Tough question! This week, I'd say Cindy Pawlcyn's "Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook." It's not just for the recipes, either -- she has a grounded, practical approach to cookery and hospitality that I find inspiring. That, along with "L' Escoffier," "The Joy of Cooking," and any veg book written by Deborah Madison. Finally, a great autobiography with recipes is "Ivan Ramen," by Ivan Orkin.
I love to read too! Sometimes books that might have had little to do with food, take us to places in the kitchen we may not have gone. “Garden of Eden” by Hemingway made me want gazpacho in the worst way. Another one was by Kurt Vonnegut, a book called Deadeye Dick. Deadeye Dick cooks dinner for his parents a lot and some of his recipes are included in the chapters of the novel. So, I cooked from that source. Did anyone else ever have a book and a similar effect?
Can’t do it…just 1. Had a lot of fun over the winter cooking out of Around my French Table/Dorie Greenspan. Looking for a fun Light Italian book to explore for summer. I would put Julia Childs & Alice Waters (Art of Simple Food) in my most used & thumbed thru books. Happy to see Gregory Gourdet win, great book & what a stand up guy. Loved watching him on TC.
Maybe if I have to really choose…I’d have to say my fav is a cookbook I picked up at an estate sale from the 40’s or 50’s? Pretty well loved, best part is that it is full of little cards, notes from her love, treasures of the owner. And her margins are packed with her handwritten additions..great stuff like “”Hank likes a Manhattan with this meal”, “don’t make this when Betsy is coming over because she picks out the mushrooms & feeds them to the dog” “At Christmas use extra cream” as well as her recipe modifications. Stinkin adorable.
Like yourself AZ, I too have about thousand cookbooks, thus like yourself, "I prefer to go by category and cuisine style"... I kinda grew-up with the classic, Mastering The Art of French Cooking. A few of my favorites are both cookbooks & culinary books are by Anthony Bourdain, of which 3 are cookbooks, and 3 are his experiences, travels and industry perspectives... There's a series by Nathan Myhrvold, titled Modernist Cuisine : The Art and Science of Cooking. This was a revelation to me, because I'm into the "Science" of food... thus Az, you were one who inspired me to attain my culinary Arts degree, along with Alton Brown, like yourself, another 'Hero' of mind that influenced my decision. As a former chef, I've read thousands of recipes, yet I look at those recipes as inspiration to modify ingredients and/or techniques based on tastes and favors I prefer. I truly enjoyed reading Andrew Zimmern’s Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild & Wonderful Foods ~ An Intrepid Eater’s Digest & The Bizarre Truth: How I Walked Out the Door Mouth First and Came Back Shaking My Head, TERRIFIC.!! Cookbooks are wonderful, use them as guides along with your imagination and you never know what new aromas, tastes & favors can be created... SOooo everybody, GO For-It.!!!
I have a major collection however my go to for certain things is an older book. San Francisco Junior League cookbook. A lot of little cities ie, where I live have members of churches and organizations collect recipes and publish their own book. It’s amazing how many wonderful cooks there are hiding in small areas.
Picking a favorite is like having to choose a favorite child. I started cooking as a young person by using the Silver Palette Cookbook - Chicken Marbella and green peppercorn pate where my two favorite recipes. I love every stained, dogeared cookbook that I own. They are like a family of eccentric aunts and uncles giving advice.
So many too choose from! The Joy of Cooking is falling apart, and The Silver Palate was one of my first cookbooks, but one my favorite is The Bakery Restaurant Cookbook by Chef Szathmary. The restaurant is gone, but his cooking technique lives on. These new Chefs with successful restaurants and new and different styles of food like Brock and Howard.
So so many good ones to choose from. But if I were to live with only one it would be The New York Times Cookbook with the blue cover from the 60’s. Timeless!
Another oldie which I treasure is the big yellow coffee table size “Life’s Great Dinners” by Life magazine.
It introduced me to fabulous entertaining. Great recipe for all kinds of fondues especially meat fondues with a variety of multiple sauces.
With that one as my guide I was able to produce and host some really lovely
Lots of good info - thanks! Hard to mention just one, but right now it's Nadiya Bakes by Nadiya Hussain.
