefers vegetarian but will eat and cook meat. She needs a recipe book that goes into the basics, as well as some more sophisticated but not over the top recipes.

We live in Australia, so have access to lots of fresh foods all year round, including lots of vegies, fruit, seafood and meat. Would prefer metric measurements as we work in metric.

Any suggestions?

How about The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins? I think this one is really fantastic for a beginning cook. It addresses salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts. It provides temperature charts and diagrams that describe the various cuts of meat and their prime uses. I was given it for my wedding shower and although I have several other cookbooks, this is my main source.

-Noelle

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I am utterly and completely devoted to Cooks Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen. I'd browse through either The New Best Recipe, or through the Amerca's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (in binder format). Those have pretty well everything I've wanted as far as recipes, techniques, and equipment recommendations.

Summer Cooking by Elizabeth David - this is a British book, so there's metric. Every thing I've made from this is delicious
http://www.nybooks.com/shop/product?usca_p...;product_id=600

Crazy Water Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry
- another British book with metric. A charming and intelligent book on Mediterranean, Middle Eastern Cuisine. Recipes are easy, but it's refreshing that the author doesn't like to brag that they're easy.
http://www.thegoodwebguide.com/index.php?c...ory_id=201&

If she prefers vegetarian, I highly recommend this book. It is fabulous:

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Epicurious.com on line is fAB. No one need buy a cookbook again.
And I totally agree with Thomas re: Cooks Illustrated.
The basic beginner must have to begin is- The Joy of Cooking

This is a great beginner cookbook that can grow with you. It teaches the basics and how to change them as you become more confident.

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Recipes-Steph...t/dp/1574160133

As a British vegetarian I can recommend all the River Cafe cookbooks which are true food porn (although not at all completely veggie); they rely on using nothing but the freshest and best ingredients and the recipes are mostly quite straightforward. It is also the most wonderful restaurant, by the way.

I've eaten at the River Cafe several times and it was excellent. The calimari with red pepper was heaven. That's where I bought their cookbook. There also happened to be TV crews both times, shooting some big shots who looked like politicians or businessmen.

My problem with their book is that because the recipes are so simple, you need the very best ingredients, which can be hard to find unless you have your own garden. Otherwise, the dish winds up tasting a bit mediocre, sadly. All the more reason to grow your own food, especially these days.

You can't go wrong with The Joy of Cooking for a first cookbook. Lots and lots and lots of basic recipes (veg and non-veg) plus tons of food prep advice and other useful cooking tips. I've gone through 3 copies in 30+ years...

Teddius

there is a very good Canadian book. "Rebar" good vegetarian and nice level of competence required.

I rely upon the Joy of Cooking most often.