Favorite Cookbooks

[bleachboy]

The New Joy of Cooking - I am rediscovering this book.  It is such a great source for tips and tricks.

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I agree. The New Joy of Cooking is one of those cookbooks I almost never cook from, but frequently use as a "template" when there's something I want to make. It gives you the general idea of how a food is supposed to be flavored and prepared in it's most basic form, then you can riff from there. I love it.

[Markian]

Any cookbooks from chefs in Montreal/Quebec/Eastern Canada that you use to cook at home?

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Daniel Vezina - "Ma Route des Saveurs au Quebec"...is some pretty sweet action.

"Anne Desjardins cooks @ L'eau a la Bouche" ... is very seasonally inspiring too!

I'm happy to see chefs from smaller and rural areas writing cookbooks.

[Markian]

My favourite to look at is the French Laundry Cookbook, from which I have only dared to attempt the Gazpacho so far, which was very yummy.

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I've attempted the Salmon Tartar with the Sesame Cones.

The Tuilles didn't work for me and I tried it three times. It kept splitting on me.

But I have made a bunch of other stuff and it turned out very tasty.

The Quail Eggs and Smoked Bacon "Bacon and Eggs", the the Blini's with the Eggplant Caviar and Roasted Peppers, and the Gougeres....easy and tasty.

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I agree, that if you have the time, French Laundry recipes work out best with minimal interpretaion out of most cookbook recipes. Nice and simple @ their core is what I enjoy most. Parmesan tuiles from a moist piece of cheese are a thing of beauty...double the recipe!!

[iharrison]

I have been into the Silver Spoon cookbook, the self-described "bible of authentic Italian cooking" since it first came out in English.

I made the lonza al ginepro - loin of pork with juniper - the other night for dinner and it was delicious. The instructions are not fussy and very straightforward.

[cookatlarge]

Does Bon Apptite Cookbooks have Au Pied Cochons book?

[Bon Appetit Cookbooks]

Does Bon Apptite Cookbooks have Au Pied Cochons book?

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Yup

English and French

[Bon Appetit Cookbooks]

Making stuff out of the APDC book today. Will let you know how it turns out.

Wish me luck!

[-sheila mooney]

Making stuff out of the APDC book today. Will let you know how it turns out.

Wish me luck!

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check out Daniel on the Dinner! thread -- he made the foie gras poutine at home! pix to prove it. Bravo, Daniel....

[Ark]

I'm also on a huge Nigella kick! - And the regular standby that's always on the counter: The Joy of Cooking.

I was going to put the APDC book on my Christmas list but I hear the recipes are impossible to make... I'll just pay for the meal rather than pull my hair out attempting to make 'em.

[bethala]

I'm on a huge Nigella Lawson kick right now. For home cooking she's hard to beat -- and certainly fun to read.

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nigella's not big on complicated desserts, but she likes her desserts to be delicious and comforting. so i particularly enjoy her dessert recipes, which while being incredibly easy to make, always turn out scrumptious.

[Bill Miller]

Rick Stein's "Complete Seafood" and the Houston Jr. League's "Stop and Smell the Rosemary".

[bethala]

Rick Stein's "Complete Seafood" and the Houston Jr. League's "Stop and Smell the Rosemary".

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gotta love those junior league cookbooks. great for easy parties or everyday cooking. i like the ones put out by the san francisco junior league as well.

[Bon Appetit Cookbooks]

Martin Picard was in the store and had to make a few things from his book, Au Pied Du Cochon.

So I was able to make a couple things. The Oreilles de Crises and the Tomato Tart.

I forgot to take pictures of the tomato tart, but take my word for it, it was good.

Any one for some Pork Fat?

Had to fry the fat on low heat until it was almost translucent.

Then drain those bad boys on some paper.

Deepfry till crispy and you're in heaven.

Edited November 28, 2006 by Bon Appetit Cookbooks (log)

[Vanessa L.]

The French Laundry cookbook set is beautiful, but I would never have the heart to cook with it around, I feel like I would have to photocopy the pages lest they become full of smut.

More practically, Great Good Food by Julee Rosso.

[cheryl]

He's not kidding - the tomato tart was good. The oreilles de crise, however, were even better...yum...

[chantal]

Thanks Bon Apetite Cookbooks for this informative thread.

Well me and my other half are both cooks and I must admit we buy a lot of books. These days we are going to Nigel Slater a lot--Real Cooking and Real Food . His writing is spectacular and his recipes are doable on weeknights. His style is casual but wonderful. If you like Nigella or older Jill Dupleix books check him out.

