Tuesday 5 March 2013

Be-Ro Home Recipes

The first recipe book I remember having is the Be-Ro Home Recipes book. It's been a book I've referred to time and time again, especially for uncomplicated, basic things. Be-Ro have just launched an updated version, the 41st edition, so I thought I would update my own copy.


It's still got all the basics in there, but there's lots of new things too. Some of the recipes would never have been included in the first edition in 1923. I don't think a scone base pizza would have featured on many home menus then, but it's one I'd quite like to try.

Inside the new edition, it shows a photograph of the very first edition. I remember using a very similar Be-Ro recipe book when I was a child, though I'm not saying it was the first edition, I wonder how long my mum had had that book, it was very well used. Unfortunately, she no longer has it, lots of things got thrown out in her recent house move. The book was more of a chubbier shape than the narrower pages of the more recent editions.


I remember having my own Be-Ro recipe book from before I was married, but don't know if it's the same one that I've still got. I'm not sure when this 38th edition was first published, but it's served me well.


If you'd like a copy of the new edition, you can get one from Be-Ro for just £2.50.

42 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this. I think I will order a copy, there's a lot to be said for straightforward cooking with reliable recipes and I think that scone pizza base sounds worth a whirl too!
    Lisa x

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    1. I do like my cooking to be straightforward, a cook I am not. I think the length of time the book has been in print is testament to how good the recipes are.

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  2. Thank you, Lisa, for posting about this. You mentioned Be-Ro when you commented on my post about pancakes and the name rang a bell. I use old cookery books that I had when first married or ones inherited from my mother. When it comes to baking I like simple, tried and tested recipes, but it's good to update now and then with cookery books that can be purchased at a modest price.

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    1. I like easy recipes too. I've bought many cookery books over the years but none have been as well used as my little Be-Ro book.

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  3. I've heard about the Be-Ro cook books being really useful before. I do like to cook (and eat) nice simple meals, will go and have a look for it, thank you :) xx

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    1. There used to be many more baking recipes in the book than actual meals, but it's nice to see more meals in there now. There's lots of hints and tips in the book too.

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  4. I love the Be-Ro books. I have 3 very tatty copies that I have bought over the years x

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    1. They're so handy to have about, even for the conversion charts and hints and tips.

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  5. My Grandma sent me a Be-Ro book when I got engaged in 1982. I still have it - it's tatty and stained ( I used to bake with the girls and things got spilled on it!), but I still use the recipes that are in it, and the conversion charts as I can never remember how many ml are in a teaspoon!

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    1. I think the Be-Ro book has been a must have in many kitchens over the years. My mum always got hers out when I asked to bake.

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  6. I was thinking of getting a copy, found the Be-ro site the other day, has some nice recipes on it.

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    1. I forgot to mention that the website is good too. There's lots of useful information on there.

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  7. I've got my Grandma's Be-ro book from when she got married in the late 1930s. I never thought to look at the edition number. You've got me thinking now....! Jx

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    1. You'll have to see which edition you've got, you might have the first. I'd like to know when the 38th edition was printed but I can't find the information anywhere.

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  8. Perhaps I should update my very old, tatty Be-ro book. It's all single pages as it's been used so often.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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    1. That's just what my mum's old copy was like. There's lots of new recipes in the new edition, as well as the oldie but goodies.

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  9. I love my Be-ro book, I got it three years ago and it's my first port of call when I'm baking. It's covered in flour and stains, evidence that it's been well used!

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    1. So many people swear by the Be-Ro book, I think it's because it doesn't just assume that you know all the terms and explains things. My copy has been very well used too.

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  10. You cant beat Bero recipes! Most of my cakes are from the bero book.
    Thanks for the award Jo, I will try and get around to posting later in the week!!

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    1. You're welcome. Be-Ro recipes are so simple, I think that's the beauty of them. Why complicate things when you don't have to?

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  11. I have a 35th edition Be-Ro book which I've had for a very long time and a more recent 40th edition which I got a few years ago. I've kept them both because they're part of my baking life. I remember the Be-Ro book my mum had when we were wee. It was a sepia sort of colour and the print was brown.:o)

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    1. I wonder what edition your mum had. My mum's book was more of a pamphlet than a book, but it was very well used.

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  12. I've never heard of this book but from reading your comments, it seems very popular. I, too, like simple recipes, cooking's not my favourite thing to do xxx

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    1. I thought that everyone would have heard of the Be-Ro book, it's been around for so long. It's a great book if you enjoy baking, lots of ideas, and really simple recipes. There's lots of hints and tips in there too as well as great information.

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  13. Thank you Jo for sharing this post about Be-Ro book..I must buy them..first time on your blog. please visit mine if time permits.
    Cheers !

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    1. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment. Have a look at the Be-Ro site, there's lots of information on there, and recipes too.

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  14. I like to try fancy new recipes but some turn out okay and others not so much.

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    1. I think it's all trial an error, but that's what I like about the Be-Ro recipes, they're all very simple.

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  15. Goodness, there's a blast from the past, my Mum had one of these too, but I'd totally forgotten about it.

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    1. I'm sure most households will have had a copy at one time or another. Our copy was always dragged out when the kids wanted to bake.

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  16. Sorry, AWOL :{, not enough hours in the day.

    Makes me smile to see things from so many years ago. A favourite of ours is the Dairy cookbook, do you remember you had to get it from the milkman?

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    1. I don't remember the dairy cookbook, but I remember the diaries you used to get from the milkman.

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    2. Jo, I don't know if this link will work but if it does then yours for 1 penny plus postage!

      If the link fails, put "Dairy Book of Family Cookery" into Amazon,
      ISBN 0852233507. This is the 1983 edition which I have but I'm sure it originally came out much earlier than that.

      http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dairy-Book-Family-Cookery/dp/0852233507/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362821792&sr=1-1

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    3. I don't remember it at all, though my mum wasn't really in to cooking from recipe books, though she does cook lovely meals.

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  17. Sorry, me again :}

    there's an updated version here
    http://www.dairydiary.co.uk/dairy-book-of-home-cookery.html

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    1. So it's still available now, I wonder why I've never heard of it.

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  18. My mum has an old Be-Ro recipe book which belonged to my Grandma. I love browsing it, although I find them more interesting to read than cook from - some of the recipes feel very outdated. It's nice to see they've issued a new one.

    Gillian x

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    1. Your mum's Be-Ro book must be an early edition. I think it's great that they keep updating it, I bet you can see the changes in trends through the decades as each new book was released.

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  19. Just thought I'd add my Mum (who is 80) has a first edition Bero book which belonged to hrr Mum and is in mint condition! We also buy the Dairy Diary every year!!

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    1. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment. How wonderful to have a first edition, and in mint condition too. I bet the new one has changed a lot since that first one was published.

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  20. Very interesting to read the history about this book. Your blog has been going a while, I feel very late to the party, where have I been? lol. I'm enjoying reading people's blogs but am having to limit following blogs now - with work, housework (must do some) shopping and crafts etc it all takes time. Today I wanted to do dusting but the fridge needed cleaning desperately, it took ages but needs must. Cathy x

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    1. I used to have a gardening blog as well as this blog and I started that one first. It can take some time keeping up with everyone's blogs, there's some which I've been following for years now.

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