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[Blue Heron]

As a follow up to Steve Klc mentioning a potential 5 favorite food books list in an earlier question:  

I'm on the west coast & unfortunately don't get a chance to read your paper very often.  You mentioned that you get a chance to see several cookbooks and food books.  If you get a chance, I would be very intersted if you would be willing to share with us your personal 3-5 favorite food books, or personal favorite cookbooks, or cookbooks that you think the recipes turn out particularly well.  Thanks.

[Jeanne McManus]

It's so hard to give a quick list, but here's just some random thoughts and these are by NO MEANS my definitive favorites. I turn to Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything and Joy of Cooking for basics and for research. I really like the Rose Pistola Cookbook, for some reason (chicken under a brick, chopped salad--argula, endive, radicchio and blue cheese), I like Blue Ginger by Ming Tsai. I really had fun exploring Elizabeth Schneiders' Vegetables: From Amaranth to Zucchini. I've got Deborah Madison's Local Favorites on my desk and I'm eager to try it.

I guess, thanks to the nature of my work, I don't and can't dwell on one cookbook too long. Maybe in time some real solid favorites will emerge, when I'm back to cooking for myself, not for the section.

I will say I've grown very tired of the Silver Palate girls, even Basics. For kicks, I get out my old copies of Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas, from the 1970s. I know this list sounds like I don't each much meat, but I actually do.