Cinderella's wedding cake and other favorite recipes

Have you ever wondered what Little Wee Bear's porridge really tasted like, or did you ever have the urge to nibble a shutter from the witch's gingerbread house in ''Hansel and Gretel''?

A new cookbook called ''The Fairy Tale Cookbook,'' by Carol MacGregor (Macmillan, New York, $8.95), tells how to make foods from some of your favorite stories.

This cookbook includes recipes for Thumbelina's Honey Ice Cream, Cinderella's Wedding Cake, and Cream of Pea Soup from ''The Princess and the Pea.'' Other treats you might like to try are Jack's Favorite String Beans With Apple Cubes, from ''Jack in the Beanstalk,'' and the Robbers' Abandoned Feast of Baked Beans and Frankfurters, from ''The Bremen Town Musicians.''

If you like mystery stories, you might enjoy another new cookbook called ''Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Cake'' (Four Winds Press, New York, $7.95), by Donald J. Sobol and Glenn Andrews.

Chapter One begins with the Case of the Missing Garlic Bread, a neighborhood crime cleverly solved by Encyclopedia Brown. This case is followed by a string of other mysteries and related recipes for occasions such as a Fourth of July party, a Mexican fiesta, and a Chinese banquet.

This cookbook also offers some basic kitchen tips:

* Always wear oven mitts when you are putting things into the oven and taking things out. Ask for help if you need it.

* Handles on all pots must be turned toward the back of the stove so nothing will be knocked over.

* Always use sharp knives (they are safer than dull ones), and always use a cutting board - not the counter. Be very careful to work away from yourself and keep your fingers away from the cutting blade.

* Plan ahead. Read the recipe all the way through before you start. Get things ready.

* The main rule: Clean up as you go.

A third cookbook shows you how to make some simple, favorite foods from Europe. ''Yum yum! I'll be my own cook'' is written by Monique Felix (Green Tiger Press, La Jolla, Calif., $7.95).

This cookbook, originally written in French, has colorful step-by-step recipes for foods such as strawberry cake, stuffed croissants, savory poached eggs, and chocolate hedgehogs. On the right is a sample recipe from ''Yum Yum!'' for you to try.