What were your last three cookbook purchases...Part 2 [old]

[buttertart]

Hello all, my name is buttertart m. and I'm a cookbook addict. And I'm proud and happy to be one since this addiction has added immeasurably to my life.

We've had a mighty good discussion of this topic (thanks, wekick, excellent topic, hope you don't mind me starting the new thread?) which hit almost 800 posts and is getting to be slow to load because of it. Here's a link to it: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/734099

My most recent finds were last Saturday at the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan which always had a very good cookbook section and now has a crazy good one. It had expanded a lot since the last time I was in the store. Anybody here who comes to NYC must visit this store if you are of a mind to be put in harm's way.

The books were the Time-Life "The Good Cook" series volumes on candy and cookies - I saw the bread one and should have gotten it too. They are in tiptop condition and are full of very good recipes, photos, and explanations of technique. This is a rebuy for me because I received the whole set as a gift from my mom and foolishly left it behind when we moved crosscountry years ago. Silly me.

So, what are you buying, and from where?

[Westy]

I just got Neil Perry's "Food I Love'. Very good, and the production value is amazing. There is something really interesting to me about Australian/NZ cooks (I have a couple of books by Bill Granger and the book for NZ's Soul Cafe), where they take pretty standard items and combine them in very different ways or use different techniques than i see in US/British writers. If anything, they remind me a bit of Nigel Slater and Jamie Oliver, with maybe a touch more Asian focus.

[Hank Hanover]

I just ordered "The Fannie Farmer Baking Book", "The Art of the Cake" and "Chocolate Epiphany".

[Cynamar]

I joined The Good Cook and thereby acquired a couple that I had been wanting very badly--Around My French Table and The Pie & Pastry Bible. I also replaced a misplaced The Cake Bible on Amazon.

[myAntNee]

From one cookbook addict to another......

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen - Andrea Nguyen (AWESOME!)
Momofuku - David Change (I'm obsessed with David Chang right now!)
BabyCakes NYC - Erin McKenna

[herby]

Buttertart, we need new thread - this is becoming unmanageable:)

[JoanN]

There's already a Part 3: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793242

Just that people keep returning to the older threads when that's where the book they want to talk about is being discussed.

[herby]

Yes, of course, how silly of me:(

[dryrain]

Can anyone recomend any Pork cook books?

[beetlebug]

@dryrain. FYI, there is a part 3 to this thread. You may want to post your query there. Part 2 is getting difficult to open.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793242

[dryrain]

Thanks Beetlebug I did the same thing before not realising a new thread had been created.

[Breadcrumbs]

I've asked CH to add an "OLD" to the title of this thread which should help.

[ChefJune]

Just two. (Showing restraint! ;) ): Oaxaca al Gusto, Diana Kennedy
Flying Pans, Bernard Guillas and Ron Oliver.

[dryrain]

Can any people recommend japense cook books? I already have some on sushi and also japanese noodles but some other japanese books would be good.

[pikawicca]

"Everyday Harumi."

[JoanN]

Do you also have her first book, Harumi's Japanese Cooking? I have it, but have cooked practically nothing from it. Any thoughts on how it compares with the new one?

[dryrain]

I have her first book and cooked a few things from it. I think its ok and quite simple to make the dishes. Have you watched her show on NHK channel? Its really good and you can find all those recipes online from the last 3 years of the show. Its worth checking out.

I think I might get her latest book and take a chance everything I cooked so far based on her recipes have turned out well.

[pikawicca]

Sorry, Joan, I just saw your post on this old-ish thread. I do have her first book, but haven't cooked from it much -- the recipes fro "Everyday" seem much more accessible.

[buttertart]

Almost 300 posts later, new month, shall we away over to a nice new thread?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793242

[silverstarfish]

My last three were:
Man With A Pan - Short essays with recipies by multiple authors
The Book Of Tofu And Miso - Shurtleff and Aoyagi
Wild About Game - Hibler

[Breadcrumbs]

What's that saying . . . "every time you buy a cookbook, an angel gets its wings." Something like that, right?!!!

I know its been less than a week since my last post but the lovely lady at the thrift store asked me if I'd like her to give me a call when she gets some cookbooks in that she thinks I might like and, well, she called already! I guess these were the leftovers from someone's yard sale last weekend. Anyway, quite an eclectic collection. Today's haul cost $21.56 :

The Peppers, Cracklings and Knots of Wool Cookbook - The Global Migration of African Cuisine by Diane Spivey

Best Recipes Under the Sun by Marion Kane (Toronto food writer)

Chopsticks, Cleaver, and Wok by Jennie Low - really excited about this after reading online reviews

Culinaria Greece

The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups

Douglas Rodriguez's Latin Flavors on the Grill

Tuscany the Beautiful Cookbook - Lorenza De' Medici

The Beer Can Chicken Cookbook - Steven Raichlen

The Best of Gourmet 2000

Gourmet Weekends

Making Cheese, Butter & Yogurt by Ricki Carroll (this is a pamphlet-style book but looks great!)

[buttertart]

Culinaria Greece is an education in itself (but have not cooked from it). I love those books.

[Rella]

I love these books, too. So far I've only seen 5 at the $9.99 price at Borders. I have purchased Spain, France, Italy and Germany. I saw Hungary, but didn't buy it; but probably should have. I would buy Greece, for sure.

The only complaint I've heard is that the print is so small -- however, more on the page :-))

Yesterday I bought a $5.99 at Borders. Plenty of pictures, but most of all, the recipes look easy-ier. "Simple French Cooking" Carole Clements and Elizabth Wolf-Cohen.

[buttertart]

I have France, Hungary, and Southeast Asia as well. Really want China. Bad.

[roxlet]

I thought that Spain was pretty mediocre.

[buttertart]

I want to see the China book before I buy it - since the Amazon reviews cite its being more about culture than actual recipes (which is what I use the other books for, I haven't cooked from any of them) it may be of interest to Certain Other People.

[Breadcrumbs]

This is great to know buttertart and Rella, maybe I'll have some time to take a look at this book over the long weekend. I didn't have high expectations as I wondered whether this may be like the Phaidon compendiums that have been a disappointment. Thanks for the feedback!

[buttertart]

No, they are fun - I used the French one to twig myself to regional specialties before I went one time.

[smilingal]

Breadcrumbs - please let me know when you have a chance to cook from Gourmet Weekends. I'd be interested, if you have that time, for you to share which recipes are good - I have the book but have never cooked from it.

[Breadcrumbs]

You bet smilingal, I've put a sticky note in the book to remind me to come back here and report. At a quick glance though I thought it looked pretty good!

[smilingal]

Breadcrumbs - thanks so much - I will have a new look too!

