Sipping my coffee this morning I noticed ruefully that my cookbook shelf is bowing. My first reaction was not to cull the weight, but to ponder (rather unhelpfully for my shelf) which books I would keep if push came to shove.

1. Mrs Beeton's Book of Cookery and Household Management would come in a comfortable first. Household Management includes Family Planning, Styles of Address ie how to address the Queen or a Knight, repairing a house circuit fuse, how to lay a fire, the role of the nanny and 'being a staying guest'. Name almost any traditional cooking method or recipe and you will find it in her manual; plainly written, unsensational but 9 times out of 10, successful. Inscribed in my copy is this, 'We thought you'd be able to tuck it in your back pocket and take it with you… from mum and dad'. I had never stopped anywhere long enough to buy a cookbook. Being my first and from them, this is my most loved.

2. Stephanie Alexander - The Cook's Companion
The idea of categorising according to ingredient was a brainwave, more so as it is all about Australian food and ingredients. Many of my old favourites come from here and I still turn to it regularly, especially if I'm seeking inspiration for an aubergine going mouldy in the fridge.

3. Ottelenghi - The Cookbook
Ottolenghi — 'food shop, patisserie, deli, restaurant, bakery' opened up in 2002 and has gone to great things with four branches in London. I often check out Amazon's bestseller cookery book list and Ottelenghi's latest book on vegetarian cooking, Plenty was recently released with lots of hype. I went for his first book to satisfy more carnivorous leanings, won over by the universal rave reviews. The jury is still out — tonight I am trying the courgette wrapped lamb kebabs but the photos leave me drooling.

Vying for fourth and fifth place are Nigella, Nigel and Donna followed closely by the Australian Women's Weekly and New Zealander Annabel Langbein.

Though each of these chefs/books has a place on the net, the blogging explosion has provided a myriad of venues for foodies to indulge their passion. Take Not Quite Nigella or The Cake Mistress — entertaining and near edible. Perhaps the most important cookbook today is a folder with all your favourites inside. After all, sharing a link and pressing print is a small price to pay.