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Apologies in advance if there's a thread for this already- I couldn't find it using search. I'm an ex-pro cook who is desperately trying to recapture the magic that I was constantly surrounded by when I used to be in the industry. I've had the painful realization recently, however, that so much of what makes great food great isn't a clever ingredient list, but a) techniques and b) prep time. For me, I tend not to have the right types of equipment to make some of the basic things I was accustomed to in a pro kitchen (I'm not talking $2000 stand mixers, but even simple things like coffee filters for making oil infusions etc.). As well, I learned pretty quickly that a some of my favorite dishes tended to have 4-6 components, some of which themselves might have taken a day to prep in and of themselves (I'm looking at you chicken jus and compotes). Having a regular 9-5 is a pretty huge constraint on what I feel like I can reasonably accomplish as an adult, so I'm trying to find some shortcuts to the old magic. And, to that end, I'm interested in filling out my cookbook collection, which at this point is fairly mundane. I'd love to have a thread for people's desert (dessert?) island cookbooks, particularly ones that might be lesser known (those Phaidon books sure look nice, but the reviews are pretty damning). Post your essentials here- I'd love some recommendations for South Indian or Thai! Plenty/Jerusalem - Yotam Ottolenghi - What hasn't been said about this book? Having a partner who is vegetarian has rendered these two books totally essential. Aside from the fact that they're both beautifully laid out and capture a remarkable diversity of ingredients, one of the best assets of both of these books (Jerusalem in particular) is that there's a very common spice/herb component across the book. At first glance, some of the recipes can be frustrating for the amount of spices they require, but once you get them for one recipe, you'll find that they're applied throughout the books, and in an interesting diversity of methods. The popularity of these books are completely justified- they are fantastic. The instructions for all of these recipes are also extremely well written, and they seem to be tested to death- I've never had a single dish from either of these books come out lacking on the first try. Egg - Michael Ruhlman - This book changed how I make scrambled eggs, among other things. Ruhlman is fantastic at teaching (or getting you to re-learn) essential techniques. A lot of the recipes in this book are actually highly unimaginative, but the strength of it lies in how precise he is about technique. Despite being associated with Thomas Keller, Ruhlman is a bit more realistic in his expectations of the home cook here, and it's very much appreciated. If you feel like you could use a couple more pointers on how to make the perfect brownie, aioli, or scrambled egg, this is a fantastic reference. More so than most books, it feels like the lessons learned here can be applied well beyond the pages of the book itself. On Food and Cooking - Harold McGee I can't honestly cite one tangible way this book has improved my cooking. And yet, it feels indispensable. Anyone who has ever flipped through it can attest to its value. Another book that deserved all of the superlatives heaped on it, it feels like it's in a rarefied class with Alice Waters, Julia Child, etc.
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Mar 18, 2015 00:59
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If you like Ruhlman, "Ratio" is my ultimate cheat sheet for "combine things you enjoy in such a way to make recognizable foods". Stocks, charcuterie, dressings, whatever. It doesn't give you recipes, it teaches you how--and the why of how--to cook because it teaches you how to use what you've got instead of fret about what you don't. It is glorious.
Willie Tomg fucked around with this message at 08:19 on Mar 18, 2015 |
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Mar 18, 2015 08:14
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Seconding On Food and Cooking Joy of Cooking has seen a lot of use, but not so much recently. Still a staple, as are Alton Brown's Gear and cooking/baking books. I probably reach for Modernist Cuisine more than anything, mostly because of the foundation of some interesting techniques that you can apply in a more reasonable manner. To do a complete recipe is a serious time investment.
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Mar 18, 2015 20:09
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I'm going to throw in Fuchsia Dunlop. Recently bought 'every grain of rice', but I bet any of her books are good if you are into chinese cooking. The simplicity of the recipes and the awesome outcomes make me a big fan.
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Mar 18, 2015 20:37
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Rick Bayless' Authentic Mexican is great, especially if you start where I did - with a fondness for Taco night, but no knowledge whatsoever of Mexican cooking, the ingredients, or the techniques. Worth the price of admission for the chile pastes alone.
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Mar 18, 2015 21:42
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For Asian food, I love Lemongrass and Ginger.
