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Why is there no talk about this book? It seems to be completely overlooked, which surprises me, as Platter of Figs is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. What's the deal?

I have to come up with a savory recipe using champagne (or other sparkling wines). Any ideas? Is it generally considered a bad idea to cook with champagne? Doesn't the characteristic quality of champagne (the festive fizz) disappear when you cook with it? For the recipe, I would prefer it wasn't one of those ultra fancy ones (lobster with champagne/caviar sauce, or something like that): I think it would be much more interesting to use the champagne in a simpler and less expensive dish. All thoughts much appreciated.

I'd like a copy of Apicius. I'd like an English translation and I'd prefer--really prefer--it to have no substitutes for ingredients. Or, if it does include substitutes, to also mention what the original ingredient was. I've looked at a couple of online versions and found it doesn't tell you what the original item was. What's the best and most reliable hardcopy translation?

I saw several articles back in the summer that Phan was finally writing a Slanted Door cookbook. Anybody know when this will be released? I've Googled to no avail.

I received "American Pie" along with a new peel and stone for Christmas. I have just a regular GE oven so 500 degrees is as hot as I can go and I have the Emile Henry pizza stone. I was wondering if anyone else had this book and which of the doughs fared the best in a home oven.

Folks, we appear to be approaching a momentous date in publishing history. Of cookbooks. At least that's what I've heard. Yes, the greatest cookbook series ever is going to be in a bunch of food crazy people's hands very shortly. Actually, it appears to be in some people's hands already . Now, trust me, I'm as crazy as the rest of 'em...and anxiously awaiting my copy from Amazon (and don't tell my wife, please). But, and here's the big but, there have been some cookbook series released in the past that I think are pretty damn good. Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volumes 1 & 2 were no slouches, and were pretty groundbreaking, if I recall correctly. Jacques Pepin's The Art of Cooking Volumes 1 & 2 have a place on my shelf. As does Time Life's 23-volume Foods of the World set. However, for my money, the greatest cookbook series ever published (up until next month, that is) is still Time Life's The Good Cook series. A 28-volume series whose chief consultant was the great Richard Olney, the scope and breadth of the work is simply amazing, in my opinion. Great photos, great writing and great educational technique are all there. Now, that's just my opinion, and I'm wondering what everyone else thinks about this.

eG Forums topic on Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold & Chris Young. Society-friendly link to their multi-volume book on Amazon. As the above topic indicates, Society members are pretty excited about the arrival of the multi-volume MC package. Thanks to the generosity of the MC team, a few Society members have been granted access for two weeks to an online version of the book. (Here's my initial reaction.) Our exposure to this remarkable project is prompting one major reaction: what should we cook first?!? Thus this topic, a place where we can all discuss what we'll do and how we'll do it, then compare notes about what did (and didn't) happen. Along the way, we can also share kludges, sources, photos, and the like. Indeed, cooking many of the things in MC may require a bit more preparation than other cookbooks, whether it be sourcing some sodium hexametaphosphate or getting your hands on a chamber vacuum sealer. But that's not to say that every dish need be a hydrocolloid-n-liquid-nitrogen showpiece taking the better part of a week. Volume 6, the Kitchen Manual, is filled with recipes for everything from house cocktail bitters to potato purée, from SV stock to hamburger buns. I, for one, plan to start with some basics! There's some content already available online at the Modernist Cuisine website, and those of us with access to the online copy may get started a bit early to whet your appetite. Of course, next month, we'll all have copies to cook from. Because you bought it, right?

Has anyone found any old public domain cookbooks or books on food in Google books? I've done a little searching but mostly end up with books using food as a metaphor.

Hello all- Is anyone aware of an online nutrition calculator that home cooks can use? I would like to enter all of my ingredients and get the nutrition information for the dish I am cooking. More importantly, I would like to be able to play with the amounts of ingredients in order to serve a healthier dish. For example, cutting the butter in 1/2 for sauteing onions may make a minimal change in taste, but a substantial change in calories. It could mean the difference between someone being able to have a serving of something they really miss or not. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I'm becoming more and more interested in cooking with grains. Right now I use chia, millet, buckwheat and quinoa but am interested in trying others. Does anyone know of a comprehensive book that goes into detail about the different grains available and also has some recipes to give me some idea as to how to cook them? Thank you.

Reports are that Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn have a second charcuterie book on the way. Their first book was a transforming one for many Society members, including yours truly. We have two massive topics devoted to discussions about the book, the first one here (with the index Chris Hennes built for it here) and the second one here. Amazon doesn't list the book on its Ruhlman page yet. What have people heard? ETA: "Salumi" product page.

So, I've got a boatload of cookbooks. Some I cook from, some I cook with, some I read, some I don't. What cookbooks do you have that you won't be using as recipe guides, but that you like to read and/or look at the pictures? I'll start with a newer addition to my collection: NOMA Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine. It's a stunning book, but I think I might have trouble finding many of the ingredients being used.

