73 replies to this topic

[Darienne]

I agree. Claudia Roden's "A Book of Middle Eastern Food" should be on the list. Mine is worn and well used.

Ditto from me!

[catdaddy]

Wow, what a great thread.

As a culinary school graduate circa 1986 Larousse and La Repitoire are near the top.

Richard Olney and Julia Child come next.

The more I worked and understood my American-ness Beard, Greene, and Bayless became more important.

Then Bill Neal, Alan Scott, 7Fires, and the Hot Tamales.

Lately Mark Bittman for international techniques, Tony Bourdain for criticism, the CSA we just bought into, and the SE Asian things I'll be trying soon.

The world of good food writing is huge already and growing. So many books and so little time.

[patrickamory]

I'd like to second the recommendation for John Thorne. His books get you thinking about food and cooking - they're not just collections of recipes, and they don't just set food in its cultural context either - they are deeply intellectual, thought-provoking discussions of specific dishes, ingredients and traditions, set in wonderfully evocative prose about his own day-to-day life in Maine and Western Massachusetts.

My favorite is Serious Pg, followed by Pot On The Fire. But they're all superb.

I'll also second the recommendation for Madhur Jaffrey. I sometimes feel like she's taken for granted compared to other Indian cookbook writers, possibly because she's written so many pan-Asian cookbooks. But her Taste of India (sadly out of print) is an amazing introduction to the regional cuisines of the subcontinent. The photography and text help explain the different ingredients, traditions and ways of cooking - and the selection of recipes, though small, is amazing. Plenty of dishes I've never encountered elsewhere. I think the Kerala section blows the entire Curried Favors book out of the water.

Edit: Oh, and Patience Gray, Honey From a Weed! The apotheosis of writing about Mediterranean life and cooking.

Edited by patrickamory, 13 February 2011 - 01:24 PM.

[Darienne]

It appears that no one has listed Mark Bittman's books. I have most of them and return to them over and over for his thoughts and tips.

[munchymom]

It's probably because I came of age in the early '90s, but the most battered, stained, ripped-up book in my kitchen is The New Basics by Rosso and Lukins. This was the book my parents gave me when I moved into my first off-campus apartment in college. I promptly made myself popular by bringing Chocolate Scotch Truffles to parties. It's not an all-time classic like Joy of Cooking or Julia Child's books, but it's very exemplary of its time. Tons of the recipes in there have become staples in our house.

[sheepish]

1968 : Jane Grigson, Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery. I'm probably a bit blasé compared to some eGulleters about saltpetre, but all of the recipes just feel right. I don't think pork preservation has gone to very many useful places since this was written. From a time when people didn't have humidity controlled drying chambers.

1978 : Delia Smith, Complete Cookery Course. Still where I look to remember how much lard I need in shortcrust pastry. Great for British comfort food. Not so sure about her curries!

1999 : Thomas Keller, The French Laundry Cookbook. OK, only 12 years old, but high end cooking has moved on a lot. But nothing beats cooking meat in a frying pan, and boiling veg in salt water. Still the most accessible 3 star recipes. Tells you how long each component of a dish will store for. So while it may take you a few days to make dinner, it's still very achievable, and to my mind gives you the best chance of nailing a dish on your first attempt.

[qrn]

Henri paul pellaprat, Modern French Culinary art,First cookbook back in the 60's still look at it from time to time,
great stuff...
Bud

[Rover]

Barbara Kafka's "The Opinionated Palate - Passions and Peeves on Eating and Food" a small collection of food-related essays, some of which are hilarious.

[Snadra]

Henri paul pellaprat, Modern French Culinary art,First cookbook back in the 60's still look at it from time to time,
great stuff...
Bud

I mentioned it upthread - I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling this! Some of the photographs are quite beautiful, but a few of them are nearly frightening (there's a trout dish in particular that makes me think "horror movie" rather than "delicious" everytime I flick past it). The Beef Stroganoff recipe is really excellent, and very simple.

[nakji]

"Much Depends on Dinner" by Margaret Visser. I read it in when I was in university - a real page turner, and an inspiration, I suspect, for "The Omnivore's Dilemma". She takes a dinner with chicken, corn, rice, salad, and ice cream, and writes the history of each ingredient. The pieces on corn are particularly terrifying.

I noticed it was cited in the Saveur 100 recently.

[Darienne]

"Much Depends on Dinner" by Margaret Visser. I read it in when I was in university - a real page turner, and an inspiration, I suspect, for "The Omnivore's Dilemma". She takes a dinner with chicken, corn, rice, salad, and ice cream, and writes the history of each ingredient. The pieces on corn are particularly terrifying.

I noticed it was cited in the Saveur 100 recently.

Time for me to re-read Visser's book.

[gfweb]

Two by Beard; Theory and practice of Cooking and Delights an Prejudices.

[qrn]

Henri paul pellaprat, Modern French Culinary art,First cookbook back in the 60's still look at it from time to time,
great stuff...
Bud

I mentioned it upthread - I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling this! Some of the photographs are quite beautiful, but a few of them are nearly frightening (there's a trout dish in particular that makes me think "horror movie" rather than "delicious" everytime I flick past it). The Beef Stroganoff recipe is really excellent, and very simple.

I have both ,including the "everyday"you mentioned, got me started well, back in the "olden days"
Bud

[Darienne]

Went to the local library looking for Margaret Visser. Much Depends Upon Dinner. It was out.

What I did find was also by Visser. The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities and Meaning of Table Manners.
Absolutely fascinating. Mind-boggling. Am savoring each section of it.

It's the kind of book that I would take in the car on a long trip to read out loud to my husband (who loves being read to anyway. He has heard the entire Andrew Shotts. Making Artisan Chocolates and Peter Greweling's Chocolates & Confections: formula, theory,and technique for the artisan confectioner, the last title lasting the entire journey from Utah to Ontario.) It's an excellent way to learn stuff.