Favorite Cookbooks

[Ham Hock]

I havent opened a cookbook in years because of the infinite number of recipes available on the web these days. When I want to try something different I just google it and read about 10 different incarnations of the dish to decide how I want to cook it myself.

However I bought a book last year that I was told would make me a better cook. I dont know if Im better, but I sure know a lot more about the nuts and bolts of cooking and what is actually going on with the food.

I think everyone who loves to cook should read this book. It explains food, what it actually is, what actually happens when you cook it or mix it with other foods.

I cooked for 25 years before I read this book and just learned how to do things. It was amazing to read this book, and to read something that you know, but never knew why it is actually is true. The explanations cause you to get a burst of imagination as you see the reasons why things happen and then ponder the possibilities.

This is a VERY technical book, down to molecular descriptions. If you dont like that kind of stuff then maybe it isnt for you.

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (Revised Edition) by Harold McGee

 

[KathyJ]

Well, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with an "abnormal" number of cookbooks. (300+ at last count) One of my friends told me I needed to go through a 12-step program! I can't seem to walk out of a thrift store without one. That's mostly where I buy them - I like the older editions. Plus you can't beat the prices!
Just picked up The New York Times Cookbook edited by Craig Claiborne from 1960. Includes over 1500 recipes they printed during the 50's.
Also been paging through The Frugal Gourmet's Culinary Handbook by Jeff Smith and Craig Wollam... they reprinted a book from 1908 (I think) and then inserted extra info. They kept most of the old, though. Very interesting reading.
Bought new - On Food and Cooking - that one is also very interesting.

Favorites.
Cook's Illustrated
Taste of Home
Amish Country Cookbooks from Das Dutchmen Essanhaus - I've ate at that restaurant - very, very good!
Mark Bittman's books
James Peterson's books
Julia's

I've been looking for an older Fannie Farmer and a Joy of Cooking.... they must be good - haven't come across any at the thrift stores!!

 

[licia]

I bought my Fanny Farmer from Amazon.com and only paid about 8.00 for it. It is in perfect condition.

 

[Claire]

The paperback version of "Joy of Cooking" is bound to fall apart. Ooops, didn't mean to do that. But any paperback that is that thick is going to fall apart. I have the latest edition, hard-bound, and it already has a cracked spine. Any thick book you open and lay flat is going to have a sprung spine. I consider it a mark of honor!

 

[KathyJ]

I heard/read once that to help hardcover books last longer and not ruin the spine is to open the book so the the endsheets/boards (the hardcover parts) are flat and you're holding the pages. Alternating between first pages and last pages take about 10 pages at a time and open them flat until you reach the middle of the book.
ok - I'm not explaining that too well, am I.

try this website:
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1738297

 

[Claire]

My husband just now bought me an Escoffier! Interesting reading. You can never have too many cookbooks!

 

[bethzaring]

I love to read cookbooks and have an obscene number of them. My favorites:

Joy of Cooking, latest version and the mid 1960's version
older cookbooks like, Betty Crockers 1963
Better Homes and Gardens
Good Housekeeping 1955
King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary cookbook
Whole Foods for the Whole Family, put out by an unlikely group, the LeLeche League.

 

[Marishka_20]

I have a lot of cookbooks and out of all of them I would have to say I use these ones the most; Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook 12th edition, Betty Crocker(1978), Bisquick II, High Altitude Baking, New Pizza, HERSHEY'S 100th Anniversary, 500 All-Time Great Recipes, and Bon Appetit.

 

[baking fool]

here's an update of my collection:

time-life "foods of the world" series
how baking works -- paula figoni
food science -- helen charley (probably not as good as harold mcgee's book)
the bread baker's apprentice -- peter reinhart
on food & cooking: techniques from expert chefs -- sarah labensky
bread & breakfast -- linda kay bristow
the complete book of soups & stews -- bernard clayton

 

[jpmcgrew]

I also have a ton of cook books.You can get alot of them on Ebay really cheap.Has anyone ever heard of Wenzels Menu Maker? They update them every few years it details every aspect of of running a restaurant from menus,food costs,payroll,picking the right meats,produce plus a whole bunch of cost effective menus and more. I took a collection to buy one for a friend who has decided to have a basic restaurant in Texas the book cost $160.00
My boss in Texas thought that was a nice gesture so she sent one one as well.Very generous boss.No wonder I have worked for them for almost 10 years only November and December. Another one I would like that you see on Ebay all the time and this is for the older DC members to maybe know about is Vincent Price's {the horror movie actor in the 1960s}collection of gourmet cook books.Apparently he was a gourmand.I still remember a recipe of chicken salad that he had that also had pineapple,pecans,cream cheese and some other stuff I made it in the 1980s and put it on a toasted bagels.Really good.