Beard Foundation "20 Essential Cookbooks"

[Chris Amirault]

The James Beard Foundation recently listed the following 20 books as essential to every cook's library, whether expert or novice. Press release here, and the list is below:

James Beard, American Cookery

Rick Bayless, Authentic Mexican

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything

Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck, Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One

Julia Child, The Way to Cook

Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts

Sharon Tyler Herbst, The New Food Lover’s Companion

The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion

Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso, The Silver Palate Cookbook

Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Jacques Pépin and Léon Pererr, Complete Techniques

Jancis Robinson, The Oxford Companion to Wine

Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker, The Joy of Cooking

Julie Sahni, Classic Indian Cooking

Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, The Thrill of the Grill

Rick Stein’s Complete Seafood

Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook

Barbara Tropp, The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking

Have at it, friends. What's missing? (As this is a marketing gambit, only currently in print books need apply.) What's there that ought not be?

[Marlene]

It's kind of scary that I have most of those books. I'd argue that James Peterson's Sauces should be on there.

[gfron1]

Who needs Beard when you have the eGullet lists!

I'm a bit surprised by Sahni, but I won't lose sleep over it.

[weinoo]

I might have 16 or 17 of these books, but please, Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook before books like LaRousse's Gastronomique, any of Irene Kuo's or Ken Hom's seminal Chinese cook books, Paula Wolfert on Mediterranean cuisine, Casas on Spanish, Bugialli on Italian, etc.

[lancastermike]

Every list can be argued with, but when I saw this one in the paper I thought it was pretty damn good. Of course, there are things that could or even should be on such a list that are not included. But there is lots of good stuff in all these. I have ten or so of this list and am glad I do

[janeer]

Like most lists, this one is annoying/beneath notice. "Still in print" is clearly the major selection criterion for at least half the list; several of these books I passed on when they first came out (like Silver Palate, ho-hum)--and I own hundreds of cookbooks. Rick Bayless for Mexican? I do have it, and it's fine--but no way it would be on the list if Kennedy's The Cuisines of Mexico were still in print! And The Way to Cook? I gave my copy away. Now, From Julia Child's Kitchen, that's another story.

[Marlene]

I might have 16 or 17 of these books, but please, Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook before books like LaRousse's Gastronomique, any of Irene Kuo's or Ken Hom's seminal Chinese cook books, Paula Wolfert on Mediterranean cuisine, Casas on Spanish, Bugialli on Italian, etc.

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I suspect what the Beard foundation was trying to do was to include books in most categories. In the Hors d'Oeuvres category, Martha's book is pretty damn good.

Every list can be argued with, but when I saw this one in the paper I thought it was pretty damn good. Of course, there are things that could or even should be on such a list that are not included. But there is lots of good stuff in all these.  I have ten or so of this list and am glad I do

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Agreed. This is not a list of the "best cookbooks ever" but an eclectic one that covers a fairly broad base, and a home cook would have most of their bases covered by owning these.

[hjshorter]

I've never had much use for The Joy of Cooking. I'd much rather get the basics from the Marion Cunningham-edited Fannie Farmer Cookbook. And I gave away The Silver Palate long ago.