A recent survey has revealed that cookbooks written by Gordon Ramsay, Gwyneth Paltrow and The Hairy Bikers are among those least likely to be used.
Cookbook clutter
The survey of 2,000 British adults by property website needaproperty.com found that books top the list of ‘unused’ household items, closely followed by piles of DVDs and unloved sports and exercise equipment. Over half of the adults surveyed (52%) cited books as the biggest clutter culprit, with cookbooks being singled out as the tomes which were most likely to gather dust.
The number one unread cookbook award went to Gordon Ramsay for his Ultimate Home Cooking; Gwyneth Paltrow got second place with her It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great; and the MasterChef Cookery Course cookbook came in third. Other unread titles included those written by The Hairy Bikers (The Hairy Dieters), Paul Hollywood, and Jamie Oliver.
Too much like hard work?
Perhaps one reason why such books stay on the shelves is because their recipes are too complex. “I steer clear of any cookbook which has too many ingredients listed,” said my lovemoney.com colleague Reena Sewraz. Simon Ward agrees: “There’s one cookbook, by Ching-He Huang, which stares me in the face every day. I’m yet to pick it up, and I haven’t used my wok in years either.”
As for me and my baking cookbooks, despite owning dozens I only ever reach for one of two: a 1980s food processor book that has unbeatable scone and sponge recipes in it; and a 15-year-old Australian Women’s Weekly cake book, that I use for my fancier bakes.
The cookbook clutter became too much for me recently, and when I moved house last month I took the opportunity to donate most of them to the local charity shop. They raised just over £100, and I’m happy in the knowledge that someone out there might actually be using my previously unopened Nigellas.
What about you? Which book gathers the most dust in your kitchen? Tell us in the comments box below.
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