Best food books of 2009: From Hoppy to Jamie, fabulous recipes bound to excite...

If a recipe book's success can be measured by how sticky it is, Simon Hopkinson is the clear winner. A very well-thumbed edition of Roast Chicken and Other Stories, complete with gobbets of butter, sugar in the spine and gravy splashes, sits in my kitchen – it has been voted the most useful cookery book of all time and has become a modern classic. So expectations were high for his latest tome, The Vegetarian Option (Quadrille, £20). Although the title is a little flat, the recipes are vibrant and comforting. If you want to know how to make an exemplary rustic cauliflower cheese or smooth spinach mousse with Parmesan cream, look no further. And Hoppy's caustic asides are an added treat. Whether you live meat-free or suffer a blank mind when a dinner guest announces that they are veggie, there is much to relish in this down-to-earth but never dull collection.

Still on greenery, Nigel Slater has brought out another indispensable food book. Tender (Fourth Estate, £30) is a hymn to his back-garden allotment and makes vegetables the star of the show – the carrot-and-coriander fritters are sublime. Each vegetable has a section, with notes on varieties, how they grow, timings and how to use them, and if that makes it sound too instructive and dry, it's not. Slater has an amiable writing style and wears his expertise lightly. Like Hopkinson's, this near-600-page book is one to pore over when the box scheme arrives and you're stuck for inspiration (salmon, steamed spinach and lemon salad, above right).

You're never too young to get excited about good food, and a spin-off from the cult Silver Spoon bible of Italian dishes, Silver Spoon for Children (Phaidon, £12.95), should find plenty of fans. The cartoony layouts and clear, concise instructions will enthuse everyone – young and old – to make their own pasta, sauces and more. There's an emphasis on seasonality and healthy ingredients parents will love too. The family will never want to eat lasagne out of a box again.

Teenagers may have enjoyed the recent televised road trip across the US made by Jamie Oliver, and Jamie's America (Michael Joseph, £26) is a terrific accompaniment, retelling the stories and giving the recipes in proper detail. The idea of spending a chilly Saturday creating "amazing pork cracklings", crab balls with salsa or chocolate rocky road is very tempting. This book would also make a great gift for a student – lots of chunky, cheap dishes that can be put together in a slightly slapdash fashion.

A million miles from Jamie's "awright bruv" approach is Coco (Phaidon, £29.95), an elegant, austere even, collection of the world's 10 most influential foodies – Alice Waters, René Redzepi and Ferran Adrià among them – choosing 100 rising stars (including our own Skye Gyngell). The recipes are challenging, but as a guide to restaurants worth booking, from São Paulo to Sydney, it's impeccable. Not so much for the kitchen table as the coffee table.

And that's where Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck Cookbook (Bloomsbury, £35) is destined to end up. It's a thing of beauty – architectural cubes of chocolate jelly and fronds of dried cauliflower photographed in loving detail, and curious little sketches of Blumenthal on his adventures. Much has already been said about the ferocious complexity of his recipes, so don't expect the recipient of this book to rustle you up salmon poached in a liquorice gel; but for anyone fascinated by the provenance, chemistry and appearance of food, it's a virtual feast.

Marcus Wareing's recipes couldn't be further from Fat Duck fiddliness. The Michelin-starred chef of the restaurant at London's Berkeley hotel, Wareing creates sophisticated dishes, but this book is all about comfort food. There's little banter, just lots of favourites, such as sausage rolls, curries, roasts and page after page of sweet treats. Nutmeg and Custard (Bantam, £25) is a welcome addition to the domestic-kitchen bookshelf.

One to snuggle alongside it is Economy Gastronomy (Michael Joseph, £20). You've got to love a cook book that has a chapter called "Something Out of Nothing", which sums up Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett's frugal yet fun approach. Both chefs charmed the nation on the BBC series of the same name, and their personalities sing out in the cheerful tone and practical advice.

Finally, two books that slipped under the radar somewhat. The first is Rôtis (Murdoch Books, £17.99), which shows in beautiful detail the cuts, ties, methods and side dishes for all our favourite meat (and fish) roasts. This charming book is also packed full of recipes from the simple to the advanced – the bestselling French author Stéphane Reynaud shows love and respect for food to gather at the table for. And who couldn't love the idea of marrying the big dish with "pudgy" lentils or a sauté of "forgotten vegetables"?

Meanwhile, Snowflakes and Schnapps (Murdoch Books, £25) celebrates the strangely unfashionable hearty dishes of northern Europe, from Russia to Finland. Beer-, orange- and spice-braised short ribs with walnut dumplings is among dozens of recipes, some of which are accompanied by photographs that make the dishes look sumptuous without being too complicated. And if you don't know what apple oliebollen is, you'll want to find out. The unexpected ingredient? Author Jane Lawson is Australian through and through.