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Mar 20, 2015 01:27
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Each of these books has had me locked in the kitchen for days on end: Anything by Ruhlman. Egg and Ratio are masterpieces. loving Egg. I ate dozens of eggs over the course of a few weeks, and every single one was a delight.  Sushi, Taste and Technique by Barber/Takemura. Absolutely everything you ever wanted to know about sushi. History, tools, even diagrams for cutting fish. This book has everything, and it does it in the minimum possible number of pages. It even tells you manners for when you're at a sushi bar or tips for serving at home. Ev-ry-thing. Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen. Like Sushi, but for dumplings. After reading this book, I planned a day in the kitchen and made 150 dumplings. [And answering the desert island question...] Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. If I could only save one cookbook for the future to know what American cooking is like, it'd be this one. Yeah, fancy niche cookbooks are nice, but what about when you remember at the last minute you have a family event to go to and you absolutely must make cinnamon rolls, or cherry pie? Conversion charts, a good index, this book has it all. Ratio would do this for you too, but sometimes it's nice when a recipe has been idiot-proofed for you.
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Mar 20, 2015 05:07
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ME
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On Food and Cooking basically answers 99% of any culinary related questions I might have. The definitive cooking encyclopedia as far as I'm concerned. Ratio is also excellent, especially when I feel like experimenting.
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Mar 20, 2015 08:23
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While I cannot attest to having tried all the recipes in Tartine Bread, it is a book that drastically changed my approach and love for food. The basic sourdough bread recipe is and exercise in simplicity and complexity -it's ingredients are straightforward but it's focus on technique and craft made it a real bear to get right. Over the course of six months, every weekend I would try again to make the perfect pair of loaves -1kg flour, 700g water, 15g salt, and most of a day- and they would often turn out sub par: Undercooked inside, improperly shaped, too dense, not dense enough. Sometimes I considered giving up on the task, but then I remembered the incremental gains and insight I was seeing as I made the bread. Eventually, I made some great bread consistently, and I could understand and account for any variables in the process. I wasn't following a recipe, I had learned a craft. Tartine bread is the book that turned an interest in cooking into a passion.
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Mar 20, 2015 08:48
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paraquat posted:I'm going to throw in Fuchsia Dunlop. Recently bought 'every grain of rice', but I bet any of her books are good if you are into chinese cooking. I really liked the biography one, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: a sweet-sour memoir of eating in China My favourite Italian book is Giorgio Locatelli's Made in italy
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Mar 20, 2015 10:40
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revdrkevind posted:Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. If I could only save one cookbook for the future to know what American cooking is like, it'd be this one. Yeah, fancy niche cookbooks are nice, but what about when you remember at the last minute you have a family event to go to and you absolutely must make cinnamon rolls, or cherry pie? Conversion charts, a good index, this book has it all. Ratio would do this for you too, but sometimes it's nice when a recipe has been idiot-proofed for you. Yep. I still have my mother's dog-eared, stained BHG on the counter. Nothing flashy, it's just the American menu for the last 100 years or so. Not wonderful, but essential. I'll add Memories of a Cuban Kitchen. It's the collected recipes of a dying cuisine, primarily that of pre-revolutionary middle/upper class Cuban. Mojo that will strip the paint off walls, and old fashioned escabeche. I couldn't say what in particular about it I find essential, just that the flavors are amazing and it's the one I grab most when I feel like making something that kills. Kills as in taste, not kills as in botulism (though many of the recipes are pre-refridgeration so good luck there).
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Mar 20, 2015 15:39
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  both of these have been absolutely ripped to shreds form years and years of hard and constant use.
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Mar 22, 2015 00:47
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Everyone has already said Ratio a million times, but I'm going to also recommend it. I also love The Flavor Bible. It's awesome for ingredient pairing inspiration!
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Mar 22, 2015 02:24
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Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen BBQ shrimp are the best.
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Mar 22, 2015 06:42
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I had always flirted with the idea of getting Ratio, but I foolishly assumed the book would basically boil down to "3 parts oil 1 part vinegar". Egg has been so fantastic I guess I don't have a choice. Thanks for the suggestions so far everyone- how can I say no to a cookbook devoted to dumplings and gyozas? Does anyone know of any good books for imitating the southern Indian food typically found in American restaurants?
