[cupcakecook]

This past year for christmas my mom got me Ina Garten's Barefoot at Home cookbook. I love her cooking because she chooses simple good ingredients and simple good techniques. I've tried A LOT of her recipes and they've always been a success right from the start! The cookbook i have is also nice because she breaks up the sections like appetizers, dinner, dessert, soup/salad..so i think it's a worthy investment! but i do agree also that most times you just have to try a recipe that sounds good to you to see if it'll be a success or not!

[Chorizo]

I have one year of school under my belt now. I am also reading books to try to get ahead of the class. I agree with everyone’s suggestions. I agree a good used text book will help, and a good culinary dictionary for terminology. Two books that I feel everyone should read. "The Making of a Chef" by Michael Ruhlman is about a trip through CIA school and the philosophy a chef should have. Also "If You Can Stand the Heat" by Dawn Davis is tales from some of the top chef and restaurateurs in the world. It also has some of their top recipes after each section. This book also fills you in on the ins and out of opening and running a restaurant. I have all of these and they are wonders.