I have never been a big cookbook guy. There are a few that I have that get used a lot, but they are mainly regional cookbooks, and mainly written by John Folse. Most of my experimenting is based on what I have learned from those books. Generally when cooking, I either come up with something based on what I know, or look for a specific recipe online to prepare whatever I have. However, now I'm wanting to expand my collection of cookbook, so I'm trying to find out what everyone thinks are "must have" cookbooks. I came across this list earlier, and thought it would at least be a good starting point for conversation. It looks like a very well-rounded list, which is great, but I'm slightly less interesting in cookbooks about baking - it's just not really my thing. Tell me what you think of this list, and maybe what should be on the list that isn't.
• American Cookery by James Beard (BBS Publishing Corporation, 1996)
• Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2007)
• Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (Better Homes and Gardens, 2004)
• Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni (William Morrow Cookbooks, 1980)
• Complete Techniques by Jacques Pépin and Léon Pererr (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2001)
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Macmillan, 1995)
• How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2006)
• The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Scribner, 2006)
• The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook (Countryman Press, 2003)
• Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts by Maida Heatter (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1999)
• Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart (Clarkson Potter, 1999)
• Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 1961)
• The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking: Techniques and Recipes by Barbara Tropp (William Morrow Cookbooks, 1996)
• The New Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst (Barron's Educational Series, 2007)
• The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson (Oxford University Press, 2007)
• Rick Stein's Complete Seafood by Rick Stein (Ten Speed Press, 2004
• The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso (Workman Publishing Company, 2007)
• The Thrill of the Grill: Techniques, Recipes, and Down-Home Barbecue Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby
(William Morrow Cookbooks, 2002)
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 2007)
• The Way to Cook by Julia Child (Knopf, 1993)
• American Cookery by James Beard (BBS Publishing Corporation, 1996)
• Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2007)
• Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (Better Homes and Gardens, 2004)
• Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni (William Morrow Cookbooks, 1980)
• Complete Techniques by Jacques Pépin and Léon Pererr (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2001)
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Macmillan, 1995)
• How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2006)
• The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Scribner, 2006)
• The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook (Countryman Press, 2003)
• Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts by Maida Heatter (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1999)
• Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart (Clarkson Potter, 1999)
• Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 1961)
• The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking: Techniques and Recipes by Barbara Tropp (William Morrow Cookbooks, 1996)
• The New Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst (Barron's Educational Series, 2007)
• The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson (Oxford University Press, 2007)
• Rick Stein's Complete Seafood by Rick Stein (Ten Speed Press, 2004
• The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso (Workman Publishing Company, 2007)
• The Thrill of the Grill: Techniques, Recipes, and Down-Home Barbecue Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby
(William Morrow Cookbooks, 2002)
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 2007)
• The Way to Cook by Julia Child (Knopf, 1993)