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Mar 22, 2015 15:09
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I have a bunch of cookbooks like Harold McGee and the Flavor Bible but I almost always use How to Cook Everything
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Mar 22, 2015 15:57
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Jewmanji posted:I had always flirted with the idea of getting Ratio, but I foolishly assumed the book would basically boil down to "3 parts oil 1 part vinegar". I honestly feel like it's closer to what you think it would be than what everyone else is saying it is. I got it expecting it to change my outlook on cooking, but it's really a very good way to look at combining ingredients for baking, dressings/marinades, and... not much else. I don't really have a use for it, if you wanted to throw me a few $ for shipping you can have my copy.
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Mar 22, 2015 19:21
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KettleWL posted:I honestly feel like it's closer to what you think it would be than what everyone else is saying it is. I got it expecting it to change my outlook on cooking, but it's really a very good way to look at combining ingredients for baking, dressings/marinades, and... not much else. I don't really have a use for it, if you wanted to throw me a few $ for shipping you can have my copy. Idk. After a certain point I don't really ever use recipes for most things, so a quick ratio reference for baking and such is nice. These days I use Ratio, The Flavor Bible, and sometimes MC@home. Most everything else just sits in my bookshelf.
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Mar 22, 2015 22:47
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Fergus Henderson's Nose to Tail.
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Mar 23, 2015 00:11
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Casu Marzu posted:Idk. After a certain point I don't really ever use recipes for most things, so a quick ratio reference for baking and such is nice. These days I use Ratio, The Flavor Bible, and sometimes MC@home. Most everything else just sits in my bookshelf. Yeah I don't really use a ton of recipes either, but I literally never bake, so 75% of the book was completely unhelpful to me. The rest of it I mostly have my own go-tos/inexact mixtures that work out for me.
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Mar 23, 2015 01:15
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Agreeing with the love for On Food and Cooking, Flavor Bible, Modernist Cuisine, and Ratio above. Adding Reinhart's artisan breads every day and The Silver Spoon. I know the former is baking and not cooking, but whatever.
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Mar 23, 2015 03:26
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 Glad to see I'm not the only one who cooks a lot of eggs. In fact, I can hear another being laid right now... The Hairy Bikers are my go-to for recipes generally. Their stuff is normally well explained and easy to cook, while also being good to eat.
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Mar 23, 2015 15:51
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The Silver Spoon - a massive bible of Italian cooking with handy 'main ingredient' as listing Thomas Keller's French Laundry and Ad Hoc - for SUPER fancypants cooking and medium fancypants The River Cottage VEG every day - Delicious vegetarian food without the whining or holier-than-thou attitude. The River Cottage MEAT book - Crazy good and all the fundamentals for cooking things that once lived and looked at you with sad eyes.
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Mar 23, 2015 17:25
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sharkattack posted:Everyone has already said Ratio a million times, but I'm going to also recommend it. oke, now I've ordered it....it better be good! :-P (seriously, I love the flavour bible, and ratio sounds great as well, so I'm looking forward to it) also, crusty: Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen, I have that book, hardly ever opened it, but will do now, thanks!
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Mar 23, 2015 20:03
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Timing is Everything it's a cookbook with no recipes. Only contains instructions on cooking an item (eg: various protien cuts) in different styles (grill, broil, etc) at what temperature for what length of time. It's a reference book, perfect if know your flavours, but don't want to wade through 30 different recipes to remember the timing of cooking the item.
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Mar 24, 2015 02:26
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How to Cook Everything is a fantastic resource for someone (like me) who isn't the most seasoned chef but wants to know how to make delicious things. We just bought the second version, How to Cook Everything Fast, and it's almost all different from the first one! I also love Beer and Food which isn't a cookbook per se, but has a whole bunch of interesting ideas for pairings and a lot of recipes.