[JulesLP]

My last 3 were:

Heartland by Judith Fertig

Food from Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros

Cooking 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold

Hoping to find a few good ones next week; heading out towards NJ (from Indiana) and plan on stopping at used bookstores along the way. Should be fun!!!

[buttertart]

How are Heartland and the Kiros book?

[JulesLP]

I have not made anything from either yet; but both look really intersting.
I like Heartland a lot from my first read thru; as there are a lot of Midwest local sources including Capriole, where they make goat cheese which is in Southern Indiana close to where I live. All the receips sound good and am looking forward to trying some out.

Food From Many Greek Kitchens looks good, great pictures; but that is true of most of Kiros books.

[buttertart]

My husband grew up in Iowa so I really want to see Heartland.
The photos in the Kiros book I have are gorgeous - you feel as if you are looking right at the food, in an enhanced state of consciousness.

[wekick]

My local thrift has a collection of cookbooks that seem to be from one lady...so.....$.70/paperbacks and $1 for hardbacks with a few randomly marked $2
Charleston Receipts(for DIL)
Maida Heatter's Great American Desserts
Sauces by James Peterson
Cucina by Marcella Hazan
The Chinese Hawaiian cookbook by Patti Loo
the Hawaii salad book by Howard Hansen
Fiery Foods I love by Paul Prudhomme
Great Tastes from Canyon Ranch
A few other collections of recipes-Jr League etc
I did leave some good ones there.

[buttertart]

Great American Desserts is fantastic. Everything I've made from it has been a hit. Astonishingly enough, I don't have any of the others.

[ellabee]

:: Astonishingly enough, I don't have any of the others. ::

Somewhere, a cookbook angel is crying...

[buttertart]

:)

[Breadcrumbs]

I saw your post wekick and immediately thought "Nooooooooooooo" somebody here's found my Thrift store!!! (I've been picking up quite a stash there lately!) A quick check of your profile tells me I'm safe, it sounds like you've discovered another treasured store.

You really did well there, how exciting!!

[Westy]

I gotta know...how is the Hawaiian Chinese cookbook?

[buttertart]

Recent buys:
- Cook's Country spiral-bound "Blue Ribbon Desserts" - a nice compendium of reprints of recipes for good ol' American baked goods, with the usual fretful commentary (we did this, then we did that...). You could feed your family some very tasty desserts from this.
- The Claudia Roden "Spain" - huge book with tons of historical and other information, along with recipes that look irresistibly good for foodstuffs both ordinary and somewhat unusual - I have a venison tenderloin I've been leery of cooking for fear of spoiling it, and now I know how I'll do it. Many of the meat and poultry recipes use fruit, which is something that goes over big at our house. Looking forward to cooking from it.
- An old gem, which I had ages and ages ago and rebought - Paula Peck's "Art of Fine Baking". WOW. There are great recipes and interesting tweaks in this book galore, including a recipe for pie filling with part of the fruit cooked and the rest folded in (something I thought first sussed out by Maida Heatter, and popularized by Nick Malgieri; unorthodox cake mixing methods; croissant-forming instructions; new to me nut torten and cookie recipes, etc etc. Came out in 1961, and aside from some recipes that would make the food police expire on the spot (mincemeat with real meat in it, left to age at room temp for at least a week among them), it is really a gem.
Happy to have all of them. Now to get over this cold and into the kitchen.

[JoanN]

I went through two paperback copies of the Paula Peck book and then, a few years ago, I found a hardbound copy at a library sale. Oh, happy day.

[buttertart]

What have you made from it? I'd love to know where to start.
I got my copy from Amazon or ABE for $4.00 including shipping, clean, dustjacketed first edition, I was amazed.

[JoanN]

There was a period of perhaps eight years back in the early 70s when any baking I did was more than likely to have been from this book. I used it to make my first vacherin, my first cream puffs for croquembouche, my first gougere, my first brioche. And the first time I made puff paste, hers was the recipe I used.

What I like about the book most of all is the way it encourages you to build your own creations: take this cake, that filling, this other frosting, decorate with whatever. It was probably the first book that made me realize I could prepare components ahead of time and put together something spectacular in practically no time at all.

[buttertart]

It really was revolutionary. I first got it when I was a teenager and was daunted by the complexity of the recipes, but they really intrigue me now. Must start baking from it.

[wekick]

I have Paula Peck's book and haven't gotten it out for awhile. I love the technique of leaving some of the fruit uncooked. Before I read about it I made a cobbler that way with red and black raspberries. I have a birthday dessert to make Saturday.

[Breadcrumbs]

Do you have any other Cook's Country books buttertart? I see that name from time to time but know nothing about it.

[buttertart]

It's the more down-homey magazine put out by Cook's Illustrated. I have "Best Lost Recipes" and "Best Lost Desserts" from them too. There are a whole slew:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_...
The magazines are forever recycling copy into books. I got them from the Strand for not much money (I get rid of the magazines usually - Cook's Country is a little oversized and rather awkward).

[Breadcrumbs]

Ah, that's very good to know bt, thanks, I'll have to keep my eye out for the books then when I'm out trolling!!

[buttertart]

You do that! Very American, though. (I was amused by your red and white potato salad for Canada Day - people here make all kinds of red white and blue things for the 4th. Wonder if any Americans twigged why just red and white!)

[Breadcrumbs]

Hah, I've been making that for years. Funny thing though, I stopped at the farm stand I like on my way home today and they only had red and blue potatoes!! I may be breaking w tradition this year!!!

btw, I saw this little blurb today and thought you might be interested. Something to take your mind off your code!!

http://community.foodnetwork.ca/blogs...

I like the second one btw . . . no raisins or nuts for me.

[buttertart]

Butter tarts! The second one looks better, but I like mine just a bit runny and with raisins or currants. Something about the squelchiness of the dried fruit. NO NUTS though, and especially not pecans - how un-Canadian can you get? When I was growing up pecans were expensive and unusual.

[Breadcrumbs]

Likewise on the pecans bt. I had my first one when I was in 3th grade and my friend vacationed in New Orleans and brought me back a Praline. I still remember my mother carefully prying away the sugary stuff so she could get a good look at the mysterious nut that she'd initially sworn was a walnut. Then they started showing up in the Christmas mixed nut baskets at the supermarket and their shells were so beautiful I never wanted to crack them!!

[ellabee]

Ohh... wave of nostalgia. My father was fro South Carolina, and every year in late fall his mother would send us a box of unshelled pecans from their trees. The were the main stuffing in my Christmas stocking [with a tangerine always in the toe], and we'd put the nutcrackers and nut picks to work all winter long.