I can't believe that this is not already a topic but the search didn't turn one up. I know I'm a little (ok, a lot) late to the party on this book but I just bought it and wanted to hear some of your experiences cooking with it. I was thinking about starting with the Lao Hot and Sour soup with Fish tonight.

Book recommendation::: Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor Taste Buds and Molecules after receiving my book from Amazon I jumped right in... this book out of all the books I own relating to wine, food, smell, taste, chemistry, is one that is indispensable ...it's a must read if you every want to understand the molecular nature of what the #ell you are tasting and not only wine... in college while taking organic chem I came to understand many things that related to me everyday... this book is like the Rosetta Stone... it has taken all the information I have ever read and constructed a wonderful, clear, intelligent, concise and to the point reference of all that is taste via pure science... I can not express to anyone ITB, or just a wine geek, or maybe a foodie ... you must read this book... it's easy to read... you don't have to start at the beginning you can jump around if you like... it's the ultimate Kama Sutra for taste... you will bring to yourself and others so much pleasure from this information that taste will never be the same again... ever !!!!

So I bought Tartine several months ago and have been enjoying baking with it, particularly the sourdough bread recipe so I decided to try out the croissant recipe. Having now made two batches, I think the recipe has the potential to be a winner, but I have a few questions. For one, does anyone know what you can do to make pounding the butter a bit less messy? (The way I've done it, the cubes of butter fly all over the kitchen.) Also, I find that the baking time is WAY too long. I don't mind 'bien cuit', but if I bake them at 425F for 30 minutes they come out more like 'brûlée'. Finally, does anyone have any recommendations regarding freezing the croissants after shaping them? I don't really often have need of as many croissants as the recipe makes (especially since I tend to make them smaller than the recipe instructs).

Ordered this book today Pierre Herme Pastries $40 delivered (to Australia!!!) for a Pierre Herme, hardcover, 288-page book seems like a great deal. I guess I'll know if that's the case when it arrives.

Put a fork in me: I think I'm done. With buying cookbooks. I was perusing the Cookbooks 2012 topic and realized that there was nothing on the list that was getting me excited. A tour of a few websites also left me cold. This is no critique of the current crop of books, mind you. I think I just may have hit my limit. Don't cry for me. It's not like I'm deprived. It's a bit mysterious. I don't really know when it happened. Anyone else have this sort of thing transpire? Anyone have ideas about why?

What books are coming out this year that you are looking forward to? Top on my list right now is Alain Ducasse Nature: Simple Healthy and Good. Dan

Sure, there are a lot of cookbooks with great food and cooking technique photos. NOMA comes to mind, as does the seminal Modernist Cuisine set of books. I often pull out a volume or two, just to show a friend the photos. But lately, I've been thumbing and rethumbing through the relatively new Marcus Samuelsson book, New American Table. The non-food shots are great. Do you have any cookbooks you look through specifically for the photography?

For those of us that are not able to (but would like to) attend cooking school, what cookbook gets us closest to that? I am looking for a book that covers the cooking fundamentals chefs learn at cooking school: techniques, tools, basic preparations... Thank you in advance!

Today's email from Leite's Culinaria was headed with a note about "The Fat Lady" and clicking on Fat Lady took me to Jennifer's Blog. Heading it is the post about her new cookbook coming out in September. For those who do love "The Rest of the Animal" this looks to be a great addition to a cook's library. I discovered that I have other books by this author. I've long been a proponent of "natural" fats (as have many others in this forum) and I'm surprised I had forgotten the "Fat" cookbook, which I purchased some two years ago and managed to shuffle aside with a stack of others books acquired about the same time. I also have "Bones" and found it after reading about roasted marrow bones in another thread on this forum.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/food/sc-food-0325-tea-20110329,0,1717613.story this review and article appeared in March 31, 2011 Sun-Sentinel paper in Broward county, Florida

I'm getting rather taken with growing my own veg. Upped growing space this year. I eat out in maybe one 2 or 3 star place a year, and I'm always loathed to forgo my meat and fish to try the increasing number of vegetarian tasting menus. But I do like to try my hand at cooking that kind of thing. I have Essential Cuisine by Michel Bras. I've just ordered a second hand copy of Charlie Trotter's Vegetables book. Any other good sources of the kind of vegetable focused dish one might find in these kind of establishments? Thanks

What websites allow you to put personal cookbook collections online? I know about Eat Your Books and Gobbeldybook. Are there others? Favorites?

My GF is lactose intolerant and drinks Lactaid brand milk and enjoys goat cheese. I don't care much for the Lactaid and was thinking about using goat milk to replace cow milk in some dishes. Coming up is a fish chowder dinner and I'd like to try goat milk in the chowder. How might goat milk work in such a dish? Any suggestions on cooking with, or substituting, goat milk? Thanks!