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Do you have any books you think are really great for the food and wine matching suggestions? I know there are lots of books with matches but many times they are recommendations of wines with recipes that don't clash and haven't really dug into the flavours of the food and the wine to create a special harmony. I'm looking for something that really delves into the subject and doesn't regurgitate the 'classics'.

The 2009 James Beard Award nominees for cookbooks are in... Any thoughts or picks? AMERICAN COOKING Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited by Arthur Schwartz (Ten Speed Press) Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans Edited by: Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker (Chronicle Books) Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook by Martha Hall Foose (Clarkson Potter) BAKING Bakewise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking by Shirley O. Corriher (Scribner) Baking for All Occasions: A Treasury of Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Flo Braker (Chronicle Books) The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet, Sur La Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing) BEVERAGE The Harney and Sons Guide to Tea by Michael Harney (The Penguin Press) The Wines of Burgundy by Clive Coates (University of California Press) WineWise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Enjoying Wine by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, and Michael A. Weiss, The Culinary Institute of America (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) COOKING FROM A PROFESSIONAL POINT OF VIEW Alinea by Grant Achatz (Achatz LLC/Ten Speed Press) The Big Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal (Bloomsbury USA) Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide by Thomas Keller (Artisan) GENERAL COOKING How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition) by Mark Bittman (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook by Martha Stewart with Sarah Carey (Clarkson Potter) The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) HEALTHY FOCUS Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta: Recipes from the World-Famous Spa by Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider, with Jesús González (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook by Philip A. Ades, M.D. and the Editors of EatingWell (The Countryman Press) The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger (The Taunton Press, Inc.) INTERNATIONAL Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid (Artisan) Jewish Holiday Cooking: A Food Lover’s Treasury of Classics and Improvisations by Jayne Cohen (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, & Singapore by Robert Danhi (Mortar & Press) PHOTOGRAPHY The Big Fat Duck Cookbook Photographer: Dominic Davies Artist: Dave McKean (Bloomsbury USA) Decadent Desserts Photographer: Thomas Dhellemmes (Flammarion) Haute Chinese Cuisine from the Kitchen of Wakiya Photographer: Masashi Kuma (Kodansha International) REFERENCE AND SCHOLARSHIP Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages by Anne Mendelson (Knopf) The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg (Little, Brown and Company) The Science of Good Food by David Joachim and Andrew Schloss, with A. Philip Handel, Ph.D. (Robert Rose Inc.) SINGLE SUBJECT Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan (Ten Speed Press) Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-and-Match Dressings by Joyce Goldstein (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.) The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas (Chronicle Books) WRITING AND LITERATURE In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (The Penguin Press) Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.) Raising Steaks: The Life and Times of American Beef by Betty Fussell (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

I've got one of the 'Savoring' books (South East Asia) and two of the 'Beautiful' ones (China and Asia). Just wondering, for those who have any books from these series, or have had a good flick through, what are your preferences and why? I think I'm leaning towards the Savoring series and I'm not sure if I'm applying the right words, but to me, the 'Beautiful' series seems a bit outdated. The cooking techniques and/or ingredients often seem authentic (which is a good thing) but a bit...unrefined. The 'Savoring' series, on the other hand, still stays true to tradition, but contains seemingly 'enhanced' versions of those recipes. With that said, both series capture some of the most glorious images of scenary of the respective countries. I don't think I'm making too much sense so I'll just leave you to it now... Edit: I am thinking of purchasing Savoring China, Savoring Mexico and Savoring America soon. Any recommendations?

Bear with me, and you'll see this is a toughie. My daughter is studying in Athens. Her computer broke the first day. The mother of a friend she met there is now visiting her own daughter and hand-carried a computer for us all the way from her home in Albia, Iowa, to Athens--and I don't mean Athens, Georgia! Okay, so this is a really nice woman who teaches 3rd grade in a small town in Iowa who did us a huge favor. I want to send this lovely woman a gift. I begged my daughter to quiz her friend about her mother's interests/hobbies etc and all she came up with is that this woman likes "kitchen stuff." I guess that's a start. I tried to get whether she was a great baker or whatever, but I don't think more info is forthcoming. After all, these are 20-yr olds who are off in a million directions during every conversation. My daughter's only suggestion was that Iowans eat corn and potatoes, which shows you the perspective of a Bay Area native who grew up eating an ethnic stew around Telegraph Ave. If I hadn't blown all my money on my kid's new macbook I could afford to buy her a nice cashmere scarf for those Iowa winters, but I really can't afford that. What about a cookbook? Could be something heartland specific, or maybe Italian? Something perhaps without a lot of hard-to-get exotic ingredients but sophisticated, for someone who must do some cooking?

