Bubba Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 What are some of your favorite cookbooks? I have two I use a lot but would like to expand. I enjoy useful cookbooks that present recipes that an ordinary home cook can make with stuff that's in the pantry. Any suggestions? The two I use the most are: 1. The New Joy of Cooking -- The updated classic. A really useful tool for the home cook. 2. Best Recipe -- From the people at Cook's Illustrated. I love the fact that they explain what works, what doesn't and why. I pulled Larousse Gastronomique off my shelf (it was a wedding present) the other night. I rarely use it, but its a lot of fun to read. However, the recipes seem to assume a level of competence that I don't really have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings over Queens Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Mine is the joy of cooking as well. I hold onto my cooks illustrated magazines and have their binder cookbook deal and will refer to that from time to time. Beyond that, if you can find a copy of Dom Delouise "Eat this, it will make you feel better," you should get it. It's got a couple of recipes I use from time to time, but the stories are what make it great. #otterlivesmatter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Mass Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is indespensible. Have a bunch of others, but the only other ones I refer to regularly are all of Jeff Smith's books (have them all). Just too much easier access to stuff on the web these days than having to search thru a myraid of cookbooks. "You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't." "You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown" SOL Member #174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Joy of cooking! It is the tool. You need that "basic" how to as much as the other stuff. Ya know, if you can make a Bechamel sauce correctly, you can make lots of other things without a recipe. I have 2 sentimental faves. Craig Claiborne's Memorable Meals Prudhomme Family Cookbook-If you like Cajun/Creole this is a must have. Its the REAL food and not the commercial hype (ironically the hype started by Prudhomme) “My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose.” Ayn Rand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex-Googan Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Marcella Hazan, 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.' She is the Italian Julia Child. Worth the price for the Bolognese recipe alone. Great fish and seafood recipies including my all-time favorite way to prepare Bluefish. Everytime I make it I think to myself that I need to post it here...but then get lazy. Next time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimW Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Molly Stevens- All About Braising Daniel Boloud - Cafe Boloud agree New JOC, any Marcella Hazen, any Julia Child "I have ... put a lump of ice into an equal quantity of water ... if a little sea salt be added to the water we shall produce a fluid sensibly colder than the ice was in the beginning, which has appeared a curious and puzzling thing to those unacquainted with the general fact."- Joseph Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogboy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 i have way too many ccokbooks some i just make one or two things out of Joy of Cooking is my go to for basic knowledge LL Beans Maine Cook Book for down east dishes the frugal gourmet: three ancient cuisines our immigrant ancestors full of good stuff silver pallet (entrees) more silver pallet martha stewart (ice cream and tarts) daisy cooks! (puerto rican food) the breakfast book (dry fruit cream scones.....yum!) many more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Z Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Joy of Cooking is a good hard copy. . . BUT INTERNET! Best resource out there, unlimited resources and recipes. You can google anything and youtube it to see it being done. The internet is the most valuable resource for cooking and its FREE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimby1960 Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Joy of Cooking is a good hard copy. . . BUT INTERNET! Best resource out there, unlimited resources and recipes. You can google anything and youtube it to see it being done. The internet is the most valuable resource for cooking and its FREE. Yup, I second that. All Recipes is one of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay in the Bay Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Yup, I second that. All Recipes is one of my favorites. Recipezaar is an awesome site too. But in terms of "books", definately Joy of Cooking, and the Frugal Gourmet series. The Better Homes and Gardens one is pretty good as well. It has been a long standing classic. Another great series is the "365 Ways to..." series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Internet recipes. Oy vey. Ya know what,I was in the bookstore the other day waiting for my truck to get some tires (don't get me started) and went into cookbookland. I got to looking. The act of a person sitting down and compiling a group of recipes into a book creates something of a theme. I kinda miss that with the net. I vowed to pull out my cookbooks more and peruse them instead of running to Google so much (what does google give you? cooks.com than recipezaar). Example-Paula Deen. She is into expolitation overload now. Every recipe on Food Network that is rednecky gets tacked onto her, but her original cookbook from before her tv debut (The Lady and Sons) is great. Wonderful food, the things I grew up eating. Forgot about Jeff Smith, I have immigrant ancestors too! “My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose.” Ayn Rand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted January 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Internet recipes. Oy vey. Ya know what,I was in the bookstore the other day waiting for my truck to get some tires (don't get me started) and went into cookbookland. I got to looking. The act of a person sitting down and compiling a group of recipes into a book creates something of a theme. I kinda miss that with the net. I vowed to pull out my cookbooks more and peruse them instead of running to Google so much (what does google give you? cooks.com than recipezaar). Example-Paula Deen. She is into expolitation overload now. Every recipe on Food Network that is rednecky gets tacked onto her, but her original cookbook from before her tv debut (The Lady and Sons) is great. Wonderful food, the things I grew up eating. Forgot about Jeff Smith, I have immigrant ancestors too! I kind of feel the same way about recipes on the web. I just enjoy cookbooks and like having something handy I can grab off the shelf and peruse. The web is good if you're looking to pinpoint something, though. Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions guys. Johnwade, I've heard that about Paula Deen's book, but have been dubious because of her TV schtick (e.g. "first you take some butter, then add some butter, saute it in butter, then smother it with butter and cover with cheese. Bake for one hour at 350."). I'll check it out next time I'm in the bookstore. Also, great suggestions on the Julia Child classic, which I am embarassed to say I don't own. And the Craig Clairborne book, which I also do not have but am familiar with because my mom, who is a fantastic cook, relied on it for years. Anybody ever use any of Mark Bittman's books? He is sort of annoying on TV, but I've always enjoyed his column in the Times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RI: best part of CT Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 The Joy of Cooking has been my #1 go to cookbook for 30 years now. I've gone through 3 hard bound copies so far and my current copy is falling apart and due for replacement now. Capio pisces, ergo sum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Marcella Hazan, 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.' Someone on this very board was kind enough to get me this book. Excellent. Her son also has a very good book - The Classic Pasta Cookbook which is very good. The Frugal Gourmet has some good ones. The Essential Cook Book has a great section on ingredients. (Purchase and Preparation). 200 pages+. Equipment (another 40-50 page). And then some decent recipes. Italian Family Cooking has some good stuff. Justin Wilson has some real good ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patno6 Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 i go to escoffier more than anything else. its a pain to decypher, but its the classic book for all things french. i've also recently fallen in love with joel robuchon's new cookbook. and my le grande livre of alain ducasse is a totally over-the-top book that has nearly no use for the home cook, but its totally like food porn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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