How Many Cookbooks Do You Have?

[JoAnn L.]

Where do I go for help? I was doing so good and getting rid of some of my cookbooks that I don't use any more. I was so proud of myself. Well, I think I have had a relapse. I looked in the cupboard today and, lo and behold, somehow it is starting to fill up again.
The newest addition (somehow I ended up in Borders today). I don't know how I got there. But of course I couldn't leave without a (you know what). It is called "Duncan Hines, Cake Mix Magic". 125 Easy Desserts...Good As Homemade.
This time I think I will leave it up to my children to get rid of them when I am gone. I give up.

 

[Aria]

Cookbooks are treasures....ENJOY them.

 

[toni1948]

I have about 50 and I read them like novels. They inspire me.

 

[wysiwyg]

I guess I am the odd one here, the "Less is more" approach works perfectly for me. These are ALL the books I have in order of importance:
a) Larousse Gastronomique
b) Auguste Escoffier. Cookbook & Guide to the fine art of Cookery
c) Henri Pellaprat. The Great Book of French Cuisine
d) Julia Child. Mastering the Art of French Cooking
e) Dona Benta. Comer Bem -Brazilian Cooking Encyclopedia-
If I have to pick one, the Larousse is the one without a doubt.
Note that I have them for many years and still haven't been able to produce all recipes listed on them.

Perhaps I should look for a nice Chinese food book, I really like Chinese cuisine but haven't cook much of it.

 

[SpiritWolf]

Count me in as a couple of hundred, and that doesn't include the big thick cook books that I continually buy from newsagents and bookshops, plus all the ones I get off the net and store, WOW, I do have too many, does anyone use all the books and cook a lot out of them, do we really need that many, I must admit, I am ADDICTED to cookbooks, I love them, I am afraid that if I dont buy them then I will miss out on a new recipie that I dont have, is any one else like me, or do I need HELP.??

 

[justplainbill]

Too many to list but I refer to the following most frequently:

• Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook
• Milo Miloradovich’s Cooking With Herbs & Spices and The Art of Fish Cookery
• Fannie Farmer’s
• LL Bean Game & Fish
• Reinhart’s Bread Bakers Apprentice
• Jennie Grossinger’s Art of Jewish Cooking
• Vincent Stile’s Italian Cooking
• Lane Publishing’s Sunset Seafood Cookbook

 

[buckytom]

i have about 15 or so. a very weird collection, mostly from gifts that were supposed to mean or be a part of something.

i have:
dom delouise's "eat this; it'll make you feel better", #'s 1 and 2.
the sopranos cookbook.
the saddle brook, n.j. fire dept. ladies auxilliary cookbook.
"emeril's t.v. dinners".
rachel ray's "30 minute meals 2".
a basic irish cookbook, and a basic thai cookbook (i forgot the names).
"fanny farmer", circa 1970.
"roasting" - wms. sonoma.
"lidia's family table".

and a few more that escape my memory.

 

[Verenamunch]

Oh my gosh...too many....i am not listing them bc the most of them are german....so, you won't be interested in!!!But i think about 50 books!!
The best american book is Gooseberry Patch " Best ever Casseroles"!!!

 

[SurvivorGirl]

I have far far to many to count!

I think that my current fav is "The Everyday Vegan" by Dreena Burton. Every darn recipe out of that one has been great!

 

[chilichip]

You guys make me feel like I need therapy,in my on going collection about 300plus just them.

 

[Katie H]

No, chilichip, you don't need therapy. You need more cookbooks. I have at least 500 and still buy more. It's a true addiction, but a good one. I, too, read them like novels and cook many recipes out of them. It's such fun.

 

[suzyQ3]

I guess I am the odd one here, the "Less is more" approach works perfectly for me. These are ALL the books I have in order of importance:
a) Larousse Gastronomique
b) Auguste Escoffier. Cookbook & Guide to the fine art of Cookery
c) Henri Pellaprat. The Great Book of French Cuisine
d) Julia Child. Mastering the Art of French Cooking
e) Dona Benta. Comer Bem -Brazilian Cooking Encyclopedia-
If I have to pick one, the Larousse is the one without a doubt.
Note that I have them for many years and still haven't been able to produce all recipes listed on them.

Perhaps I should look for a nice Chinese food book, I really like Chinese cuisine but haven't cook much of it.

