What is your favorite cookbook?

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Replies

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    For the instructions to make a wild yeast pizza dough starter, I must say that The Elements of Pizza by Ken Forkish is a cookbook I actually use.
  • Heartisalonelyhunter
    Heartisalonelyhunter Posts: 786 Member
    'On food and cooking' by Harold McGee. If you understand the chemistry of food you can cook anything!
    Also 'Meat' by Hugh Fearnsley-Whittingstall
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    ejbronte wrote: »
    I have a collection of medieval cookbooks, with the recipes adapted for modern times: "To the King's Taste", "Fabulous Feasts", "Take A Thousand Eggs or More". And a hardcopy adaptation of "Le Menagier de Paris", a fourteenth century tome written by an elderly gentleman to his young wife, so filled with medieval household hints and recipes you really have to wonder how much time this man must have spent in the kitchen and laundry-room bugging his poor servants. For fun, here's an online compilation:

    pbm.com/~lindahl/menagier/

    Thats fun
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    I always give the Betty Crocker cookbook as a bridal shower gift. When I was a young, inexperienced cook, it was a godsend. It tells how to make very basic things like mashed potatoes, gravy, pot roast, deviled eggs, etc. I'm sure all of those things can be easily "Googled" now, but I enjoy using a book and making notes in the margins. Some of my greatest treasures are cookbooks and recipe cards that have been written on by my now-deceased loves ones. Someday, I hope someone will treasure my food-splattered, dog-eared, well-worn cookbook, as well.
  • bscmcse
    bscmcse Posts: 55 Member
    In the 1950s, the Junior League of Baton Rouge started collecting local recipes for a fund raiser publication called "River Road Recipes". Some that I have made have been fantastic. They are diverse and classic recipes from the region. I've heard the released an edition of healthy recipes, but i have yet to read it. Maybe I'll get it.
    https://juniorleaguebr.org/river-roads-recipes/
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I have all the Ina Garten cook books, they are my favorite for most things. If I am looking to cook healthier, which is most of the time I like the cookbooks by Ellie Krieger. I love cookbooks, although I don't have a lot of room for them.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Speziface wrote: »
    "Frugal Gourmet Cooks American" by Jeff Smith was the first cookbook I bought and I go back to it frequently.

    I use to watch him on TV and have a couple of his books. Too bad his career ended prematurely as a result of sexual abuse allegations brought against him.

    I've got a large cookbook collection but I often just search the Net for recipes; much easier and less time consuming than trying to find a specific recipe in one of my books unlessit's one of my go-to recipes that I've bookmarked previously.
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    It's really great to have video resources literally at our fingertips: I can read up on a recipe, and if I have questions, I can go on Youtube, find the recipe and watch the techniques.
  • angerelle
    angerelle Posts: 175 Member
    I'm British, so number one is Delia (Smith) mainly for reference, but I also love Nigella (Lawson) and have a couple of Jamie's (Oliver) books too. I'd quite like an Ottolenghi book and have been using my Moro cookbook recently. Nigel Slater is good too. River Cottage Family Cookbook and Sarah Raven get looked at occasionally.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    The handwritten book of family recipes and a copy of a very annotated Joy of Cooking from my Gram's house.
  • krazy1sbk
    krazy1sbk Posts: 128 Member
    My aunt made me a cookbook of family recipes when I got married, but I also love the "cook this, not that" cookbook. It helps me adjust other recipes I find on Pinterest
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I love cookbooks. It's kind of a hobby with me but my latest ones are the Inspiralized recipe books by Ali Maffucci. I also love the Skinnytaste books. My go to cookbook from the beginning of time is Betty Crocker and I love the Joy of Cooking for more advanced things like Croissants.
  • maryjay52
    maryjay52 Posts: 557 Member
    the internet ..you can find anything and i mean anything on there !!!
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    The recent Thanksgiving holiday reminds me that I annually open my wife's old Home Economics textbook from her days at Texas Women's University, "Practical Cookery" to consult the chart for roasting a big bird.

    The one I use is ISBN 0-471-45641-1, which is the 24th edition and originally copyrighted by The Department of Foods and Nutrition Kansas State University.

    There's a plethora of "Practical Cookery titles available on Amazon, none of which are this.


  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    edited November 2016
    General purpose: Joy of Cooking by Rombauer.

    Italian: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Hazan, The Italian Country Table by Rosseto-Kasper. Would like to add the Silver Spoon Cookbook (which is sort of the Italian Joy of Cooking).

    Southern USA: Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking, Bill Neal's Southern Cooking, The Fearrington House Cookbook by Fitch.

    Healthy comfort food: Healthy Homestyle Cooking, More Healthy Homestyle Cooking, Healthy Homestyle Desserts, by Tribole.

    I own Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen by Andoh, haven't used it much, and would like to get into Japanese cooking more.
  • AndOne8675
    AndOne8675 Posts: 151 Member
    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Joy of Cooking It was my first cookbook when I was learning to cook and still the first place I look when trying something new.

    This and anything from America's Test Kitchen.
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    barberellass wrote: »
    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Joy of Cooking It was my first cookbook when I was learning to cook and still the first place I look when trying something new.

