What is your favorite cookbook???

[nicolklm]

I am sitting here trying to find new thigns for us all to talk about and I though, Hey, cookbooks! We all have a good collection I would assume, I know I do. I have one in perticular that I really like and that is The Culinary Institute of America's, The Professional Chef. I have at least 100 books but that one is by far my favorite cause it is so technical and educational.

I also have one that I really like that my grand mom gave me form the 1920's. It is really interisting to see how food has changed over the many years...

So what is your fav?  

[kinmoratree]

I love all my cookbooks. My very first cookbook was the 1976 version of Betty Crocker. I still use her regularly. One that I received in the 90's still gets used a lot. It is "Favorite Brand Name Recipes" or something like that. I often read through my cookbooks for fun instead of to cook from.  

[nicolklm]

kinmoratree

I love all my cookbooks. My very first cookbook was the 1976 version of Betty Crocker. I still use her regularly. One that I received in the 90's still gets used a lot. It is "Favorite Brand Name Recipes" or something like that. I often read through my cookbooks for fun instead of to cook from.

So do I! When I know I am going to have a slow day at work I bring in a cookbook to read. I love them.  

[MustangDragon]

Well, probably the best standard is Joy of Cooking. It not only has recipes but also general instructions on the principles of cooking, quite helpful to the new cook. Some people like Fannie Farmer's cookbook as a basic one. Both of these are old fashioned cookbooks, general in nature.

I also love ethnic cookbooks, and local cookbooks. I love Armenian food, and there are many cookbooks out there -- google for them. I adore lamajun, a sort of flatbread with spices and a thin layer of ground lamb (or beef) that is then dressed with fresh bibb type lettuce, sliced onions and tomatoes, rolled up and eaten like a burrito. It's often called Armenian pizza, but it's nothing like pizza, nor burritos either. Delicious.

I also adore Ethiopian food. Based on the use of injera, a type of soft flat bread used as the plate (usually on top of a pizza pan, which gives you an idea of it's size), it includes a number of stews some quite spicey, which are deposited in small amounts around the edge of the injera and one in the middle. You usually pick six different dishes (good Ethiopian restaurants here). Meats used are chicken and goat (and beef), and lentil stews. Beside this are served several folded pieces of injera which are torn with the hands and used to pick up the food. They serve as the utensils. When finished with the meal, the flat bread used as a plate is full of the juices of the various dishes, and is eaten. Oh, my, it is my favorite food. A good cookbook by D.J.Mesfin is "Exotic Ethiopian Cooking", but wherever there is an Ethiopian community there will be other cookbooks. Strong Ethiopian communities exist in D.C., New York and I'm not sure where else.

Julia Child for "The Art of French Cooking" of course.

I know I had more favorite cookbooks, but I lost a number of them in a move, and besides I have a very inconvenient kitchen now (I live in a bunkhouse).

There's always Wendys.

heh  

[nicolklm]

MustangDragon

Well, probably the best standard is Joy of Cooking. It not only has recipes but also general instructions on the principles of cooking, quite helpful to the new cook. Some people like Fannie Farmer's cookbook as a basic one. Both of these are old fashioned cookbooks, general in nature.

I also love ethnic cookbooks, and local cookbooks. I love Armenian food, and there are many cookbooks out there -- google for them. I adore lamajun, a sort of flatbread with spices and a thin layer of ground lamb (or beef) that is then dressed with fresh bibb type lettuce, sliced onions and tomatoes, rolled up and eaten like a burrito. It's often called Armenian pizza, but it's nothing like pizza, nor burritos either. Delicious.

I also adore Ethiopian food. Based on the use of injera, a type of soft flat bread used as the plate (usually on top of a pizza pan, which gives you an idea of it's size), it includes a number of stews some quite spicey, which are deposited in small amounts around the edge of the injera and one in the middle. You usually pick six different dishes (good Ethiopian restaurants here). Meats used are chicken and goat (and beef), and lentil stews. Beside this are served several folded pieces of injera which are torn with the hands and used to pick up the food. They serve as the utensils. When finished with the meal, the flat bread used as a plate is full of the juices of the various dishes, and is eaten. Oh, my, it is my favorite food. A good cookbook by D.J.Mesfin is "Exotic Ethiopian Cooking", but wherever there is an Ethiopian community there will be other cookbooks. Strong Ethiopian communities exist in D.C., New York and I'm not sure where else.

