WiB asked me ages ago for some cookbook recommendations. Sorry, dude. Hope you have somehow managed to eat in the past few months. If it makes you feel any better, I swear I have not done any laundry since you asked. I have been that busy.
Truth be told, I don’t use that many cookbooks. My MacBook, Diego, is my most loyal companion in the kitchen. He has the splatters and marks that prove his status as my sous chef. I am always on the internet, flipping through various cooking websites and blogs, searching for something new or just trying to get ideas. As this posting would reach epic proportions if I listed sites and books, I plan on posting some of my favorite sites soon. See, WiB, you get a bonus entry for your wait.
So, without further ado:
Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything: I know, right? I have recommended this a million times. It is that good. This is the only cookbook you need to own. For serious. It gives bare bones recipes and then provides the building blocks to make the recipes more intricate. Couldn’t be easier.
Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Because even though I do not understand vegetarians or vegetarianism, you all need love too.
Bistro Laurent Tourondel, New American Bistro Cooking: Annie Birdie bought this for me for my birthday. Though I have yet to recreate an actual recipe in here, it has served as inspiration on multiple occasions. It also just won a prestigious James Beard award, proving once again Annie has an eye for the finer things in life. American bistro dishes explained well and thoughtfully can be found within.
Maryana Vollstedt, The Big Book of Easy Suppers: Easy is the key word here, but easy is not a bad thing. This is the perfect book for the novice chef or someone just looking for some new ideas for dinner. The basics of pizza making, stirfrys, soups and other essentials every chef should know are explained.
Rose Levy Beranbaum, The Cake Bible: I like cake. I am sure all of you like cake. When you decide to make me cake one day (I really am under appreciated), please use a recipe from here. It really is the only acceptable option.
OK, now I know you all have opinions and I could use some more options. Please chime in with comments of any favorites…
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I bought The American Test Kitchen cookbook about a year ago and I haven’t looked back. It’s not going to give you any sort of gourmet recipe, but it’s full of good solid recipes and a ton of tips and advice about anything from easy ways to chop onions to the exact temperature to grill chicken to so that it doesn’t get too dry. It may sound boring and simple, but it’s been a great companion in the kitchen – especially for this rookie cook.
This kind of book is perfect. I mean, how many of us cook gourmet at home? I will check it out.
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It’s old, it’s dated, it looks positively missionary compared to the exotic food porn that Michel Richard or Thomas Keller are selling, yet nearly 60 years later, it will still curl your toes:
The Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 by Julia Child.
Also, Jacque Pepin has a number of good books, but his Techniques is solid gold if you want to build traditional kitchen skills (Like properly deboning and stuffing a chicken).
BBQ Bible by Steve Raichlen is probably one of the best grilling books out there: combining traditional American outdoor cooking with enough food science to dispel the useless rumors and myths that tend to surround the smoker or grill.
The New Best Recipe by Cook’s Illustrated Magazine. The recipe’s are a touch boring to look at, but Cook’s illustrated essentially tries every recipe a thousand different ways until they perfect it, which means they end up doing some “I would have never thought of that” things to come up with delicious food.
Julia Child was famous for a reason…her stuff has saying power. I also should have mentioned Joy Of Cooking. Classic and still great.
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I’m old school – I like the Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. Tons of recipes for everything, easy, lots of pictures.
I crack Betty Crocer open often. I like old school. I am actually wearing Skidz and Ray Bans right now…
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I like to have a good standby for each genre of food I make – so in addition to Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I like Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking, Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking, Chat Mingkwan’s The Best of Regional Thai Cuisine, Rick Bayless’ Authentic Mexican, and Felipe Rojas-Iombar’s Art of South American Cooking.
I’m sure there are others, but these jump to mind as great references.
I also always make a plug for the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion for bakers.
I sort of think cookbooks belong in two categories – solid references that give you the building blocks to improvise and get creative around, and those that are more complex and inspire that sort of creativity. And I think the first category is definitely where a beginning cookbook collector should focus.
These are all great, Jane. I have actually used some of Madhur Jaffrey’s recipes and can vouch they are excellent.
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I rec The Elements of Cooking by Michael Ruhlman. Not really a cookbook, but rather an A-Z reference of anything and everything culinary. Essential if you’re serious about upping your game, and actually, an interesting read.
I got that as a Christmas gift is next on my list to read…glad to hear the good review.
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Ahem. I like cake. I like cakes that I do not have to bake. Ahem.