Very interesting list, if a bit heavy on theory and reference (three of which we have and use for those purposes) as opposed to practicality. But since you say that these are the only books from which you cook, I'd love to hear about your favorite recipes. Do you use these books daily?

 

[wysiwyg]

"The less we need, the closer we are to the Gods"
Aristotle

 

[buckytom]

"i drank what?!?!?!?!?!"

socrates

 

[lancas]

We are moving and I have packed 69 boxes stuffed full of cookbooks.
However many that makes.
I also have 5 of the extra fat 3 ring binders with pages covered in recipes cut from newspapers and magazines.
Most of these are going to go, as we are moving onto a boat, and it would sink if I tried to get them all on <g>

liz

 

[beginner101]

I have got a very small collection round about 10, but one can never have enough

 

[suzyQ3]

"The less we need, the closer we are to the Gods"
Aristotle

Yes, yes, got that part. Love its profundity.

Do you use these daily? What are your favorite recipes? Do you ever sneak a peek at any, you know, more mundane works -- maybe The Epicurean?

 

[miniman]

We had two book shelves full, prob 50-100 (after my wife had thinned them out). Unfortunately we had a fire in the house they have all had to be thrown away, so we need to start rebuilding our collection (currently 8. My son is also starting his collection of childrens cookbooks.

 

[wysiwyg]

Hello suzyQ,
Sorry for the late reply, I don't acces the site daily. I agree with your comments about the list: The first two books are specifically for reference, the Pellaprat is the Bible for entertaining while the other two are more on the practical side. I'd say I use the Julia Child and Dona Benta once a week to prepare dinner and the Pellaprat once a month when inviting people over.
I also make sauces every other day (Hollandaise, Mornay, etc) from these books and a make a point of preparing a nice dessert at least once a week.
Favorite recipes? from Julia Child for weekly cooking: Salmon souffle, Chicken Supremes (she has several variations) also Veal Milanese (similar to chicken), Gougeres, Crepes, Beef Bourguignon, etc. etc. from Dona Benta: Passion fruit mousse, Feijoada (Brazilian typical dish for Saturday), Four cheese lassagna, Brigadeiros (Chocolate mini balls), etc. These are all very mundane dishes that can be prepared quite fast with some planning... in gral, once I get a handle on something new, I move on to a new recipe on the book. I also make more complicated dishes, but not that often since my kids don't eat much. They would rather have a steady diet of pasta, pizza and fried chicken LOL. Let me know what kind of dishes you like to prepare.
I have not seen The Epicurean, I will check it out from the local Library.
Ohh, one great inexpensive book I failed to list is Elizabeth David (French Provincial Cooking).

 

[suzyQ3]

Hello suzyQ,
Sorry for the late reply, I don't acces the site daily. I agree with your comments about the list: The first two books are specifically for reference, the Pellaprat is the Bible for entertaining while the other two are more on the practical side. I'd say I use the Julia Child and Dona Benta once a week to prepare dinner and the Pellaprat once a month when inviting people over.
I also make sauces every other day (Hollandaise, Mornay, etc) from these books and a make a point of preparing a nice dessert at least once a week.
Favorite recipes? from Julia Child for weekly cooking: Salmon souffle, Chicken Supremes (she has several variations) also Veal Milanese (similar to chicken), Gougeres, Crepes, Beef Bourguignon, etc. etc. from Dona Benta: Passion fruit mousse, Feijoada (Brazilian typical dish for Saturday), Four cheese lassagna, Brigadeiros (Chocolate mini balls), etc. These are all very mundane dishes that can be prepared quite fast with some planning... in gral, once I get a handle on something new, I move on to a new recipe on the book. I also make more complicated dishes, but not that often since my kids don't eat much. They would rather have a steady diet of pasta, pizza and fried chicken LOL. Let me know what kind of dishes you like to prepare.
I have not seen The Epicurean, I will check it out from the local Library.
Ohh, one great inexpensive book I failed to list is Elizabeth David (French Provincial Cooking).

What time's dinner?

The Epicurean is by Charles Ranhofer, who was a chef at Delmonico's toward the end of the 19th century. The book is huge and very collectible, although for most of us, present company excluded , probably not the most user-friendly.

The first edition was published in 1894, I believe by Ranhofer himself. Hotel Monthly Press published an edition in 1920. A good 1920 version can fetch a pretty penny; the original is nearly impossible to come by. We are fortunate to have both in our collection, along with a much later edition published in 1972.