Even though this is culturally the south [western Virginia], it's still too cold in these mountain foothills for pecan trees, so these were a huge treat. I miss them every winter.

[buttertart]

Nostalgia time here too..wWhen I was really little, we used to go to Florida in the winter. One of the huge treats was getting pecans in Georgia on the way - especially the papershells, that you could crack in one hand without a nutcracker. We used to eat a ton of those on the trips south, and bring net bags of them back with us (I can still see them).
Pecan roll from Stuckey's was also a must, but Laura Secord made a better one.

[corneygirl]

I have a feeling that replying to this thread will be a bad decission for my budget but I can't resist.

Just got home with
Tender by Nigel Slater and
Lucky Peach, the David Chang/McSweenys quarterly.
I think the last one I bought before that was
Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen (which I love, great instructions and everything I have tried has been amazing).

[Breadcrumbs]

I recently purchased Asian Dumplings corneygirl but haven't made anything from it as yet. Great to know you're enjoying it! Welcome to this thread, be assured, it will be very, very bad for your pocketbook!! ; - )

[corneygirl]

The chicken curry baozi are awesome, I loved the kimchi mandu (but B wasn't as big a fan), the thai tapioca dumplings are good and worth making just for the (to me) weirdness of working with tapioca. I've made a few others as well and they were all great (can't think of which of the top of my head), along with whatever suggested sauces to accompany them. Enjoy the book and thanks for the welcome!

[Breadcrumbs]

Thanks so much corneygirl! I'll make note of your recommendations in my book and leave it in the kitchen so I can take a better look through it!

[JoanN]

I purchased Asian Dumplings before I left for Guatemala three months ago and haven't even looked at it yet. I, too, would love to hear what corneygirl has tried. I'd also very much like to see this as a COTM, although I'm afraid it might be too specialized. Not exactly, from what I have seen, a get-dinner-on-the-table book which many COTMers seem to prefer.

[qianning]

Have a feeling your assessment of its chances in cotm land are correct, Joan N, but i'd love a reason to cook from that book (i.e. excuse to buy it), if it ever comes up as cotm i'll vote for it, or if it makes its way to a separate thread i'd join in.

[corneygirl]

I just started the thread
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792528

[Caitlin McGrath]

My four recent cookbook purchases were all influenced by this board.

Seductions of Rice by Alford and Duguid (unfortunately, though it's COTM this month, I have only been able to cook one thing from it so far)

Sunday Suppers at Lucques, Goin (need to look through old COTM threads and see what people liked)

Tart and Sweet: 101 Canning and Pickling Recipes for the Modern Kitchen, Geary and Knadler (small batches, sweet and savory, lots of interesting flavor combinations that sound great)

The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook (some interesting historical info about baking and baking ingredients/chemistry in this I noticed)

[JoanN]

What did people like from Sunday Suppers? Everything! Was there a bad review? If so, I don't remember it. Great, great book.

Very eager to hear what you think of Tart and Sweet. Been giving some thought to getting a new canning book. Many of the ones on my shelves, even though they have some recipes I'm very fond of, are terribly out of date with more recent thoughts on canning techniques. Please come back with impressions when you've had some time with it.

[Caitlin McGrath]

I found a pristine copy of Sunday Suppers at a local used bookstore (had certainly never been used in a kitchen, and pretty much looked as if it had never been opened) for $12, and knowing how popular it has been here, I took a quick flip through and saw enough potentially appealing to lead me to take it. All four books were bought new or like new for $10-$12 (including tax and/or shipping where applicable).

While I haven't actually used Tart and Sweet yet (and I don't know how much I will be able to the next few months), I really like what I see, and another poster who has made a few things from it says they came out very well. Here is what I like from my reading:

It is arranged by seasons and produce generally available in each (though that will depend on your location, of course), with summer being the largest section for obvious reasons but with interesting-looking recipes in each.

There are a number of recipes for fruit jams and syrups with added herbs, spices, or flavorings and a large assortment of interesting pickled vegetables/fruits, both canned and quick or refrigerator, plus a few fermented, including a couple of recipes for things I haven't seen before (e.g., refrigerator watermelon pickles using the whole thing, not just rind; pickled fiddleheads).

The jams and fruit spreads do not use a lot of sugar; most don't add pectin, and those that do call for Pomona Universal Pectin, which doesn't demand any minimum sugar content.

There's an occasional recipe here and there that makes use of one of the preserved foods as an ingredient, ranging from simple beverages to baked goods, and good head notes or other notes about potential uses for many.

The front matter gives the water-bath canning basics you already know, but also has interesting and useful info like a chart on relative acid contents of various produce and one classing fruits in categories of high, medium, and low pectin content. There's a section explaining what you can and can't tweak and how in order to maintain both safety and flavor and texture, and explanations of the roles or lack thereof of salt and sugar in different products. There are good explanations of technique and a good trouble-shooting guide, and recipes are given three difficulty ratings.

All this is in a slim book with an uncluttered and unfussy layout, and a judicious number of attractive photos.

[JoanN]

Thank you very much, Caitlin. Sounds well done, but I think I'll want to take a look at it first. Like the idea of low-sugar jams and spreads, not sure about flavored syrups. And I'm generally more interested in recipes for relishes than pickles. I'm rather idiosyncratic in my canning choices.

So frustrating to me that the Barnes and Noble that was two blocks from me was closed down and I now have to walk 15 blocks to the closest bookstore. It used to be so easy for me to just pop over and take a quick look at a book or look for a recipe. Wonderfully convenient, especially during COTM nominations. I really miss that store.

[flourgirl]

"Canal House Cooking" Volumes 4 & 5 (on sale at WS)
"Miette" - this came in about a week ago but I haven't had a chance to look through it much yet

[pikawicca]

I re-gifted "Miette" immediaely. The only original thing in this book is the (6-inch) size of her cakes.

[buttertart]

Hah! Thank you. Had wondered about that one.

[flourgirl]

Oh no, that's not good - I'm glad I paid so little for it....

[emily]

I don't think most of Miette's baked goods are that great. I will have to copy the walnut shortbread recipe, though.

[flourgirl]

I've never been to the bakery... I mostly bought the book on a whim because it looked so cute and the pre-order price I paid was pretty cheap too. But I just went & looked at the Amazon reviews and I discovered that the book ALSO contains quite a few glaring errors - which both the author and Chronicle Books has acknowledged. I think I'm going to contact Amazon and tell them that I expect them to pay for the return shipping on this book given that Chronicle has acknowledged the many errors, and claims that they will be fixed in a second printing.

[Caitlin McGrath]

On our local board here, when Miette comes up, it is often in the context of being a place where everything looks great but doesn't carry through in flavor/texture. No soul.