Hm…and someone has a b’day coming up….
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The day Giada de Laurentiis puts out a cookbook with her posing in various states of undress will be the day I buy a cookbook. I know, I’m fucked up that way but I can vouch for Bayless’ Authentic Mexican. How? Well, I’ve received several cookbooks as gifts, that being one of them.
I actually do have her first Everyday Italian at home and there are a few good ones in there. She is bending over some bowls of pasta in her signature scoop top in many photos.
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The nerd and cook in me is very pleased with the “What Einstein Told his Cook” series. Lots of cooking myths debunked, entertaining scientific explanations, and some more-than-decent recipes.
I am a nerd inside, too. You know this.
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Despite working part time at a cookshop, and needing a bookshelf for all the cookbooks i own, I am a sucker for internet websites. It’s all in the user comments. Tips, admissions, add-ons & tweakings. If i don’t have time to make the recipe ahead of time (and who has time for that?) you better believe I’m not going to whip something up (or out for that matter) for that special someone straight from a cookbook. I don’t care which overpaid foodnewtork star swears its the best thing since sliced bread. Except for Duff. although he doesn’t have a book out. He is my kitchen g/d and future husband.
Yeah, Duff is a cutie. And I agree; the sites are best because they have helpful tips such as there being way too much oregano or something.
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i cook tuna out of the can.
I prefer it in a pouch….less mess.
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I’ve seen the How to Cook Everything books in stores. The title puts me off. It suggests more of a commitment than I’m looking for – likewise with The Cake Bible. I see a pattern here though..
The Greek Cook by Rena Salaman – her butter beans recipe is just like how I make mine. Butter beans are the chief export of Lisa.
I am terrified of commitment and these still work for me. It’s ok; I promise they won’t ask you to keep a toothbrush at the house.
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I’m a sucker for cookbooks. I read “Pig and Sons” like it was porn; and I love “The Best Recipe” for tips and twists. But my standbys are my grandmother’s “Meta Givens Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking” in two volumes, and a reprint of the orignal “Better Homes and Gardens” book that an ex gave me as a birthday present a few years back.
Pigs and Sons…I need to check that out. I love pork, though I don’t think as much as you.
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I love flipping through Southern church lady cookbooks – you know, when the ladies of the church put together a book of their recipes and sell it to raise cash for a new roof. You can often find these at garage sales and flea markets. They have tons of recipes, many of which include Jell-O. “Congealed salad,” anyone?
There is always a recipe for “dirt” in their too, which is freaking delicious.
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Thanks Lem, et al, for the suggestions. You will be pleased to know that I have managed to sustain myself in the interim, because there seems to be a custom in this country where, in certain places, if you give people money they will actually do the cooking for you. Now if that doesn’t make you love America, then you are obviously a Communist.
And I second FK on the “ahem.” Ahem.
Follow-up question: Rachel Ray – passable cookbook author or culinary AntiChrist?
And… go.
Thank goodness for restaurants. And FUCK Ray Ray.
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because vegan’s need love too, i would add Veganomicon by isa chandra moskowitz to your vegetarian list. it’s made for vegans but it puts to shame any vegetarian cook book out there (don’t even get me started on those skinny bitch in the kitch pieces o’ garbage).
Everyone needs love, even vegans.
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Well, she may now have bowed down to the FoodNetwork shenanigans, but Nigella Lawson’s cookbooks, especially Nigella Bites, actually have really great recipes. Especially her recipe for chocolate cake, which is phenomenal.
I adore Nigella and everyone raves about that cake. I think I should finally make it.
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Yeah, Lemmonex, I’m surprised no one mentioned Joy, the Brittanica of cookbooks. I have the last edition, and it’s so, so helpful for the basics (Bearnaise to Bloody Marys), although I don’t generally use it for its big recipes for some reason.
A friend had a really, really old edition in his house when he moved in, and we had great fun reading it. Among the more ‘exotic’ recipes were ones for bear cub (yep, that’s right – yum) and porcupine (step one is ‘dequill’, which was apparently such a commonly known skill at the time that they didn’t need to explain it).
Well, duh. Who doesn’t know how to dequill?
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so what’s with the veggie hate? come over for dinner. the bf and i have the bittman book and all kinds of other things that will make you happy.
I heart you and the bf…I don’t hate vegetarians, I just tend to hate their preaching and I don’t share the same opinions as them.
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if you want to buy here is some good Website
for another you can see this any more
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