Cookbook recommendation

Dimple's Mom

I want to get my son's girlfriend a cookbook for xmas. They like to cook and entertain fairly often for young 20-something year olds.

They don't have a bbq yet so I don't want to get a bbq cookbook. Something general or a nice book with photos. I have tons of cookbooks and can't decide which one to get them so thought I'd see which would be your favorite general cookbook or a fun photo-heavy book for cooking and entertaining.

Fidel

Get a copy of "Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond.

Lots of great ideas in there.

I also like Alton Brown's books, but they are as much for understanding processes and food preparation theory as they are for providing recipes.

Little Chef

Gwen: Though there are no fancy pictures, this cookbook is outstanding! Each recipe is accompanied by a brief explanation of other methods or ingredients they tried, and why they chose the methods/ingredients they did. Truly a go to book for great recipes, and for explaining the "why's". It's written by the people that do Cooks Illustrated. Highly recommend it!

http://www.amazon.com/New-Best-Recipe-All-New/dp/0936184744

Also, Food & Wine magazine puts out annual collections of the recipes from their magazines. A nice mix of pictures and pretty reliable recipes.

I can honestly say though, if I had to give up all my cookbooks except one, I would keep my New Best Recipe.

Dimple's Mom

Wow, after reading the reviews on amazon, I have this on order through my library to check it out. I may have to get one for the gf and one for myself! It sounds fabulous. I love cooks illustrated and their style of deconstructing a recipe. I think my son would really like this too because he enjoys learning as he goes, which is what CI is great at.

Dimple's Mom

I have the Pioneer Woman cookbook and while I like it, it's not really got a lot of the kinds of food we eat a lot of, and esp the kinds of food my son and his gf cook/eat. Also, most of the recipes in that book are dishes I already have a recipe for that I like to use. I have never actually made anything from it, altho I do like to look at it a lot! I'll have to take another look to see if I think they might use it more than I do.

Carolina Q

I rather like this one. My brother got it for me a few years ago.

http://www.amazon.com/New-York-Times-60-Minute-Gourmet/dp/0812933028

Written by Pierre Franey, a chef and later the food writer for the NY Times. Intro by Craig Claiborne. Written in the 70's I believe.

I've tried quite a few of the recipes and all were quite good. He does like his butter though! Normally, I don't like cookbooks that have no pics. Probably wouldn't have bought this one, even if I HAD heard of Franey! But I'm glad I have it. Leap of faith, ya know? :laugh:

If you REALLY want to impress, buy a new condition hardcover, $500-600+. Don't worry, the paperbacks are cheap.

Little Steven

Gwen,

The New Proffessional Chef from CIA if they are serious.

Steve