Comments on: what’s your favorite cookbook?

By: andrea

andrea — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 20:33:36 +0000

My favourite ever is The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. As well as going into great detail on cooking all kinds of meats in all manner of ways, it’s a very hard-hitting look at the intensive way much of our meat is produced today.

By: Emilie CC

Emilie CC — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:33:10 +0000

I too love both the Best Recipe and How to Cook Everything. How to Cook Everything was my best tool in learning how to cook, and I always go back to recipes there (Bittman’s pork chops are the best!). The Best Recipe hasn’t let me down yet. For veggies I love Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop, I use this as both a reference and for recipes.

By: May

May — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:55:51 +0000

My go-to book is The Joy of Cooking. I do love Julia Child’s books, and Jamie Oliver’s are lovely simply for the gorgeous food porn shots. I’ve toyed with the idea of purchasing some books from the Cook’s Illustrated series, but as I have a subscription to the website, they hardly seem worth the expense.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:20:13 +0000

I just wanted to throw in what I’ve found to be the most instructional and authentic Italian cookbook, Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I’ve used it both as a textbook (from everything for a descriptionessential Italian ingredients, to a primer on types of pasta and what sauces go best with each one), and I’ve also found it fabulous for finding an Italian way to cook something I’ve found fresh at the farmer’s market. From novice to expert, this cookbook is an invaluable tool for anyone’s kitchen.

By: marissa

marissa — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:26:33 +0000

he’s not very well known in the US but I love Appetite by Nigel Slater. His real fast food isn’t great but I’ve always had success with Appetite. and I love his writing style and philosophy. I also like some of Donna Hay’s books but again she’s not that well known in the US. bought the silver spoon recently - not sure how much use I’ll get out of it but I love having in.

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 13:58:16 +0000

I agree with the other posters about the 1960s Betty Crocker…I’ve used it so many times, although always at home (my mom refuses to part with it!)

Since I like a little company when I’m all alone cooking in the kitchen, I love cookbooks with lots of extra text: descriptions, suggestions, praise of various recipes, stories, etc. I like having something to read while I’m standing at the stove!

So, another favorite is the Moosewood Low Fat Favorites. Folksy, charming, upbeat and very creative. My mom loves it, too!

By: miranda

miranda — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 06:51:43 +0000

PS - also, Bittman isn’t necessarily better - it seems largely like his publisher spends a lot more on advertising than the Cook’s Illustrated people do, since large chain bookstores seem to have How To Cook Everything standees every so often. It shocks me how often stalwart Cook’s subscribers seem to forget that they publish a whole line of books, and hop right to recommending Bittman.

It’s a different approach. If you just want a straightforward recipe and don’t mind occasionally being directed to do unnecessary things, without always being told why you’re doing them, Bittman is great. Most of the recipes are tasty. I just don’t think you’ll learn much about cooking on your own, which you will, with the Cook’s Illustrated books.

By: miranda

miranda — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 06:46:23 +0000

I am so glad that someone brought up The New Best Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. (I think the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook is mostly just a simplified repackaging.) There is only one thing I don’t like about this book and its siblings, and that is that the authors assume that you own a food processor and certain other pieces of equipment (good dutch oven, which costs like $200, v-rack, which costs almost nothing).

But as to the rest of it… I never regret following its advice. Everything I make as they suggest comes out delicious. Last year’s Christmas dinner was a serious step up from all previous years, because I deviated from family tradition to do exactly what they said with the turkey and potatos. They even explain why they don’t do certain things, and what happens if you do them. Since I’ve never had a clunker from them, or unwittingly tried a recipe that was too difficult for me, I feel confident in trying anything in the book, knowing that unless I mess it up very badly, it’s going to taste good.

I have spent some time with How To Cook Everything, and it’s OK - a distant second, for me - but some of the recipes are just weird. All you have to do is contrast the New Best Recipe info on hard-boiling eggs with Bittman’s.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 03:59:15 +0000

The first has to be Simple Flavours by Geoff Slattery - he’s my biggest cooking influence, he taught me to cook when I left home. I gave my sister a copy when she left home too. And the man can write, he makes you want to give something a go. Published in 1991, I’m not sure you could get a new copy, nor am I sure it could be found outside of Australia but it should be!
The second is The Cook’s Companion by Stephanie Alexander - a monster book, that brags it is the complete book of ingredients and recipes for the Australian kitchen. I think it is - it’s never let me down for reference or recipe - weights a tonne though!

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 14:59:07 +0000

I agree on the Alton books. I love the man dearly and truly enjoy his show, but his books are definitely textbooks. If you’re interested in the science behind cooking, they can be very helpful. But if you just want to make a batch of brownies & get it over with, his books are not for you.

I am a huge fan of Cooks Illustrated (AKA America’s Test Kitchens). I recieved the America’s Test Kitchen’s Family Cookbook as a house-warming gift and everything I’ve made from it has come out perfectly. In fact, whenever I’m trying a new recipe, all I have to tell my husband is that the dish comes from that book & he’ll smile because he *knows* it’ll be good!

I’m loving the recomendations for vegetarian cookbooks. The more vegetarian options, the better!