Quintessential Cookbooks --> Top 10

Z_Eggineer · February 2013

Fellow Eggheads,

Since many of you are much more accomplished foodies than myself, I am seeking your advice on cookbooks. For many things, I can go online and get a recipe for free. However, I think the learning, techniques, ratios, and tested recipes can really put somebody over the top. Feel free to make "top 10" list if you will. I already searched the forums and found a few good things. Ultimately, I want a small but high quality set of cookbooks to reference. For example, SWMBO says she wants French tonight and I have one place to go for that type of food. Below are the ones I have or are coming via Amazon.com:

- Authentic Mexican Cooking by Rick Bayless

- Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

- Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge by Grace Young

- Thai Food by David Thompson

- Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Tjcoley · February 2013

Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman

U_tarded · February 2013

You need something on there by Adam perry Lang in my opinion, I like 25 and charred and scruffed, I want his book serious BBQ but I don't want to spend the coin on it right now. Also, check out their Modernist Cuisine at home, great techniques in there

SaltySam · February 2013

Breath of a Wok, by Grace Young.

Richard Fl · February 2013

Here is a BBQ list in alphabetical order: A few years behind.

http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1038303&catid=1

Jscott · February 2013

Good selections, here is what I have on my Kindle Fire:

Texas Backyard BBQ, Wicked Good BBQ, Ribs, Chope, Steaks & wings: Irresistible Recipes for the Grill, Smoke & Spice, and my favorite - The Big Outdoor of Outdoor Cooking

Enjoy!

Scott

SmokinDAWG82 · February 2013

Peace, Love, and BBQ by Mike Mills

Botch · February 2013

I'm a huge fan of Cook's Illustrated magazine (and their PBS cooking shows) and, of the 65+ cookbooks I own, their The Best Recipe is the one I'd keep if I could have only one. They explain the variations tried, and the science, of every recipe.

Other favorites include:

Smokin' with Myron Mixon, my favorite barbeque book;

The Sunset Cookbook, from Sunset magazine;

Feast of Santa Fe, Huntley Dent. THE book on the chile pepper/New Mexican cooking;

Coyote Cafe, Mark Miller (New Mexican neauvoe);

Molto Mario, Mario Batali (italian);

Best of the Best, Food & Wine Magazine;

Pizza, Buonassisi

Baker's Companion, by King Arthur Flour

Have fun! I keep vowing to quit buying cookbooks, and I've definitely slowed down, but every so often...

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Lit · February 2013

The new professional chef. Also raichlens sauces rubs and marinades is good as well as charcuterie. I haven't even had time to crack the new professional chef its over 1100 pages.

Duganboy · February 2013

Southern Living has an annual cookbook. I have several of them.

500 · February 2013

I like these two.

GrannyX4 · February 2013

I have a LARGE collection of cookbooks and by far my favorite is a Houston Junior League cookbook " Stop and Smell the Rosemary".

caliking · February 2013

May I add:

Land of Plenty - Fuchsia Dunlop

American Pie - Peter Reinhart

beteez · February 2013

Charleston Cuisine by Louis Osteen

BBQ 25 by Adam Perry Lang

Bistro Cooking @ Home Gordon Hammersly

egzilla · February 2013

I am a big fan of Grady Spears "Cowboy in the Kitchen" series of cookbooks

gdenby · February 2013

For years, about the only cookbook I used was "Joy of Cooking." Never learned very much about cooking from it, but it was a staple for just about any kind of recipe.

I definitely like "Peace, Love, and BBQ." Good recipes, good stories.

For fine technique, and recipes, anything by J. Pepin.

For helping to understand what I'm doing when cooking something, not just repeating a recipe:

"Cookwise" by Shirley Corriher Likewise, her "Bakewise."
"What Einstein Told his Cook" pts 1 & 2 by Robert Wolke
"Keys to Good Cooking," by Harold McGee. Or, his "On Food and Cooking" for a full understanding.
"Modernist Cuisine at Home" by Mhyrvold & Billet. Or better, if you can afford it, "Modernist Cuisine vols. 1 - 5"

And, yes, the net has proven to be a vast trove of recipes. I've "clipped" about 1500 pages of them so far. Have bookmarks to maybe 50 recipe collections.

jlsm · February 2013

I also have a huge collection of cookbooks. Here are the ones that have earned a permanent spot in my kitchen:

Planet Barbecuej, Raichlen

Plenty (all veggies), Yotam Ottolenghi

A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, Jack Bishop

Fish, Rich Moonen

Foods of Vietnam, Nicole Routhier (sadly, out of print but by far the best Vietnamese cookbook I've ever seen)

I've had Fish only about a month. I've never done fish well and didn't really know all the virtues of the various kinds. This has raised my game considerably.

Z_Eggineer · February 2013

why does it keep not letting me post? (some sort of approval needed)

Z_Eggineer · February 2013

Sorry for the delay, wrote up responses and forum kept erasing/preventing them for some strange reason.

Tjcoley said:

Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman

I love cured, aged, and/or smoked food, so I will get this one eventually. I have been looking a few different ones, so thanks for advice!

U_tarded said:
You need something on there by Adam perry Lang in my opinion, I like 25 and charred and scruffed, I want his book serious BBQ but I don't want to spend the coin on it right now. Also, check out their Modernist Cuisine at home, great techniques in there

APL seems to have some good stuff, but why him? (not trying to argue, just wanting more info) I would love to get a Modernist cookbook, but they are expensive for the good ones! Maybe I will wait until price comes down.

SaltySam said:
Breath of a Wok, by Grace Young.

Will definitely get this after I get through her other book I am getting!