Good evening all I was looking on amazon for some great dessert/pastry and chocolate books...i have a few thus far, and just love the amazing photographs and dessert/chocolate ideas and the instant urge to try out a new project and alter one to surprise friends and family. the problem is there are a ton of great books, and a ton of NOT-SO-GREAT books...so instead of chancing it alone on amazon, i thought i'd turn to you for help! For books, i'm looking for a great chocolate book, theory is wonderful to know, but new flavor ideas, techniques or "extras" like jellies or chocolate drinks or baked goods, etc are awesome! other books, i could go for one or two more looking for a fantastic "showy" or european-inspired dessert book. Component cakes, tortes, tarts, macarons and a BIG plus would be recipes for individual desserts (vs a 9inch pan) and then, i could do a separate book, or if a book included this stuff too, that'd be cool.... some simple recipes for like a round white bread loaf, baguette, ciabatta,or crossaints (i am not a bread baker, but would like to learn and master one or two recipes! idea is to serve with jam or brie or, Lord help me, NUTELLA!!) and i'm always looking for a great new bar or brownie (my husband is crazy for those) or cookies (ones that are not so mainstream, like instead of chocolate chip, maybe chocolate chip/caramel/coconut cookies...) my family has me as official cookie baker for events, and i like to keep them guessing!!!.....and basically, looking for just new inspiration in general!! any thoughts? hoping for some great input! since cookbooks can be great...but can be wildly disappointing! but i know i'll be in good hands with you guys!

I just got in a shipment of cookbooks from Grub Street Press, an English press that now has American distribution. They have reprinted many famous English authors like Jane Grigson, Elizabeth David, Elisabeth Luard, et al., and also are printing newer English titles. The reason for my post is that the books all have UK and American measurements, printed side by side, which I notice many of you often seem to search for. There's a beauty I'm salivating over called "English Puddings: Sweet & Savoury"...just f.y.i. Celia Sack Omnivore Books on Food San Francisco

Michael Ruhlman has a new book coming out called Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. Here's a blurb from that Amazon page: I'm very intrigued to hear more about this book. Ruhlman's last attempt at nailing the elements of cooking -- aptly titled The Elements of Cooking -- fell flat for me (you can read about why here) -- but I've been a fan of his "Chef" books. I'm also supportive of anyone thinking about weight-based ratios. Having said that, I'm a bit worried about oversimplification -- that biscuit dough up there gives me pause. Anyone got a preview copy? [Edited for spelling -- CA]

I wonder, have things progressed to the point where the internet provides better recipes than cookbooks? Clearly, there's a lot of garbage online. But the savvy user has access to quite a lot of excellent sources. There's everything from the professional recipes from the magazine-driven websites (Gourmet, et al.) to hobbyist recipes that are quite rigorous. Cookbooks, on the other hand, seem less reliable to me than they did in the past. With a few exceptions (like the magazine-produced books), cookbooks are the product of a single recipe tester (if the recipes are even tested). I think they're working with less time and money than ever before. The best cookbooks are still great, but very few of them make the cut. It seems like the trend lines are moving. Whether they've crossed, I'm not sure. But if they haven't I think they will.

A buddy of mine is in Vienna, and has fallen in love with the cuisine. He asked me if I knew of any good Austrian cookbooks. I've no clue, but I'm sure peeps here do. (And he can read German.)

So, if I were to get only one cookbook by Madhur Jaffrey, which would I get? Sincerely, Dante

I did get the book today from Amazon. So far I have only read it but I find it very interesting. The story, pictures and how they go from looking for a B and B to buying and giving themselfs 2 years to get it up and running. Some of the recipes I find interesting are roquefort broiche and walnut rolls just to start with. There are several more I want to try. What are your thoughts on the book. Jane