[rstuart]

Good to hear. Despite a strict "No new cookbooks" policy, my lovely brother bought me a copy of Miette for my b-day... because he thought that it looked so nice. I was feeling guilty about wanting to return it, but it looks like it's not worth it..

[pikawicca]

"Truly Mexican" -- intriguing.
"Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen" -- can't wait to cook from this one.
"Salad as a Meal" not inspiring at first read-through.

[flourgirl]

I was wondering about "Salad as a Meal." I almost ordered it a while back but decided to hold off because I have too many books I haven't even touched yet - and a few new ones that just came in, that I had pre-ordered a long ways back!

[L.Nightshade]

I was on the verge of ordering Salad as a Meal, so I was interested to see your comment. Can you say a bit more about it? Are the salads just not creative? I eat a lot of salads when I'm on my own for a meal. I know that it seems like there are endless combinations that one can invent, but I was looking for some additional inspiration.

[pikawicca]

I don't need additional recipes for Caesar, chop salad, etc. This book is mostly retreads.

[Rella]

Just received in the mail. Paulji's recommended book here on Chowhound. I liked the Amazon reviews as well.

Indian Cookery by Dharmajit Singh I believe 1978.

http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Cookery-...

$.01+ shipping.

[buttertart]

I've had that since it came out but I don't think i've ever cooked from it (unless there's a recipe in it for a spiced roast chicken I remember making but am not sure if from there or Elizabeth Davod's book on spices etc.).. Interesting to read, though.

[Breadcrumbs]

Off to the thrift shop today to see what was on the shelves. Today's total was $17.45, here's what I got:

Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts - I actually have the first one and figured if this doesn't have different recipes, then I can give it to a friend of mine who loves to bake.

The Sicilian Gentleman's Cookbook by Don Baratta - I remember someone mentioned this in their fave Italian cookbooks list on another thread so was happy to find it today!

Very Simple Food - Jill Dupleix - looks to have lots of good, weeknight meal ideas

Sugar - Anna Olson - Canadian Pastry Chef, happy to add this to my collection

Essential Pasta and Pizza by Carla Capalbo - never heard of Carla or this book but the cover photos looked nice!!

Simply Thai Cooking Second Edition by Wandee Young - hoping this isn't just a reprint of the first book which I already own. I love Wandee, such an inspirational life story

Splendid Soups by James Peterson - just plain happy to have this one!

Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, File Gumbo by Joan Zeringue Robbins, Janice Zeringue Hymel and Winona Zeringue Champagne - this had the look of a Junior League book, spiral bound w lots of interesting looking family recipes

Not a bad haul I thought . . .

[roxlet]

Isn't Jill Dupleix the one who supposedly invented crash hot potatoes? Your thrift shop is quite amazing, but I can't imagine how large your bookcases have to be! What a collection you're amassing!

[Breadcrumbs]

You're so right about Jill roxlet and I have to say, there's some pretty darn good sounding potato recipes in this book too! Goose fat potatoes, Belgian Stoemp, Potato and Bean Mash... Oh, and I just realized the book is signed. I guess Nancy wasn't as happy to get it as someone had hoped!!

Then theres a Beans and Wilted Arugula recipe that looks so delicious!

s for the bookshelves, it's pretty scary. I had to get two more a few weeks ago!! oops!

[buttertart]

The Heatter is a completely different book - and a great one. That's quite the thrift store, as roxlet says!
Amuses me when I see inscriptions in the used books I get...especially if from the author.

[Breadcrumbs]

Oh great, that's exciting news bt, thanks!! As for that thrift store, all I can say is I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm the only one that enjoys cooking & baking in my community!!

[buttertart]

Or the only one who knows they have books! Love MH. Get all her books, that's an order! ;-)

[Breadcrumbs]

Yes ma'am! I really do need to turn my attention to baking when I have some free time. Oh and thanks for knowing that book is completely different btw!! : )

[rstuart]

Sugar is a great cookbook.. I love Anna Olson. My mother has the second one "Another Cup of Sugar" which has some great recipes too...

[Breadcrumbs]

That's great to know rstuart, thank-you! I really love Anna Olson as well. I'd hoped to get to her bakery in St Catharines but someone recently told me it was no longer there : (

More reason to bake from her book I guess!!!

[rstuart]

Yes... think that she is focused on cookbooks and her TV shows now. She and her husband (a chef) used to run Inn on the Twenty. They published a cookbook called "Inn on the Twenty" which is unfortunately out of print.
My brother really loved it and lost his copy in a post-divorce cookbook split, but I found a used copy here in Toronto for him..

[herby]

I ordered Plenty awhile ago and completely forgot about it with my move and other such exciting things. Got an email from Amazon today that the book was shipped.... to the old address:(

[dkennedy]

Whoever recommended Damn Good Food upthread, thank you! My copy just arrived and it is a wonderful cookbook. I don't often find a new cookbook that has recipes which I've never tried and that I would like to try. Really original stuff in here. Can't wait to start testing!

[buttertart]

The Hell's Kitchen one?

[dkennedy]

Yes. That's the one. I swear I submitted this entry weeks ago but I guess I only thought about doing it then. Still enjoying Damn Good Food but apparently not enough to stop buying.

This week I bought a copy of Asia, the Beautiful at a library sale. Too beautiful to pass by but not sure how much use i'll get out of it. Then, I came home and bought a copy of Miette using my bonus points at TGC. I am a big fan of their sable cookies and their gingersnaps and I am looking forward to making them for my family. Finally, I bought The Italian Grill in anticipation of next month's COTM selection.

[Hank Hanover]

Well, I finally received the following books:
Cakes & Pastries by California Culinary Academy, (1985)
Home Sausage Making by Charles G. Reavis (1987)
Treasured Recipes from the Charleston Cake Lady by Sara Sheppard Landis, Teresa Pregnall, Wally Pregnall (1996)
Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (1990)
Professional Baking (fourth Edition) College edition including CD-ROM (2005) by Wayne Gisslen for Le Cordon Bleu
I got a great deal on Professional Baking ($1 + $3.99 shipping) and was pleasantly, surprised that it still had the CD-ROM. It seems to have all kinds of tools like rescaling recipes, making recipes using “Baker’s Percentages”, nutritional analysis, and printing shopping lists as well as some stuff I won’t use like invoicing and purchase orders and, of course all the recipes in the book which is approximately 850.
“Cakes and Pastries” by the California Culinary Academy looks really good especially because it only has 128 pages but there seem to be some wonderful recipes.

[KateCross]

I recently bought that Maida Heatter book as well, and I have made something from it almost every week. Good choice!