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Mar 24, 2015 03:55
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I've been going to the church of America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated/Cook's Country for about 6/7 years now. I buy a ton of their books, watch both shows, and read both magazines (might start listening to their podcast again too). It's very rare that I get a bad recipe from them. If I had anything bad to say about them is that I'm too reliant on them for recipes, but that's just because everything usually turns out excellent. With ATK (and watching Good Eats) I literally went from cooking hamburger helper bullshit to making some of the best meals I've ever had, restaurant or home cooked. Their recipes are very specific and detailed so I know that may not jive with the more professional types. However, I feel the Cooks Illustrated Magazine is a great read for anyone regardless of skill level. They're always coming up with innovative techniques and their taste tests and equipment reviews are excellent. I have a subscription to their website which grants me access to almost all their recipes. If I buy a book of theirs, I tend to get the subject specific books instead of the general ones like The America's Test Kitchen New Family Cookbook and The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book, though I've heard great things. Some of my favorites are: 1. The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. It's rare to find a healthy eating book that is actually concerned about taste. It seems like most healthy "make over" books I've read had recipes that are just poor substitutes for the real thing. This book has actually made me prefer the healthier version of dishes. A few highlights for me are their salad dressings, stir fries, pestos, chicken parm, and desserts. 2. The Cook's Illustrated Guide To Grilling And Barbecue. BBQ and Grilling (especially with charcoal) used to be very intimidating before I got this book. Now I feel like I can cook anything. The technique section alone is worth the price of this book. I've yet to see a book that explains the fundamentals and intricacies of BBQ and Grilling as well as this book does. 3. The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook. As much as I like to spend 3 hours cooking dinner every night in the kitchen, I just can't with my 9-5 job. Much like the healthy book, many quick dinner books either skimp on the flavor or lie to you about how much time it really takes (like not including prep time). This book does neither. They rigorously test the cooking times and I find it fairly accurate. My goal is to cook everything I eat unless I'm away from out of town, I'm dining socially, or it's a special occasion. This book helps me do that. So yeah, I've been drinking their kool-aid for a long time now. I don't regret it at all, and it's certainly made me a much better cook. However, I'm curious to see what everyone else posts as I'm hoping to branch out some more from ATK this year. I think I will pick up that Ratio book. I remember wanting to check it out when it came out. Seems like it's standing the test of time.
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Mar 24, 2015 06:40
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Ruhlman's getting a lot of love for 'Ratio' and 'Egg' and I would like to throw in a recommendation for Ruhlman's Twenty. I'm a crappy home cook but I feel like I took a step forward after getting the book and reading through it. Ruhlman describing the techniques or ingredients, what they're for, and then giving a handful of recipes helped my understanding of what's going on when I try to make something. For instance, I no longer cook my eggs at high heat all the time no matter what. Nigel Slater's Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch is a book I got recently but it's what I've been reaching for when deciding what vegetables I should cook, and how. The gardening advice doesn't seem all that useful since I don't live in the UK, but for each vegetable it describes how to grow it, its uses in the kitchen, things you can season the vegetable with, some choice ingredients that partner well with the vegetable, and then a number of recipes for the vegetable. It was a delightful read, Slater uses some romantic prose, and the recipes I've tried have been pretty good. If you live in North America I'd recommend getting the American-published version. I got the UK-published one as a gift and it's going to take me time to annotate it with temperatures in Fahrenheit and the vegetable names we use, when they're different (It was a few paragraphs before "aubergines" were referred to as eggplants). I also have Slater's Fruit volume (Ripe), but I haven't tried to cook from it and I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Whereas I didn't feel like much was missing from the UK-focused vegetable volume, ignoring fruits that aren't usually grown in the UK feels like more of an oversight when it comes to fruit. It does include sections on some nuts, but not having say, bananas or mangoes feels like a missed opportunity. I think I'll reach for it on occasion, but it's not going to be essential like Tender Volume I is looking like it will be for me.
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Mar 25, 2015 04:00
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America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook is great for beginners. Gives a lot of tips for tools and technique as well that a lot of recipes overlook. Definitely worth picking up if you are just starting out cooking for yourself. I use it several times a week and I am definitely not a beginner anymore.
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Mar 25, 2015 23:05
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The Fannie Farmer Cookbook was a staple that my mother used as early as I could remember and still uses to this day. I use it now too.
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Mar 26, 2015 04:02
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Just a heads up: Prudhomme's louisiana kitchen is on sale for Prime members for $20 bucks instead of $28
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Apr 1, 2015 22:09
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Many already mentioned, but also Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni.
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Apr 3, 2015 02:49
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I'm really surprised that Larousse Gastronomique hasn't been mentioned yet. Of all the cook books I have, this is the one I refer to most. If I have an idea for a dish, but don't know where to start, that's where I go for inspiration. If something I make is OK, but not great, I use it to refine the recipe. Sometimes, I'll just open it up at random and just read a bit of it while I wait for things to cook, and it's always interesting... That and 1000 Classic Cocktails are really the most used books in my kitchen. I have a few others that are nice to dip into when I want something specific or unusual, but these two see way more action than anything else I have. Including my wife! 
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Apr 3, 2015 17:44
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