Another Christmas, another chance to present family and friends with a gorgeous book for their kitchen library that will keep them happy and occupied throughout the year.

The Great British Vegetable Cookbook by Sybil Kapoor (National Trust Books, £25.) can be used on three levels. It not only provides a great collection of recipes, it can be used as a manual designed to improve cooking skills and spark your interest in sourcing sustainably grown British vegetables. Many of the recipes in this are book are very basic. However basic some are, be assured they are inspirational, making the most of the intense flavours that the vegetables provide if cooked when freshly harvested.

Dal is to India what pasta is to Italy. Cheap to produce, highly nutritional, suitable for long storage and capable of being cooked in a basic pot on an open stove. Humble food pulses may be, but there are multiple ways of cooking them and their flavours are various. The Dal Cookbook by Krishna Dutta (Grub Street, £16.99) offers 50 different dal recipes for this high-protein ingredient known as ‘poor man’s meat’. If you enjoy Indian cuisine, you will certainly enjoy this delightful book which brings dal to life.

Brown’s Bar & Brasserie may be part of a restaurant chain, but it is one that has etched its way into Oxford’s culinary history. Founded in 1973, the first Brown’s opened in Brighton — now you will find a Brown’s in 27 locations across the country, including Oxford.

Brown’s is celebrating its achievements with the launch of an amusing little book entitled 40 Years in the Making, which is available on Amazon, priced £10. It’s filled with poignant memories, anecdotes, recipes and treasured images that chart the changing times over four decades from the fashions to the fads, uncovering the Brown’s history piece by piece. For those who know Brown’s and consider it part of their youth, this book makes for particularly nostalgic reading.

Madhur Jaffrey first introduced us to the delights of Indian food almost 30 years ago, and now curry is one of our favourite dishes. In her latest book, Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Nation – Britain’s 100 favourite curries, (Ebury Press, £20) she reminds us of all those wonderful Indian dishes we have come to call our own over the years. The phrase “Going for an Indian” has now etched its way into our vocabulary and Madhur Jaffrey is instrumental in making that happen.

If you enjoy beer you will enjoy Beer — Enthusiasts’ Manual, by Oxford beer writer Tim Hampson (Haynes Publishing, £21.99). It introduces the reader to a wonderful range of beers and the drink’s rich social past which is entwined throughout our history and culture. This book challenges the notion that only wine can be matched with fine food and looks at why beer should be an essential ingredient in any creative cook’s kitchen.

One thing that Grub Street Press do particularly well is to re-publish classic cookery books from the 20th century, such that, while they retain their original magic, they also address some of the needs of the 21st century. A new illustrated edition of A Taste of Portugal by Edite Vieira is just such a book.

Vieira traces the rich legacy of her country’s culinary excellence from the medieval period through to modern times. She covers simple wholesome peasant fare, and also elaborate celebratory meals, including salt cod (bacallhau) in all its myriad variations. Vieira, who was born in Portugal, moved to London in the 1960s and is the author of many books, including a collection of poetry. This book will make a lovely gift for a member of the family who (as the cover suggests) wants to make a voyage of gastronomic discovery into the history and folklore of Portuguese cuisine.

Writer and cookery enthusiast Christopher Trotter loves beetroot. He is so keen on this red root vegetable he has brought out a delightful little book Beetroot, for just £5.50, which will make perfect stocking filler. Call him on 01333 360219 to learn how to acquire copies before Christmas.

Trotter has tried to dispel the bad press that beetroot had during those days when it was bottled in vinegar and served in large slices on top of a salad. By combining beetroot with ingredients such as hare and venison, and serving it boiled, roasted and grated in soups, he shows just how versatile this vegetable can be.

Fine French Desserts by Vincent Boue, Hubert Delorme and Didier Stephan (Flammarion, £40) is the perfect gift for that very special person in your life who is capable of appreciating the delights of this richly-illustrated guide that covers 260 recipes, covering all the basic techniques necessary to create a cornucopia of French puddings, desserts and cookies.