[SocksManly]

Only remember the last 2, which were:

Mastering The Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo
Good Meat: The complete guide to sourcing and cooking sustainable meat by Deborah Krasner

Only started cooking into the Chinese one so far.

[bayoucook]

From The Good Cook's latest offer I couldn't refuse - 10.00 each and free shipping! I got:

A Southerly (?) Course
Radically Simple
Saveur Comfort Food
Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy

so excited!!

[roxlet]

I have all of those, also purchased from thegoodcook.com! They do get you going, don't they?

[dkennedy]

Question for the group,

Upthread a few of you mentioned The Tex Mex Cookbook. I was intrigued and went to Amazon and found Rob Walsh has a whole line of Tex Mex cookbooks. Any strong favorites? I was thinking the grill book....

[bayoucook]

Yep - they've got our number, bad!

[dkennedy]

OK guys, you have once again taken me over to the dark side! I just bought 4 more from The Good Cook bundle sale. I had successfully resisted until you started listing what books you had bought from the sale and then I decided to take another look. At $10.00 a title and no shipping, it was hard to resist. The way I rationalized it is, if even one of these titles becomes a COTM selection, I will be a step ahead of the game. Plus, Ruhlman's and David's books sound like they are destined to become classics. I could easily pass them on as hostess gifts if they are not to my liking.

Blood, Bones & Butter
by Gabrielle Hamilton

At Elizabeth David's Table
by Elizabeth David

Ruhlman's Twenty

The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook
by Helen Thompson and Janice Shay

Still undecided about the Tex Mex cookbook. Would love some help deciding.

[bayoucook]

Good for you - for taking advantage of a wonderful deal. I am trying hard not to buy four more! Help!

[greedygirl]

That ED book is a great selection of her recipes and writings, with beautiful photographs. It's my bedside reading at the moment.

[Breadcrumbs]

Back to report on the results of my shop at the "Massive Book Sale" - a fundraiser at a local church.

It was $10 per bag of books. You bring the bag. We managed to fill a Trader Joe's bag to the brim w a selection of hardcover books including novels, business books, photography books and, cookbooks of course. Unfortunately the selection of cookbooks was quite small comparatively speaking however I did manage to pick up the following:

Lee Bailey's California Wine Country Cooking

Rick Stein's Food Heroes

Welcome to My Kitchen by Tom Velenti (don't know anything about this NY chef's restaurant or book, would welcome any feedback on this)

Buttercup Bakes at Home by Jennifer Appel (this looks great, the Caramel-Topped Toffee Pecan Blondies are already calling my name!)

Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook by Sylvia Woods

The Best of Gourmet 1996 edition

Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu Cookbook

New Recipes From the Moosewood Restaurant

It's always exciting to get a bargain and for $10 we were thrilled with all the books we picked up.

[Gio]

I don't have the book but I watched Rick Stein's Food Heros program and thought it was probably the most beautifully photographed and artistically presentedTV shows I've ever seen.

As for Tom Valenti, I have his Soups, Stews and One Pot Meals and quite like it. He owns a couple of restaurants in NYC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Valenti

http://www.amazon.com/Valentis-Soups-...

[Breadcrumbs]

I'll have to check w our library to see if I can get Rick Stein's program on dvd Gio, you've really intrigued me.

Thanks too for the info on Tom Valenti, when I flipped through the book at the church sale, it had a number of really interesting sounding recipes. So good to know that you've tried and enjoyed his Soups book.

[JoanN]

Don't know anything about Tom Valenti's book, but LOVE his restaurant Ouest. He serves comfort food in comfortable surroundings and the restaurant has an excellent wine list. It was arguably the first destination restaurant on the upper west side and it's success was what convinced other good chefs that upper west siders WOULD pay for a decent meal and led the way for the small handful of good restaurants now scattered about the neighborhood. He is also the owner of Cesca, another well-regarded UWS restaurant. A third restaurant, West Branch, didn't last long. Many reports on this board said, I believe, that it was just too expensive for what was on the plate. West Branch was in the lobby of a hotel and it may just have been trying to be too many things for too many people.

Anyway, he's known, as they say, for his "bold flavors," and slow-cooked braises, which augurs well for his cookbook. He's very well known, and very well respected, in NYC. Take at look at his Wikipedia profile. His background is quite impressive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Valenti

I'll be most eager to hear what you think of the book. It could be very good indeed.

[greedygirl]

Rick Stein is always reliable, imho. I only have his fish books though.

[Breadcrumbs]

I took a quick look at this book over lunch today and the photos are so enticing. Looks like it was a great buy.

[Westy]

Wow. you cannot go wrong with Moosewood.

Rick stein used to have a great show that this book was based on. Excellent stuff.

I'd be interested in your experience with Sylvia's.

[Gio]

After Greedygirl mentioned her favorite book, The Divertimenti Cookbook by

Camilla Schneideman, I just Had to do some research and after reading a few online recipes I ordered it from Abe Books.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/3338133/Camilla-Schneideman-web-exclusive.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddri...

Also at Abe's I saw an old Claudia Roden book that I don't have, The Good Food Of Italy: Region By Region.

There'll be some good readin', cookin', and eatin' this

[Gio]

...."some good readin', cookin', and eatin' this" Summer.

[wish the dang editmg problem would get fix

[Breadcrumbs]

I put "The Divertimenti Cookbook" on my wishlist after reading your post Gio, it sounds like a great book and I'll be interested to hear what you think of if.

Roden's book sounds terrific as well and is very, very tempting . . . . ; - )

[greedygirl]

I forgot I'd even recommended that book! I do like it a lot - that nectarine, rocket and parma ham salad you linked to is a summer standby.

I have the Roden Italy book as well. It's useful but not my favourite. I love Passione by Gennaro Contaldo, who used to have a restaurant of the same name. He taught Jamie Oliver, apparently.

[Breadcrumbs]

I'm a big fan of Gennaro too greedygirl. He appeared on Iron Chef America as JO's sous chef and was absolutely hilarious! I have his "Italian Year" book but will have to take a look at Passione too. Thanks!

[Breadcrumbs]

Gio, I've lost track of the thread where you recommended The Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Lo Pinto. Of course I had to buy it and I was wondering if there were any dishes in particular you'd recommend?

[honkman]

Received today Douglas Baldwin "Sous Vide for the Home Cook" (and my SVS)

[oakjoan]

buttertart: Sheesh, you just HAVE TO MENTION the Strand bookstore when I'm stuck out here in Oakland. I love that place and always load up when I'm in NY. We actually stay with friends who live on Broadway in SoHa and so are pretty close.

My favorite purchase was Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni. It's a wonderful book with lots of color photos and I've used it for at least 15 years.

It's weird. We have a number of great bookstores here in the SFBayarea, but my favorites are always ones that are out of town. The Strand is No. 1, and Powells in Portland, OR is second.

