Slate's cookbook roundup

[JAZ]

So, it's that time of year for lists -- "The 10 Best Cookbooks," "What Every Foodie Must Read" etc. -- and frankly, they get tiresome. Some publisher feels it's necessary, and the same old standbys are trotted out. Not that the standbys can't be good, of course. There are classics that show up on these lists for good reason.

But still, it's refreshing to read Slate's version of the end-of-the-year list. Slate asked a variety of food people -- chefs, historians, writers and editors -- for their personal and quirky choices, and they came up with a great list. Some are classics, some obscure; all sound like they're worth looking for.

It's cool (to me, at least) that The River Cottage Meat Book shows up twice (chef Dan Barber and Matt Sartwell, manager, Kitchen Arts & Letters, both recommend it). I think it's great that Mimi Sheraton's entry probably can't be found without scouring second-hand book stores. Julie Powell, Christopher Kimball, Ming Tsai and our own Steven Shaw also add their choices.

Here's the entire list.

What do you think? What would you add?

[Fat Guy]

I was torn between two books. I ultimately chose the Culinary Institute of America's "The Professional Chef" (8th Ed.) for my contribution to the roundup. If I'd had a second slot (and now I see some of the contributors cheated and chose more than one book!), I'd have added James Beard's "Theory and Practice of Good Cooking." It's a book I often refer back to for the basics.

The other thing I wish I'd had the opportunity to mention is not a book but a series of books: Knopf Cooks American. Masterminded by the great editor Judith Jones, but with each book written by a different author in a personal style, the 18-volume Knopf Cooks American series represents, to me, the best work ever done on American regional cuisines. I have most of them; I'd like to have them all some day.

I'm the proud owner of a copy of "The River Cottage Meat Book," but I'm not sure I've actually gotten much out of it. It's surprising to me that such an eclectic book got picked twice.