Repertoire by Jessica Battilana
My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi
Tough question! This week, I'd say Cindy Pawlcyn's "Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook." It's not just for the recipes, either -- she has a grounded, practical approach to cookery and hospitality that I find inspiring. That, along with "L' Escoffier," "The Joy of Cooking," and any veg book written by Deborah Madison. Finally, a great autobiography with recipes is "Ivan Ramen," by Ivan Orkin.
I love to read too! Sometimes books that might have had little to do with food, take us to places in the kitchen we may not have gone. “Garden of Eden” by Hemingway made me want gazpacho in the worst way. Another one was by Kurt Vonnegut, a book called Deadeye Dick. Deadeye Dick cooks dinner for his parents a lot and some of his recipes are included in the chapters of the novel. So, I cooked from that source. Did anyone else ever have a book and a similar effect?
Can’t do it…just 1. Had a lot of fun over the winter cooking out of Around my French Table/Dorie Greenspan. Looking for a fun Light Italian book to explore for summer. I would put Julia Childs & Alice Waters (Art of Simple Food) in my most used & thumbed thru books. Happy to see Gregory Gourdet win, great book & what a stand up guy. Loved watching him on TC.
Maybe if I have to really choose…I’d have to say my fav is a cookbook I picked up at an estate sale from the 40’s or 50’s? Pretty well loved, best part is that it is full of little cards, notes from her love, treasures of the owner. And her margins are packed with her handwritten additions..great stuff like “”Hank likes a Manhattan with this meal”, “don’t make this when Betsy is coming over because she picks out the mushrooms & feeds them to the dog” “At Christmas use extra cream” as well as her recipe modifications. Stinkin adorable.
Like yourself AZ, I too have about thousand cookbooks, thus like yourself, "I prefer to go by category and cuisine style"... I kinda grew-up with the classic, Mastering The Art of French Cooking. A few of my favorites are both cookbooks & culinary books are by Anthony Bourdain, of which 3 are cookbooks, and 3 are his experiences, travels and industry perspectives... There's a series by Nathan Myhrvold, titled Modernist Cuisine : The Art and Science of Cooking. This was a revelation to me, because I'm into the "Science" of food... thus Az, you were one who inspired me to attain my culinary Arts degree, along with Alton Brown, like yourself, another 'Hero' of mind that influenced my decision. As a former chef, I've read thousands of recipes, yet I look at those recipes as inspiration to modify ingredients and/or techniques based on tastes and favors I prefer. I truly enjoyed reading Andrew Zimmern’s Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild & Wonderful Foods ~ An Intrepid Eater’s Digest & The Bizarre Truth: How I Walked Out the Door Mouth First and Came Back Shaking My Head, TERRIFIC.!! Cookbooks are wonderful, use them as guides along with your imagination and you never know what new aromas, tastes & favors can be created... SOooo everybody, GO For-It.!!!
Buddha's Table by Chat Mingkwan
I have a major collection however my go to for certain things is an older book. San Francisco Junior League cookbook. A lot of little cities ie, where I live have members of churches and organizations collect recipes and publish their own book. It’s amazing how many wonderful cooks there are hiding in small areas.
Picking a favorite is like having to choose a favorite child. I started cooking as a young person by using the Silver Palette Cookbook - Chicken Marbella and green peppercorn pate where my two favorite recipes. I love every stained, dogeared cookbook that I own. They are like a family of eccentric aunts and uncles giving advice.
"To Serve Man."
So many too choose from! The Joy of Cooking is falling apart, and The Silver Palate was one of my first cookbooks, but one my favorite is The Bakery Restaurant Cookbook by Chef Szathmary. The restaurant is gone, but his cooking technique lives on. These new Chefs with successful restaurants and new and different styles of food like Brock and Howard.
Danny
The one I have cooked from the most over the years is An Introduction To Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey. Every recipe is wonderful.
So so many good ones to choose from. But if I were to live with only one it would be The New York Times Cookbook with the blue cover from the 60’s. Timeless!
Another oldie which I treasure is the big yellow coffee table size “Life’s Great Dinners” by Life magazine.
It introduced me to fabulous entertaining. Great recipe for all kinds of fondues especially meat fondues with a variety of multiple sauces.
With that one as my guide I was able to produce and host some really lovely
Events.
Prune
No contest
this is a great thread. Hoping more people will post. I have dozens of books, and of course, one or two faves from each.