[dkennedy]

Oakjoan,

Some of us would love to be stuck out in Oakland with you! I was good for a while, but finally added another to my shelves:

Damn Good Food

I'll let you know when it arrives.

[Jay F]

D Kennedy, I just got my SUMMERTIME ANYTIME book yesterday, and it's very, very nice. I used to live in that part of Santa Monica, and have always missed it.

[dkennedy]

Hi Jay,

Yes, SUMMERTIME ANYTIME is a treasure. If you have a sweet tooth, try the peanut butter butterscotch crunch bars. They are also known for their tomato soup and mini grilled cheese sandwiches.

[buttertart]

The Strand is my weapon for retaliating against stealth Berkeley Bowl references from you lot who had the good sense to stay in the Bay Area. One of the few arrows in my quiver.

[Breadcrumbs]

Well, I had some errands to run today and just happened to be passing that thrift store where I picked up all those baking books a few weeks ago. I wish I lived closer to this place!! (or maybe its best that I don't!!) Here's today's haul:

Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes, and Honest Fried Chicken by Ronni Lundy
Williams Sonoma Complete Pasta Cookbook
Williams Sonoma Simple Classics Cookbook
Williams Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook
Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seasoned America
Barbecued! by Peter Howard
The St Lawrence Market Cookbook by Anita Stewart
Bonnie Stern's Cuisinart Cookbook
Sopranos Family cookbook - Michele Scicolone
The Simpler the Better Sensational Italian Meals by Leslie Revsin w Rick Rodgers
Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur
Mollie Katzen's Recipes - Soups
Louisiana Real & Rustic by Emeril Lagasse
Bahamian Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Mike Henry

For this eclectic assortment I paid the crazy sum of $31.28. A few of these I'll pass along to my neighbour, I just couldn't resist at these prices though!!

Oh, and tomorrow I'm heading to a Church fundraiser billed as a "Massive Book Sale" where retailers and community members have donated books. . . .

[buttertart]

Wow!!!

[buttertart]

I spent a happy few hours yesterday with the Anita Stewart "Ontario Harvest" book. The pics of the 6-qt baskets of peaches proudly emblazoned "Ontario Fruit" made me seriously homesick, though. Need to find your recs for recipes from it, a lot of them looked very appealing.

[Breadcrumbs]

Oh I'm so excited you were able to get a copy bt. Nothing over the top fancy here, just some solid, seasonally inspired recipes. . . and such great stories too as I'm sure you've discovered.

btw, the growing season is 3-4 weeks behind here in Ontario this year. The Niagara farmers still don't have enough product to make the trek into the GTA as yet . . . first time they've been this late making an appearance. We were in Niagara-On-the-Lake just a few weeks ago and there was a huge debate as to the implications for the grape/wine this year.

[buttertart]

The stories make the book. The travelling around reminds me of what my dad used to like to do (sausage from Zurich, cheese from somewhere near there, the Kitchener market, etc).
That's surprising re the growing season, you've had a good bit of hottish weather there too, no?

[bushwickgirl]

Damn, what a haul!

I hear the Sopranos book is better for the simple stuff. I have Louisianan Real & rustic, very nice. The Ronni Lundy book sounds intriguing, just for the title. Have fun, bc.

[Breadcrumbs]

Thanks bushwickgirl, I've made note of your feedback inside my Soprano's book as I don't want to forget and as yet, haven't had a chance to take a good look at it. That Lundy book really looks great. I'll be sure to report on WFD when I cook from it.

[buttertart]

Should note for the US crowd that Bonnie Stern is a big deal cooking writer in Canada.

[Breadcrumbs]

I'm a real fan of hers bt. Sadly she closed her cooking school on Yonge this year, a bit of an institution. Rent costs were getting unmanageable. Don't know if you ever took a course w her but she's terrific. The last one I did was a Tapas class and she brought in one of Toronto's top "mixologists" . . . needless to say a goo time was had by all!!
; - )

[buttertart]

No, I never had the pleasure, but that sounds like a whole lot of fun. Wasn't she food editor of the Star or Canadian Living at some time?

[Breadcrumbs]

Maybe bt, I know she's been writing for the National Post for several years now, perhaps those were earlier stints.

[roxlet]

Today I found the 3 books for $33 at thegoodcook.com irresistible and I ordered Rodan's The Food of Spain (I just don't have a good Spanish cookbook, and I think this should be really good), The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook, and the newly revised Road Food, which was my DH's bible when he traveled cross country after college, and which my son can give to him for Father's Day. No more promotions. Please. I beg you.

[flourgirl]

"No more promotions. Please. I beg you."

This made me laugh out loud. I keep swearing that I'm not buying one more single cookbook - and than another 50% Borders coupon arrives in my inbox. Or I see some great deals at BookCloseouts. Or some great deals from the Amazon resellers. Or.....

[roxlet]

Birds of a feather! We are addicts. What is it? The promise of perfection? There is something psychological at work here! I haven't even read my last cookbooks -- although I have made a recipe from one!

[buttertart]

It's like music - there's just too much available too easily. I remember when (she says crustily) a new album or a new cookbook was a rare treat and you played/cooked those suckers to death. Now we're like kids in a candy store, always looking for that one best possible thing.

[flourgirl]

Just bought "Mastering Cheese" by Max McCalman and David Gibbons at Border's with yet another 50% coupon. I've had my eye on this one for a while, it looks very interesting and informative.

[nomadchowwoman]

I also bought Saveur's "The New Comfort Food"; also "Days of Honey," which I didn't realize is more memoir than cookbook, but it does look interesting; and Ottolenghi's "Plenty," which it turns out is on back order, so I still haven't gotten it. Then went to a fundraising booksale and picked up M. Cunningham's "Breakfast" and "Supper" books, a Time-Life volume on the cooking of Southeast Asia as well as two other books I came home to discover I already owned. Sheesh.

[Blancmange]

I *adore* marion's Breakfast and Supper books....both pure treasure. Her breakfast book is one of my most stained books!

[buttertart]

Marion Cunningham is another goddess, along with Marcella and Jane Grigson. Her "Fannie Farmer Baking Book" is fabulous. Love the breakfast and supper books too (the roast beef salad with dill pickles and potatoes from the latter is a big hit).

[Jay F]

MC's regular FANNIE FARMER COOKBOOK is one I turned to a lot when I was first learning to cook. It's still one I turn to before I make something for the first time. It's always been right. I'm talking about the 12th edition, from 1979 or 1980.

[buttertart]

It is very good, I love it too. I believe James Beard recommended her to take on the project - she had been his assistant. She is still with us but sadly very ill.

