Got my first two reference/cookbooks, recommendations for more?

[Silver]

As an update to this thread, I now have a few books and a few more on order. I have purchased:

How to Cook Everything
Cook's: Kitchen Handbook and 500 Basic Recipes (great for technique - lots of photos! Plus it was on sale!)
Chop (cutting techniques and recipes to accompany those techniques)
A bunch of general cookbooks - mostly "healthy" (supposedly)

On order:
Pepin's Complete Techniques
Cookwise
On Food and Cooking
Culinary Artistry

Those should be arriving this week.

I *will* pick up Joy of Cooking at some point. Just have to find it on sale or something first (I'm cheap - and poor!)

 

[Robt]

Regarding 'Joy of cooking'; I have all three versions and the differences are increadable. I do not use the 'All New...' but find the second version really great.

Silver, you really can't go wrong with any of Bittman's tomes, the fellow puts some remarkable but simplly complete recipeis together.

If you aren't poor you will be after the list above. I picked up 'Cookwise ' and it was $30US/ 45CDN!
One could buy a couple 14oz New York strips with 45 days age on them for that.

edit: I really do need a spell checker

 

[Andy M.]

As an update to this thread, I now have a few books and a few more on order. I have purchased:

How to Cook Everything
Cook's: Kitchen Handbook and 500 Basic Recipes (great for technique - lots of photos! Plus it was on sale!)
Chop (cutting techniques and recipes to accompany those techniques)
A bunch of general cookbooks - mostly "healthy" (supposedly)

On order:
Pepin's Complete Techniques
Cookwise
On Food and Cooking
Culinary Artistry

Those should be arriving this week.

I *will* pick up Joy of Cooking at some point. Just have to find it on sale or something first (I'm cheap - and poor!)

My recommendation would be to hold off buyng and start reading some of the great books you bought. Absorb some of the knowledge and put it into play. Then your experience will dictate what you need in the way of new books.

 

[Silver]

Yeah, I don't think I need anything more for awhile. I'm pretty much set.

Joy will, eventually, become a part of my bookshelf, but it's no rush. I have lots to read and not a lot of time to do the reading, so I'm good for awhile

 

[skilletlicker]

Silver,
Sounds right to me. As always Andy's advice is invaluable.
Another suggestion you can take or leave is "go deep before you go wide." One at a time, learn simple things well and then build on that base.
I hope you keep us posted.

 

[Silver]

Absolutely skilletlicker. I will be endeavouring to make some cool recipes sometime soon based on good, simple techniques.

Also, Corriher, McGee, and Culinary Artistry arrived today. yay!

 

[KathyJ]

You could always try joining the book clubs.

Usually get 4-6 books for $1/each plus shipping/handling, with the understanding that you have to purchase 1-2 more books within the next year at club prices plus s/h. Also, on the initial order, you sometimes have the chance to purchase a book for 1/2 off and only buy one in the next year, instead of two. I usually take advantage of that. But, make sure it's the cheapest one!
The initial investment usually comes out to $5-6/per book. $28-$40 total.
Then I'll wait until they have a buy one, get one free sale for my commitment book. Still get charged s/h on both, but helps defray some of the costs.

I haven't bought "new" in a while!

www.thegoodcook.com
www.qpb.com
www.homestylebooks.com

 

[Sue Lau]

I think most of the books listed will be helpful.
I don't think Bittman's book really fits in with some of the books listed.
I had heard the kudos about Bittman's book, and when I spotted it at a bookstore for $5 USD, I flipped through it. Unfortunately, most of what I saw was "too" basic. I think that anyone who has been cooking for any length of time may not need his book, but it certainly would be great for the beginning cook. But that's just my opinion, obviously.
~mouse

 

[Silver]

Mouse, so far I like Bittman because I'm still pretty novice in the kitchen. While I understand a lot of the concepts, I haven't actually DONE any of it, so I'm pretty low level. So I have to say that, I think, it's a pretty great addition to the rest of the books as far as simplifying certain bits that may be a bit complicated for me. I could totally see what you mean for someone with more experience, though.

 

[Sue Lau]

Mouse, so far I like Bittman because I'm still pretty novice in the kitchen. While I understand a lot of the concepts, I haven't actually DONE any of it, so I'm pretty low level. So I have to say that, I think, it's a pretty great addition to the rest of the books as far as simplifying certain bits that may be a bit complicated for me. I could totally see what you mean for someone with more experience, though.