I have not been disappointed by anything I have made from Peter Berley's Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. It has won multiple awards and justifyably so. I didn't think millet and kamut could be good. The tofu dishes are also good.

Baking with Julia is an outstanding baking resource. If you want to try to learn to make something complicated--e.g. brioche, challah--this is a great place to go. Chez Panisse Desserts is a classic. The organization is really amazing if you take advantage of farmer's markets. It's really great for seasonal desserts.

And finally, I was disappointed by Suzanne Goin's Sunday Supers at Lucques. It got a lot of hype buy we haven't really had anything that exceptional from it. We'll give it another go in the summer.

Buy the way, is there a way to get on a mailing list for your store. I keep hearing about all these great events after the fact. Thanks in advance.

Chantal

Edited December 11, 2006 by chantal (log)

[wattacetti]

I book I'm currently browsing for ideas is Yoshihiro Murata's Kaiseki (ISBN 4-7700-3022-3). Originally picked to get plating suggestions, but the yuki nabe and duck hot pots sound quite good. Now I just need to find the time.

[JodyS]

The French Laundry cookbook set is beautiful, but I would never have the heart to cook with it around, I feel like I would have to photocopy the pages lest they become full of smut.

More practically, Great Good Food by Julee Rosso.

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That's exactly what I do. It's too beautiful to bring int he kitchen.

I'm an ambitious amateur chef. I just started a few months ago but I have the following in my collection: Mastering the art of french cooking(child), the essentials of classic italian cooking (hazan), Bouchon and The French Laundry Cookbook, Amuse-Bouche, Sauces:classic and contemporary sauce making (Peterson),Culinary Artistry,Joy of Cooking, and La Varenne Pratique.

They're all fantastic books with the exception of The Joy of Cooking, which I find completely boring. La Varenne is an excellent technique book. The KEller books are not only beautiful, but very well written and full of little things that will help you refine your cooking. Sauces is excellent. Culinary Artistry isn't a cookbook but it has tons of useful info for the serious home chef.

I cook most often from Bouchon, Mastering, and classic italian. The FLC is for special dates ;p

Edited January 14, 2007 by JodyS (log)

[Michaeltheonion]

Ive used the French Laundry and Bouchon quite alot in my cooking, both at home and work. I used the French laundry mainly to nail down some technique. Things like the oils and powders would have elluded me without that book. Also I make my stocks and braises as he instructs because I find that they have the nicest results ( one of the main differences in Kellers stocks is that he doesnt use cellery.) Also the way he describes making torchon is really fantastic. Its also has the perfect ratio of seasoning.

As well bnouchon is awesome for some old school ideas, like the ckickpea and carrot salad or the remoulade. And the duck confit in this book is divine. Some chef omit the salting process in confit. Which I was instructed to do. After having the legs salted Ill never go back. It almost has a "bacon" quality to it.

Finally I suppose I use Mcgee quite alot. recently Ive been doing alot of vegan baking and have been experimenting with flax seed and different techniques of that sort. But after these my most worn out book is "How to cook everything." Good beginners book.

[Bon Appetit Cookbooks]

A Touch off topic....

Going to Bouchon for lunch and French Laundry for dinner tomorrow night. I'll be sure to report as soon as a can.

BTW, we were buying our pastry at the Bouchon Bakery yesterday afternoon (amazingly good) and who was hanging out infront of Bouchon? The Master himself Thomas Keller. It certainly was an honour to meet him and we mentioned we were eating at the FL on Thursday and he said he'll be there. How exciting is that?

[Lesley C]

You know Jonathan, I don't find that too exciting.

You know what is exciting. It was actually something like -25 here in sunny Montreal today. That's right, with a windshield factor making it something like -32. Godzilla cold. Now that is something to talk about.

A once-in-a-lifetime dinner in California wine country with your lovely wife and best-chef-in-the-world Thomas Keller cooking for you…What's the big deal???

Have fun. And please post some pictures for us poor losers stuck here in Antarctica!

[toto2]

"A new way to cook " and "the improvisational cook" by Sally Schneider are right now my two favorite books. Her herb scented tuscan pork roast is to die for. it is the first timer I made a pork rost that tasted just like in italy ! I now make a lot of different herbed salts ispired by her Tuscan herb salt ! Shw gave me wings !

[catdaddy]

Anything by Grace Young.

[pastrygirl]

On food and cooking by Harold McGee. If you understand how food works, cookbooks are just for pictures. 

[Okanagancook]

Julia, The Way To Cook

Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen

Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook

Marcella Hazen's Essentials of Italian cooking

 

I could go on

 

 

I like Harold McGee also