Greetings Fellow Foodies I am so confused right now, I know that August Escoffier invented this dish, and I own Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery isbn:0471290165, and for the life of me can't seem to find this epitomise recipe in this book. I have searched under "fillet en croute" and went through the entire beef section to try to find it. This whole search started as I was watching MasterChef and they had a recipe calling for a crepe to protect the pastry from going soggy. This does make perfect sense actually, I just had never heard of it before. I checked Julia Child and she doesn't include a crepe, nor does Larousse, nor Herrings reference. I did find online recipe that does include it, but as we all know what's online isn't always AUTHENTIC and classically correct. I went to my apprenticeship books (canadian) and they don't include it. (Actually I just thought of a couple more reference books I can check though - Eugene Pauli and Paul Bocuse. I checked in my Joel Robuchon, Michel Roux and Alain Ducasse books and although their recipe all differ slightly, they don't include a crepe (I did learn that a lot of them use foi-gras and/or truffle-pate as an ingredient though) - but these are all modern renditions. I hit the escoffier.com web site and tried a search the original Escoffier recipe but came up dry. I have lots of cook books that have lots of great recipes but alas none of them contain a crepe. I know I'm being a little persnickety with this, but really want to find the old, old classical recipe done by escoffier - I did find websites with descriptions about who it was really names after, but alas none of them contained the "original, classic" one. I do realize that a lot of modern cooking, is only a variation of the classic Escoffier methods, but I am flabbergasted I can't find it in the one book it should be in - I feel really stupid that I can't find this, and slightly embarrased I have to ask this community with the 400+ books I own. Thanks a lot!!! Cheers Gregory Bastow

The Korean Table by Taekyung Chung and Debra Samuels I learned to love Korean food at the source. Even while I was living in Korea, however, I struggled to find a useful English-language cookbook that could help me recreate the dishes I loved there. It wasn't a major crisis, however - I could always ask my Korean "family" for pointers, or at the worst - refer to the back of the packets for directions on using products. Now I'm in Japan, I can't bear to pay the prices of Korean food in the restaurants (charging for panchan! Scandalous!) and I want to make it at home. My husband, who was initially cool to Korean food, now craves it. I like to make the few dishes I learned for my friends in Japan, because Korean food has such happy memories for me. In fact, when I was in Seoul over the holidays, seated, as ever, around a table in a galbi restaurant, I was talking with a friend about a mutual friend of ours, now living in Canada, and what he missed the most about living in Korea. "This," he said, "Sitting around a table with my friends, cooking dinner, eating, and drinking soju." There is something about the Korean table, the way that everyone cooks, shares from the same dishes, and eats the same food, that brings you together. Some of my favourite memories from Korea include my friends and I, huddled outside a station exit, trying to negotiate what kind of food we would go for that evening. So I was thrilled when I was listening The Splendid Table podcast to hear that there was a new English-language Korean cookbook out. This book covers a lot of the basics that I've been interested in making, along with some things that I've never seen, but am very eager to try out. It also contains a useful section on Korean ingredients, and the recipes contain suggestions for substitutions for an American audience. I've been trying to change my diet to one based on vegetables and whole grains, and Korean food - as much or even more than Japanese food, I feel - focuses on healthy dishes. It's not all barbecue! And because there are so many vegetables involved, it's a naturally cheap cuisine. Even better in winter - Korean food makes use of a wide range of fermented and preserved vegetable side dishes, which last several days in the fridge. It's the perfect cuisine for people who don't have a lot of time to make dinner in the evening. You spend a little time getting the dishes together, but then you can feast on them all week, as long as you've got a bit of fresh rice to round out the meal! I can't wait to start cooking from this book.

Hello all, Ok, I was watching Alton Brown's Good Eats episode where he goes into an Asian store and tells you about some of the items in there he'll need for the recipe he was making. As Alton is known for doing, he educates you, and in doing so, I realized how nice it would be to have a reference of Asian store-bought groceries. When browsing an Asian store, it's very difficult to know which brands and items are which and which is best for the job. I'd like to have a better command of the groceries in Asian markets than just having to search for what I need based on a specific recipe, which in itself can be a challenge. So does anyone know of references (books, Internet, etc.) that categorize, list, or otherwise note the many (typical?) Asian ingredients you can find in Asian stores? Last, the attendant in the store I visited would only point me to a bottle of Pad Thai seasoning and not give me the real ingredients and method of how the market's adjoing restaurant prepares Pad Thai. Rats! Thanks much, Starkman

http://www.amazon.com/Creole-Babette-Rozi%...pd_bxgy_b_img_a I've been eyeing this book for awhile now -it seems fairly comprehensive but there hasn't been enough reviews to persuade me to purchase it. So here's a shout out to anyone who has this book. What are your thoughts?! A good choice for Creole cooking?