If you are a novice, it should be great. It was pretty thick with recipes!
Have you looked at any of Christopher Kimball's books or books from Cook's Illustrated? I think they could be very informative for you. There are tons out there now, including the annuals from Cook's.
~mouse

 

[Silver]

If you are a novice, it should be great. It was pretty thick with recipes!
Have you looked at any of Christopher Kimball's books or books from Cook's Illustrated? I think they could be very informative for you. There are tons out there now, including the annuals from Cook's.
~mouse

No, I've decided to hold off on getting any more books for awhile. I have the Cook's Illustrated on my list of "if I see them cheap I'll pick them up" though.

I have a pretty good stack to work through right now and probably won't have time to look at those ones for awhile yet as it is. All in due time...

 

[KathyJ]

I have a pretty good stack to work through right now and probably won't have time to look at those ones for awhile yet as it is. All in due time...

you mean you don't buy more until you've looked through the ones you own first???
WOW!!! AMAZING!!!
just kidding... I'd probably save myself a lot of money if I did that!

 

[purrfectlydevine]

you mean you don't buy more until you've looked through the ones you own first???
WOW!!! AMAZING!!!
just kidding... I'd probably save myself a lot of money if I did that!

 

[Miz Guru]

I have been collecting recipes for 60 years. Anybody interested in them? I will send them to you if you pay postage. If you are interested, I will make a list of them for you to choose from. Some are clippings, some books. Check out my website: http://grannies3cookbook.homesite.com.

 

[vagriller]

Miz Guru,
The link didn't work.

I have Bittman Take son America's Chefs. It is a really good read! The recipes look good too, but get this one for the entertainment value as well. I have 2 Bobby Flay books too which are good, and fun to read. They are packed with recipes, but are geared mostly toward grilling.

 

[silvercliff_46]

I like "The Joy of Cooking" also "The New Making of a Cook" by Madeleine Kamman and my "Spice and Herb Bible" by Ian Hemphil is always a help.

My all time favorite is "Culinary Artistry" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. It is my favorite referance book. It is not a cook book, but a wonderful referance to help YOU develop recipes, menus, based on food, and spice pairings. It follows the seasons, holidays, and more, to suggest when and what to buy.

It would take a book to tell you everything that is in this book. When ever a couple gets married, my presents are both "The Joy of Cooking" and "Culinary Artistry" Sooner or later they will use both, and they will become their Touchstones.

 

[Bridgett]

I love Tessa Kiros' Apples for Jam - it is full of old-fashioned home-style family recipes, with her own imaginative and innovative touches.

Stephanie Alexander's The Cooks Companion is an excellent reference for all types of produce - its basically a dictionary of food, with the best seasons and ways to use everything.

The Silver Spoon is also great for italian food, and thoroughly covers the basics of how to home-make all the sauces and doughs etc. as well as heaps of dishes. I think it's just recently been translated from italian.

I also love the recipes from the Australian Women's Weekly magazine, who are one of the few frequent recipe publishers that continue to churn out good old fashioned recipes that work every time and don't take short cuts. All their recipes are online at http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/section.aspx?sectionid=1472&sectionname=food

 

[Sugarcreations]

The Professional Chef from the CIA is a little beyond the homecook not saying that the homecook could not make the recipes but it is a little advanced. One book you should also checkout is "The Food Substitions Bible" by David Joachim great reference work for looking up needed substitions in a hurry. Your list is impressive though I like it. Are you looking to specialize in any type cusine say like Chinese,Thai, Italian or something like that?

Rgds Sugarcreations

 

[Silver]

Well, I'm definitely a few months behind on this thread (been busy, woops).

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the great suggestions, it's definitely a worthy thread for anyone looking for a good base library.

Sugarcreations, I think that if I had a specialty (which I don't because I'm just not that talented), I'd lean towards healthier/lower fat/lower cal cooking. I try to keep the dishes I make on the healthy side of tasty. It's one of the reasons I'm always trying to figure out how to best prepare/season foods...because I try not to rely on too much fat for flavour, so cooking method and seasonings are a great resource for me.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[lulu]

I have loads of great, great, great books that I found in second hand and charity shops. I have literally hundreds of pounds worth that I paid a couple of pounds for.

Even as a fan of Jamie Oliver, the Jamie's kitchen would be well down my list, just my opinion. Any Nigella Lawson book would be higher, but I would particularly get How to Eat.

In my collection include a stash of US cook books including the old "Joy" . My Prue Leith Cookery Bible is also invaluable.