A good cook book anyone?

I really love Elizabeth David's French Provincial Cooking and Marcella Hazan's The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Paula Wolfert's Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking comes to mind as well - very interesting recipes!

Love Elizabeth David, she is one of my favorites.  Not necessarily the best choice for someone who doesn't already know how to cook and isn't comfortable with loose measurements and lots of substitutions. 

Could you be more specific about what sort of books and cooking interest you?  If it's "anything and everything, as long as it doesn't include dog" that's a very wide field.  If you could say something about your skills and general comfort level that might be helpful.

BDL

Hi Greg,

Welcome to the CT forums. BDL is right, we need more information as to what kind of cookbook you're interested in. Do you want a comprehensive book, simple recipes, main dishes only, ethnic tastes, small portions? Are you skilled in the kitchen or a beginner?

I have about 30 cookbooks. I recently bought Zuni Cafe and it is now my favorite.  Although you might not use all the recipes on a daily basis, the author teaches her techniques. After reading many of the recipes, I noticed other books "seemed" to have copied her recipes with one or two minor alterations.

I think her recipes created fantastic, unusual and very flavorful meals.

For an all-around book I go to Cook's Illustrated Best Recipes

any book by gislen.

If you haven't gone through this one already - Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.  I also like Patricia Wells' books, especially Bistro Cooking.  As previously mentioned, the Zuni Cafe book is great.  Currently working my way through that one.  For Thai food, Cracking the Coconut by Su-Mei Yu is great.  If you let us know what you are looking for - Deserts, Ethnic Cooking, Techniques, etc. - I suspect people here can be more helpful.

It's All American Food is a fun cookbook filled with pretty good recipes for creating various popular foods, many of different ethnic origin. And he does a pretty good job with it.  It's by David Rosengarten.

http://www.amazon.com/Its-All-American-Food-Classics/dp/0316159204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314133620&sr=8-1

As a cookbook reviewer, I just reviewed, paged through and tested several recipes from TRULY MEXICAN by Roberto Santibanez. It is a superb cookbook. I am not very fond of Mexican cooking but this book converted me. Whether you are a beginner cook or old hand in the kitchen, this book I recommend.

A cookbook reviewer.  Oooh.  I'd like that job!

I love Simply French by Patricia Welles. That Potato, Bacon and Cheese cake, yummmmm!

you can find good collections of cook books at newamazon dot onlineproductsmall dot com slash books dot htm

Greg,

You sound like you really know how to cook....that being said, maybe the flavors of the Middle east ?

Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian  or 

Or

The Legendary Cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida 

Or something not only special to make , but to look at the visuals and the poetry and comments , full of life and love....:

Chinese Gastronomy by Hsiang Ju Lin and Tsuifeng Lin 

It would be nice to know what flavors you lean towards............

Just a thought....

Petals.

A cookbook reviewer.  Oooh.  I'd like that job!

If you're serious, Pohaku, check out this thread:

http://www.cheftalk.com/t/66305/book-reviewers-wanted#post_354640

Thanks a lot!  I'll drop a line and see if they need another reviewer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerdosh 

As a cookbook reviewer, I just reviewed, paged through and tested several recipes from TRULY MEXICAN by Roberto Santibanez. It is a superb cookbook. I am not very fond of Mexican cooking but this book converted me. Whether you are a beginner cook or old hand in the kitchen, this book I recommend.

Thank you for this mention. I just looked it up on Amazon, and it seems like something that I immediately need to have! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by petalsandcoco 

Greg,

 

You sound like you really know how to cook....that being said, maybe the flavors of the Middle east ?

 

Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian  or 

 

Or

 

The Legendary Cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida 

 

Or something not only special to make , but to look at the visuals and the poetry and comments , full of life and love....:

 

Chinese Gastronomy by Hsiang Ju Lin and Tsuifeng Lin 

 

It would be nice to know what flavors you lean towards............

 

Just a thought....

Petals.

 

Thanks for the titles to check out, I'll have to pick them up when I get a chance. I'm really looking forward to Chinese Gastronomy, I'm partial to Chinese food