@ all, so many good BBQ books! Have read through some Raichlen stuff and it's good. Thinking about Peace, Love, & BBQ right now, but also hear alot of good from MM & Smoke/Spice.

Also looking at The (new) Professional Chef, J. Pepin, Cook/Bakewise.

Eventually, I will get into more vegetarian options.

What is everyone's favorite baking book/guide? We want to do it right (by weight, sifting, right kinds of flour, etc)

Thank you for the great ideas and keept them coming!

NibbleMeThis · February 2013

Big Bob Gibson's BBQ book - Chris Lilly
On Food and Cooking - Harold McGee ( not a cook book, no recipes but to really understand what is happening in the food you cook)
The Flavor Bible - excellent flavor pairing suggestions for people that like to make their own recipes
Planet Barbecue or The Barbecue Bible - Raichlen
Joy of Cooking

beteez · February 2013

I have all 3 of APL's books. He is very eggcentric & most recipes are written with directions for a ceramic cooker. His recipes have multiple layers of flavor, a brine that consists of a lot more than salt water & sugar, a flavor paste, a rub, a glaze & a board dressing. You have to be willing to prep & tend, but the results are most often incredible. I would recommend 25 to everyone, it is basic techniques on basic cuts. Serious Barbecue is currently out of print,but APL says it will soon be rereleased, if you can find a reasonable priced copy grab it.

MikeP624 · February 2013

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

This is not a book of recipe but list of ingredients that go well together. I find it to be usefull when you have a bunch of odd ball ingredients left over.

caliking · February 2013

@Z_Eggineer : I think the approval deomns strike when you try to quote multiple posts in a reply. Its been happening to me recently too. Very frustrating.

Z_Eggineer · February 2013

caliking said:

@Z_Eggineer : I think the approval deomns strike when you try to quote multiple posts in a reply. Its been happening to me recently too. Very frustrating.

Thanks for sharing cali. Those demons just trying to keep the people from seeing more good info! haha geez

U_tarded · February 2013

Z_Eggineer said:

Sorry for the delay, wrote up responses and forum kept erasing/preventing them for some strange reason.
Tjcoley said:
Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman
I love cured, aged, and/or smoked food, so I will get this one eventually. I have been looking a few different ones, so thanks for advice!
U_tarded said:
You need something on there by Adam perry Lang in my opinion, I like 25 and charred and scruffed, I want his book serious BBQ but I don't want to spend the coin on it right now. Also, check out their Modernist Cuisine at home, great techniques in there
APL seems to have some good stuff, but why him? (not trying to argue, just wanting more info) I would love to get a Modernist cookbook, but they are expensive for the good ones! Maybe I will wait until price comes down.
SaltySam said:
Breath of a Wok, by Grace Young.
Will definitely get this after I get through her other book I am getting!
@ all, so many good BBQ books! Have read through some Raichlen stuff and it's good. Thinking about Peace, Love, & BBQ right now, but also hear alot of good from MM & Smoke/Spice.
Also looking at The (new) Professional Chef, J. Pepin, Cook/Bakewise.
Eventually, I will get into more vegetarian options.
What is everyone's favorite baking book/guide? We want to do it right (by weight, sifting, right kinds of flour, etc)
Thank you for the great ideas and keept them coming!

APL mostly because i have a man crush on him. ok not really, its mostly because his books are techniques more so that just a recipe. like charred and scruffed is all about primal grilling but then he gets into board sauces, finishing salts, sides, building a fire, planking, even going caveman, the how and the why to it all is explained and I like that.

500 · February 2013

So of all the Adam Perry Lang books, which is best? Maybe a bad question, if they are all different. I want to start with one of his, and go from there.

beteez · February 2013

500 said:

So of all the Adam Perry Lang books, which is best? Maybe a bad question, if they are all different. I want to start with one of his, and go from there.

I would say start with 25. It is 25 basic recipes of the most common cuts of meat you would work with from hamburgers & hotdogs to rib roast & leg of lamb. It is worth the price for his chicken recipes. Serious Barbecue is good also, but hard to find & most sellers are very proud of their copies. If you can find a copy anywhere near the cover price grab it. Scruffed has some great techniques, but not things I would use everyday as I do the techniques in 25.

SmokinDAWG82 · February 2013

Amazon has 25 for $13.95 while Serious Barbecue is $205.00
easy decision huh

henapple · February 2013

Occasionally I'll dip into Bubba Gump's cb and we have a pioneer cb full of simple comfort food. I really just find my recipes here. Might tweak it some but there's plenty here to keep me busy for a while.

U_tarded · February 2013

beteez said:

500 said:

So of all the Adam Perry Lang books, which is best? Maybe a bad question, if they are all different. I want to start with one of his, and go from there.

I would say start with 25. It is 25 basic recipes of the most common cuts of meat you would work with from hamburgers & hotdogs to rib roast & leg of lamb. It is worth the price for his chicken recipes. Serious Barbecue is good also, but hard to find & most sellers are very proud of their copies. If you can find a copy anywhere near the cover price grab it. Scruffed has some great techniques, but not things I would use everyday as I do the techniques in 25.

I started opposite, I was comfortable with meat cuts and the basics and was looking for things like his board sauces, basting recipies, and finishing salts that are in charred and scruffed. I did get 25 like a week later and it is great too.

gdenby · February 2013

SmokinDAWG82 said:

Amazon has 25 for $13.95 while Serious Barbecue is $205.00
easy decision huh

Hmm, another example of online pricing algorithms adjusting the cost based on some abstract calculation of demand. I have "Serious BBQ," got it as soon as it came out, and the price on the jacket is $35. Which is not to say "Serious" isn't a very good book. Just not bound w. leather, printed w. archival inks, etc.

Quintessential Cookbooks --> Top 10

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