Julia Child for "The Art of French Cooking" of course.

I know I had more favorite cookbooks, but I lost a number of them in a move, and besides I have a very inconvenient kitchen now (I live in a bunkhouse).

There's always Wendys.

heh

I think I might have to go pick up that ethiopian cook book. I love ethiopian food as well, but the closest place that serves it near me is over an hour away.

Have you ever tired a Pupusa? It is from El Salvador. It sounds similar to the lamajun you were talking about. It is a dough with double grouned meats and then flattened and cooked like a flat bread and then topped with a cabage relish and a salsa and it is yummy.  

[MustangDragon]

nicolklm

I think I might have to go pick up that ethiopian cook book. I love ethiopian food as well, but the closest place that serves it near me is over an hour away.

Have you ever tired a Pupusa? It is from El Salvador. It sounds similar to the lamajun you were talking about. It is a dough with double grouned meats and then flattened and cooked like a flat bread and then topped with a cabage relish and a salsa and it is yummy.

We have a lot of Central and South Americans in this area. So, yes, I have had papusas. I'll have to admit, I don't really like them. The pure cornmeal used for the pancake/flat bread is sort of tasteless to me, and that kinda ruins the overall dish. But they are *very* popular here, with pupusa vans everywhwere, lines of peole waiting their turn. I was in a Salvadoran restaurant one Sunday afternoon, and the place was just starting to clear out. The owner told me that it is a custom in their country to go to church and then come still dressed up to a pupusa restaurant. He said the women and children had a few pupusas, but the men ate enormous numbers of them. hahahaha I had wondered, because I had noticed for a long time that very dressed up families went to that restaurant early Sunday afternoons. They did serve other very good dishes, like smothered chicken (smothered in sauteed, softened onions).  

[Merridew]

"The Cook's Encyclopedia Of..." is my favorite series of cookbooks. I own the Cookies, Chicken, French and Soup books. :3

They're small, specialized, and have a great range of recipes. I absolutely love my French book, it has a fantastic vichyssoise that's really easy to make.  

[Washi Ki]

If/when I use a "real" cookbook, it's usually the ancient Better Home & Gardens one my mum gave me. But lately, I've been getting my recipies off the web. Google is my friend smile

I took my mom's Joy of Cooking recently, and I need to look through it. It looked pretty good to me when I flipped through it.  

[Telria]

My favourite chef is Jamie oliver.

I have 4 of his books, he has release 6 i think. I love them they are layed out really well and the photos are amazing! But the recipes are the best!! ^^

I also love my good housekeeping cookbook blaugh  

[selinevalentine]

I have a few cookbooks myself. Depending if I am feeling super creative or not, I follow the recipe. Most of the time I add my own twist and make my family wonder what that flavor is that makes it taste so good. So, I guess I use cook books as a suggestion.  

[Jaryl]

Have very few actual cookbooks. 98% of my recipes are on my computer with the Mastercook program. There i have at least 40 books.

For real books, I like the Joy of Cooking. Covers all the basics and makes a great gift when a young girl (or guy) is heading off to college or getting married.  

[mindsage25]

I have big collection!

heres a never!!! NEVER GET A RACHELLE RAY COOKBOOK!!!! THERE NO GOOD!!!

but look around for what interest you! personally im a big carribean fan! so tropical cookbooks are my fav!  

[Zerphane]

Funny enough I barely own any cookbooks, though I am a cook. I cook from creative flare and not normally from a book. If I had to suggest something.. I would suggest a reference guide "Joy of Cooking". A staple in my mind , and something any cook should have. (And now I do own this book.. got it today) ^^


Zerphane  

[-teNOrjACk]

The Naked Chef Takes Off by Jamie Oliver. He has some great, nummy, simple stuff that anyone can make.  

[Dual Wielder]

Hmmm.... I like using all of my cookbooks, depending on what I'm setting out to make, but as far as a "favorite" that would probably be the one I have with hand-written recipes that my mom has collected over the years from her mom, relatives, and friends. heart