[Boudleaux]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that she is ill. I love Marion Cunningham and have always thought that she deserved more recognition. I just ordered the supper book to give to a friend as a birthday present.

[wekick]

I was (ahem) going through some of my books and found 5 duplicates but I knew 3 were when I bought then and will pass them to my DILs. I cannot pass great books at .50-$1.

[BigE]

I've actually taken a bit of a break from buying. "Charcuterie" by Polcyn/Ruhlman is the only one I can recall purchasing. For Christmas/birthday, I received:

-Noma
-TFL/Ad Hoc
-Pig: King of the Southern Table

That haul will keep me busy for a while.

[buttertart]

Another Good Cook sale - Saveur "The New Comfort Food", Leader "Simply Great Breads", Stewart "New Pies and Tarts", and an upcoming real treat: Roden "The Food of Spain" (ships 6/7, apparently). Can't wait for that one. With the members' 60% off sale plus bonus points from past buys, just over $40.00 for the lot.

[buttertart]

Food of Spain came yesterday - a huge, gorgeous book. Have to get into it. Not one to be read in bed, too big and h-e-a-v-y.

[Breadcrumbs]

Can't wait to hear what you think bt. My Spanish cookbook collection is small, relatively speaking. Actually, I was seeking recommendations in another thread just yesterday.

[greedygirl]

The Moro books are definitely worth a look. I also have Seasonal Spanish Food by Jose Pizarro which I have yet to cook from.

[iL Divo]

"As far as cookbooks - I can think of worse things to be addicted to..."
Agreed!

Charlie Trotter Cooks At Home

Cooking at the C-I-A

Happy Cooks Of #3098 from Childrens Miracle Network

A league of Cooks (the Junior League of Vancouver)

Christmas Cookies by Oxmoor House

Ship to Shore Virgin Island Charter Yacht Recipes

Grand Slam by Best of Bridge

West Coast Celebrity Cookbook

365 Great Cookies You Can Bake

Let's Party by Vancouver Alumnea Panellenic Association

Royal Treats For Entertaining by the Best of Bridge

The Pasta Bible by Teubner, Rizzi, Leng

From Grits to Gourmet Pheylonian Cookery

[Westy]

I bet you'll like that Charlie Trotter book. I hyave had really good success with it. The beef stew recipe with cardamon is excellent.

[Mothership]

Well, in the past 2 to 3 weeks:
Seduced by Bacon - Joanna Pruess (thanks Breadcrumbs)
Fearless Baker - Emily Luchetti
Chocolate - Nick Malgieri
Bittersweet, Cocolat and Chocolate Holidays - Alice Medrich
Sweet Melissa Bakery Book - Melissa Murphy
Michael Roux's Finest Desserts
Baking by Flavor - Lisa Yockelson
Secrets of Baking - Sherry Yard
Southern Biscuits - Natalee Dupree
Death by Chocolate - Marcel Desaulniers
Flour - Joanne Chang
Rose's Christmas Cookies (for my daughter)
Simple Art of Perfect Baking - Flo Braker
Sugarbaby - Gesine Bullock-Prado (looks like fun)
Sky-High Irresistable 3-layer cakes - Alisa Huntsman
Dessert Circus and Dessert Circus at Home - Jacques Torres
Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatos - Joanne Kelley
Party Food and Vegetable Love - Barbara Kafka (again, thanks Breadcrumbs)
For Cod and Country - Barton Seaver (sustainable seafood)
New Southern Garden CB - Sheri Castle
Modern Art of Chinese Cooking - Barbara Tropp
Breath of a Wok and Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge - Grace Young
Paul Kirk's Championship BBQ
On Food and Cooking - Harold McGee
A Return to Cooking - Eric Ripert

Some were used, some almost free, some new and they came from many different sources. Most were recommended somewhere here on Chowhound, some were to fill gaps in my collection and others just looked like fun. Obviously, my daughter and I are going to be working on developing some baking skills this summer. And soon, as the afternoon thunderstorms begin to boom away here in south Florida, I plan on happily 'wokking' away in my kitchen. I have never explored cooking Chinese at home and am excited to do so.
As far as cookbooks - I can think of worse things to be addicted to...

[DiningDiva]

Wow, impressive list. Good luck with your baking

[buttertart]

I'd really like to hear about "Sugarbaby", I have my eye on it too. If you like spicy Chinese food, strongly recommend the Fuchsia Dunlop books - "Land of Plenty" (Sichuan) and "Revolutionary Chinese Cuisine" (Hunan). Recipes are clear and simple and the results are exactly as they should be.

[herby]

Buttertart, is it worth having both? If you are to choose, which one would it be? I am looking for a good Chinese book but have not really cooked Chinese and not sure if I will like it. Love spicy foods!

[JoanN]

"is it worth having both?"

Yes. Definitely. But if someone put a gun to my head and I absolutely HAD to choose only one, it would probably be "Land of Plenty" since there are a few more recipes in that book that are in regular rotation. But let me emphasize that my life would have to be in imminent danger before I'd even consider getting rid of RCC.

[buttertart]

I like RCC better because the recipes are more unusual. You need both, trust me.

[herby]

OK, you convinced me:) Will get both as soon as I am moved. I have another question about mexican cuisine this time. I took Kennedy's book out of the library but it did not inspire me. Rick Bailess books look interesting, not sure which one to start with - any suggestions? I was going to sign up for Good Cook membership but they do not ship to Canada:(

[buttertart]

There used to be a Good Cook Canada but I think they went bankrupt. I'd get "Authentic Mexican" by Bayless.

[DiningDiva]

If you're a novice to Mexican cooking, Rick Bayless' book "Salsas that Cook" is great. 8 essential salsas all scaled for different yields; chile substitutions also provided. 50 recipes all using 1 (and sometimes 2) of the essential sauces.

If you're not looking to be rigorously "authentic" "Everyday Mexican" is a good option. In this book RB has retained the basic Mexican flavors of each dish, but simplified the process and made them approachable as week-day meals. I really like the first couple of chapters devoted to salad dressings, salads as we know them, rice and beans. With almost every recipe in this book he gives you riffs/variations, some to make the dish vegetarian, some changing up veggies or seasonings, and even some for converting the recipe for use in a crockpot, making each recipe versatile and the cookbook a keeper.

[herby]

Thank you both, Buttertart and D. Diva, for your suggestions. I am definitely a novice to Mexican cuisine and Central and South American. Never really been to mexico aside from Baja and it is not the "real" Mexico, right? So, never had really-really good Mexican food that I want to rush home and try to re-create. But lately I heard and read many good things about Mexican food and would like to try. Maybe I should start with "Everyday" before graduating to "Athentic". I will be spending some time in August with my gluten intolerent SIN and since I am the only one who cooks for him, I want to try something different - maybe Mexican and definitely from "Seductions of Rice" - very glad that it will be June COTM - will give me a chance to practice and read about experiences of other great cooks.