I just got this book yesterday and I must say, I'm quite intrigued by some (if not most) of the recipes. Does anybody here have this book, and if so, have you used it? I'm tentatively looking for that one book to cook myself all the way through (like the French Laundry, Alinea, etc blogs). From what I've read so far, I can get pretty much everything needed at local Asian markets. I'd be curious to hear from others that might have used this book already, as sometimes books read nicer than they actually work in the end... The book is thinner than I expected, but it's really a gorgeous publication with very good and appetizing photos. Lots of technique photos too with step by step instructions. While I really don't care for the "cooking" show Iron Chef at all, I must say that I'm very impressed by this book so far, and it at least appears that Morimoto was very involved in it's creation. Lots of personal little anecdotes just add to the fun of reading. Oliver PS: I did a search here and could not find a thread about this book, if there is one I'm sorry for starting a new one.

I'm planning on going to a Chinese supermarket later today to pick up the basic staples I'll need for cooking from this cookbook. However, I left my copy at work and won't have access to it until Monday. If you own it, could you please reply (or PM me) with a list of the basic ingredients needed? She has a page toward the front of her ingredient guide that says something like, "these are the basic ingredients needed for the recipes in this book," and then lists about 8-10 things. Please save me an extra trip to the bookstore! Thanks!

Does anyone know where I can find this book? Les postres d'el bulli albert adria oct 1998 ISBN 84-7596-606-3 I've been searching for this but to no avail. Anyone help me?

Anybody have this? It looks pretty solid. http://www.amazon.com/Art-Making-Fermented...howViewpoints=1

My wife and I came across Denis Cotter by happy accident while cycling through Ireland. Once we got home, we immediately purchased this two (now three) cookbooks. They are a regular source for dinners, especially when we want something fancy. I was wondering if anyone else has his books and what you think about them. Dan

Hi all, Does anyone know if any Thai cookbooks with good lists of noodle soup (not the fried ones, which we regularly see in common cookbooks)? The reason is I'm looking for a cookbook that contains good recipes for the likes of beef noodle soup, special pork noodle soup (dark soup, pork slices, with eggs), boat noodle, that you can find in some really authentic Thai-style food court stalls in big Western cities due to extremely high Asian student populations. I already have David Thompson's Thai Food on my bookshelf, and Murdoch Book's The Food of Thailand, Tommy Tay's Noodles Rice and Something Nice, and Thai Cuisine by Sisamon Kongpan. None of them spend too much time on noodle soup. Thanks,

can someone recommend one please? in english

I just received a copy of Pichet Ong's Sweet Spot and see some interesting new ideas and formulas that I will have to try out. Last night I made the dragon devil's food cupcakes and they are amazing! Next time I will use less tea and more burbon in the ganache, otherwise, spot on. Does anyone else have this book? What are your thoughts? Dan

Cocao- Vanille is the title by Francois Pralus and Laurence Cailler. It has a sub title of " L'or Noir de Madagascar A more enticing picture. Pralus is a rather "underground" chocolate house it seems. I know Pastry Chef Alex Stupak of wd50 has used it in at least one recipe. It's in French, of course but any info on this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Hello, I'm a pretty decent home cook, I love to cook and spent time in the kitchen. I would describe my food as flavourful and rustic. I'm looking for books that will teach me how to take my cooking to the next level. For me that means that I'm not so much looking for a regular recipe book, but I would like to learn about flavour combinations, refinement and more advanced techniques. By now I've got a long wish-list and I'm looking for some advice (and ofcourse recommendations if you know of a better book) on which books to buy. The books I have been looking at: For flavour combinations: Culinary Artistry- Andrew Dornenburg The Flavor Bible -Andrew Dornenburg The Elements of Taste- Gray Kunz Which one of these books would you recommend as the best starting point for learning about combinations and starting to develope ones own creations in the kitchen? For technique and generally taking my cooking to the next level: Think Like a Chef- Tom Colicchio Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter or the Dummies book by Charlie Trotter Bouchon- Thomas Keller Cooking by Hand- Paul Bertolli As I can't pop down to shops to actually thumb through these books, I would love to hear your input and suggestions before I make (another) dent in my bank account. Thanks! Agnes