Here's an interesting set: each card is a double-sided recipe for a well-known dish, giving photographs and simple step-by-step instructions for preparation. There seems to be a lot of confusion over how many cards make up a complete set. Once its popularity was established, the publishers brought out several extensions and modifications. Every time an extension occured, they brought out a different Index. That's fine but it makes it very difficult to establish what exactly makes a full set. From what we can establish, there are basically two sets: one housed in 3 binders which we call the Short Set and one in 5 binders which we call the Long Set. Both sets are difficult to find in a complete state and, for the reason given above, it's not always easy to say where the boundary exists between a Short Set and a Long Set. All we can say for certain is that the Long Set has more cards than the Short Set.
The recipes are divided up into 20 Groups with divider cards that let you easily locate the appropriate recipe card by consulting the Index. The Groups themselves can be assembled into binders by packing density but the main divisions are as follows:-
Groups 1-5 = Starters, Snacks and Side Dishes
1: Hot and Cold Starters : 1-17 (long set 18-37)
2: Seasonal Salads: 1-17 (long set 18-37)
3: Home-made Soups: 1- 17 (long set 18-35)
4: Vegetable Accompaiments: 1-34 (long set 35-54)
5: Eggs and Cheese: 1-34 (long set 35-56)
Groups 6-13 = Main Meals
6: Chicken and Turkey: 1-51 (long set 52-82)
7: Pork: 1-37 (long set 38-59)
8: Beef: 1-51 (long set 52-72)
9: Mince and Sausages: 1-40 (long set 41-68)
10: Lamb : 1-37 (long set 38-56)
11: Fish and Seafood : 1-20 (long set 21-41)
12: Pasta and Rice: 1- 34 (long set 35-56)
13: Vegetarian Dishes: 1- 20 (long set 21-43)
Groups 14-17 = Desserts & Baking
14: Hot Desserts: 1- 41 (long set 42-75)
15: Cold Desserts: 1-55 (long set 56-97)
16: Pies and Tarts: 1-34 (long set 35-50)
17: Cakes, Biscuits and Breads: 1-34 (long set 35-73)
Groups 18-20 = Tips & Techniques
18: Food Combinations: 1-17 (long set 18-36)
19: Ingredients Guide: 1-17 (long set 18-33)
20: Basic Recipes: 1-17 (long set 18- 28)
There are sometimes variations in the numbers but the above holds true for the Short Set we have at present.
At time of writing, we have a complete Short Set in 3 Binders which we are reluctant to split, plus many loose cards as indicated by card numbers in the item headings. If you only require a few separate cards from different groups, that's fine, just use the order line for 10 Cards and tell us which ones you want, referring to the numbers available in that Group.
If that all sounds terribly confusing, just imagine how we feel after handling several collections of these. You can always use 'Contact' and we'll try to explain or help you establish your requirements.
Updated January 2011