    This and anything from America's Test Kitchen.

    Yes to both - I have an older edition of "Joy of Cooking" and never miss an episode of "America's Test Kitchen" if I can help it. I learn something from every episode, even if it deals with food or cooking styles that don't appeal to me.

    While we're on the subject of televised cooking, I'll throw in "Good Eats", which is like a wilder, stranger cousin of "America's Test Kitchen".
  • Heartisalonelyhunter
    Heartisalonelyhunter Posts: 786 Member
    Also 'Gastronaut' by Stefan Gates. How to throw an authentic Roman orgy (with amazing recipes - stuffed dormouse anyone?) How to grow delicious scabs. How to roast a whole pig in a pit in your back yard. The man's a genius.
  • lax75
    lax75 Posts: 118 Member
    It depends!!!
    1. Fannie Farmer for old favorites, things I remember my grandmother making, like apple crisp, gingerbread, pies, popovers, preserves. Although for most of these I don't need to refer to the recipes any more.
    2. San Francisco Encore for interesting taste combinations that aren't too complicated
    3. Mark Bittman and Martha Shulman for vegetarian ideas
    4. The yellow edition of the Gourmet Cookbook, Julia Child or Silver Palate if I'm looking for something special for a party, tho I often tinker with the ingredients to make it healthier. (My version of JC's daube, for example, has about a third fewer calories than hers and I don't notice any difference in taste.)
    5. And for basics and techniques - Joy of Cooking or America's Test Kitchen
    I do use some on-line sites I've become familiar with like Epicurious and Kalyn's Kitchen. But even there I find I have to read all the comments and reviews and not rely too much on the rating - too many people put up a review that says "this sounds really good" and give it 5 stars even tho they haven't actually made it. (That drives me nuts!!!) And some people modify the recipe and then rate what they did rather than the original version - I don't mind that so much as long as they tell you what they did (more spices, less butter, cooked it longer, used spinach instead of broccoli - whatever) so I can evaluate.
  • melaniedscott
    melaniedscott Posts: 1,478 Member
    edited November 2016
    lizandrashaw wrote: »
    660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. He traveled across India for a year learning recipes from home cooks. Every recipe I've made from it has been delicious and easy to make.

    This one IS amazing.

    I really love all things Moosewood, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker and Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker.

    Also fond of Prevention's Ultimate Quick & Healthy Cookbook and anything Madhur Jaffrey.

    Who can choose?!?
  • drabbits2
    drabbits2 Posts: 179 Member
    Any and all Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks. Healthy and creative but not kooky.
  • cogodscountry
    cogodscountry Posts: 7 Member
    Many of the cookbooks listed are old school high fat cookbooks. We are to support a healthier life style here. Cooking Light cookbooks are the way to go. I do have to admit The Pioneer Women cookbooks are my favorite.
  • melaniedscott
    melaniedscott Posts: 1,478 Member
    cogodscountry wrote: »
    Many of the cookbooks listed are old school high fat cookbooks.

    I don't see that. Yes, Joy of Cooking isn't the healthiest. But a lot of the books listed aren't unhealthy. I might think that if we were seeing a lot of, I don't know, Paula Dean or Best Buttery Brownies and 1000 Calorie Desserts (Yes, I just made those two up, I've a tired brain today) or something, but there are a lot of health conscious cookbooks listed...or cuisines which aren't known for unhealthy general focus (like 660 Curries, which is amazing, someone else mentioned it).

    Also, just because a cook book has less healthy recipes doesn't mean you can't modify the recipes & make notes.

  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    This is my current favorite, written by a chef from my city.

    https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Technique-Recipes-Elevate-Cooking/dp/1607748991/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480701155&sr=1-1&keywords=naomi+pomeroy
  • ivygirl1937
    ivygirl1937 Posts: 899 Member
    ejbronte wrote: »
    barberellass wrote: »
    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Joy of Cooking It was my first cookbook when I was learning to cook and still the first place I look when trying something new.

    This and anything from America's Test Kitchen.

    Yes to both - I have an older edition of "Joy of Cooking" and never miss an episode of "America's Test Kitchen" if I can help it. I learn something from every episode, even if it deals with food or cooking styles that don't appeal to me.

    While we're on the subject of televised cooking, I'll throw in "Good Eats", which is like a wilder, stranger cousin of "America's Test Kitchen".

    Agree completely. America's Test Kitchen and Good Eats are my top two favorites! I have the newest ATK cookbook and it is my absolute favorite to use, even though it is HUGE and HEAVY! At least it sits nicely on my counter. :lol:
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    ivygirl1937 wrote: »
    Agree completely. America's Test Kitchen and Good Eats are my top two favorites! I have the newest ATK cookbook and it is my absolute favorite to use, even though it is HUGE and HEAVY! At least it sits nicely on my counter. :lol:

    I need all my counter space for my toys: my Vitamix (!!!) and my stand mixer. But I do have book cases all over the house (except in the bathroom ... so far...), and a nice big one in my kitchen, where ATK has pride of place with all my other cookery tomes.

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