[JoanN]

Before you make a final decision on which Bayless book to buy, you might want to take at look at this thread from November of 2006: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/339027

That’s when Bayless’s book “Mexico: One Plate at a Time” was Cookbook of the Month and many of us cooked not only from that book, but from others of his as well. This thread sort of turned into a roundup of what those who participated thought of his various books. It’s quite interesting, especially if you recognize the names or handles of some of the posters since some are very! experienced both cooking and eating Mexican food and some of us (me!) were total novices.

[herby]

Thank you, Joan, for this thread. I started reading and couldn't stop:) But stop I have to since the movers are coming tomorrow morning and I am not packing yet:( Once my new place is set up and communications restored I will continue reading. Will you be cooking from "Seductions" in June?

[JoanN]

I certainly expect to be cooking from Seductions. I've ordered a copy of the book and it awaits my return from Guatemala early next week. Two months without COTM and I've been having withdrawal symptoms.

[DiningDiva]

How long since you've been to Baja, and which part? Baja is finding it's culinary voice and it is incredibly exciting. There are some really interesting fishing and seafood related projects happening in Baja Sur (but not readily apparent to the general tourist and traveler) and northern Baja is really doing some cutting edge stuff now that the narcoviolencia has died down. The Valle de Guadalupe is producing some fine wines to rival Napa/Sonoma, they've got some fantastic olive oil producers and chese makers up in some of the valleys, not to mention teh truly eco-friendly and sustainable aquaculture project with blue fin tuna and oyster that's going on off Ensenada. The violence in Tijuana began to abate sometime in 2010 and with the tourists gone, the locals began crafting services from themselves. Calle Seis has emerged as the prime club location, the culinary school has gotten a new infusion of spirit and energy and the local chefs have plunged into opening and creativing restaurant that are beginning to rival - and in some cases exceed - those of Mexico City. It's truly an amazing transformation. Yeah, you can still get tacos and beer or a lobster dinner in Puerto Nuevo, but Baja is emerging as a foodie destination, tho' still in it's infancy to be sure :-).

Here are a couple of links for you to check out if you're interested. RB's upcoming season of Mexico On Plate at a Time on PBS is all about Baja. They filmed in April and outtakes of their filming have been posted here - http://fronterafiesta.com/ - there are 12 episode. They started in Cabo and worked their way up the peninnsula, so start with episode 1. The epsidoes are usually about 4 mintues long.

San Diego and Tijuana are forever entwined. This web page grew out of a conversation a local chef and his friends had about how inseperable the two cities are and how they've kind of merged and blended. This web site probably tracks for the 35 andunder crowd, but it does a pretty decent job of highlighting what's happening on both sides of the border - http://tijuego.com/

[buttertart]

That Salsas that Cook is a fun book. I love him.

[Mothership]

I have heard nothing but good about the Dunlop books and will look into them. I have only perused Sugarbaby and it looks like it has some interesting and fun ideas. When I get a chance to explore further, I will post about it. It looks like I will be having more time for reading these books than cooking out of them for the next few weeks, but oh well...

[buttertart]

I'll be happy to hear more both about Dunlop and about Sugarbaby.

[Mothership]

Well, nuts. I can now update my "latest 3 cookbooks" to add: Land of Plenty and Revolutionary Chinese Cuisine. And for good measure, the Irene Kuo tome (the oldie from 1977). I figure if I'm going to explore Chinese cuisine, may as well go all in and really learn something. Now if there were only 48 hours in a day and I could live without sleep, I'd be all set. Thanks Buttertart. :)

[flourgirl]

I've often said that I think at this point I would need at least one more life to really do justice to all my cookbooks - many of which I now own thanks to threads like this. :)

[buttertart]

Just saw this for some reason - and happy to have. Long live Kuo and Dunlop!

[Blancmange]

Fantastic list! The Flo Braker is one of my all time favs, as is Harold McGee's book. Would love to hear your thoughts on Sugarbaby (I dont have it). Happy Baking!

[flourgirl]

I have "sugarbaby". Haven't made anything from it yet but it's a really beautiful book and a fun read.

[buttertart]

Her memoir is fun too - was originally titled "Memoirs of a Closet Master Baker" and was niced up to "My Life From Scratch" for the paperback.

[flourgirl]

I read "Memoirs..." Really enjoyed it. :)

[bushwickgirl]

Mothership-

Holy mole, you'll be busy. I used to work for Melissa Murphy at Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Brooklyn. I've never looked at her book, but if her recipe for sticky buns is included, please make them. I gained ten lbs on those things.

Cookbook collecting is an addiction I'm personally proud of.

Happy baking.

[Mothership]

Bushwickgirl - Oooooh - good to know. I haven't had a good stickybun in ages. I'm at my office right now working hard (or rather hardly working...) so can't look to see if the sticky bun recipe is there but will certainly put that at the top of my list for that book if it is.

And yes - holy mole. I usually don't amass this many new books at once. I have been charging my daughters' college tuition on a certain credit card for the last few semesters. So, when I realized this card had a "rewards" feature, I immediately "rewarded" my self with multiple b/n and amazon gift certificates (already having enough cameras, luggage, etc :) ) So I looked over my cookbook wanted list garnered from Chowhound recommendations and there you go. I'm loving this. Plus I just charged her summer tuition, so...

[Blancmange]

Flour - Joanne Chang
bake! - Malgieri
The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook (already made Flo's Peanut Butter Pound Cake from this--to die for!)

Got bake! & SF Chronicle from Half Price Books here in Houston. Flour from amazon. I really miss the Strand!

[iL Divo]

Blancmange

Just pulled out a gift I got probably 10 years ago from a friend I'd worked with. She knew my passion for cooking/baking and got it for me for Christmas after I'd been nice to her I guess \?/
She lived in San Fran. I got the San Francisco Chronicle and was delighted!
Since your recipe[the peanut butter pound cake] is on page 357 and only has 5 ingredients, tonights the night, I'll make it on your recommendation. I may do a peanut butter glaze over it sort of like the CopyCat recipe for Starbucks Lemon Poundcake Loaf calls for on their pound cake. Simple because it's hard for me to let a recipe stand on it's own, but with all the butter and creaminess of this recipe, it may not need anything extra. Thanks for posting, I'll report how it turns out in "what'r ya baking today"........

[Blancmange]

Il Divo - Yay! How great is that!? One of the many reasons I ♥ these boards. Will definitely look for your post on the other thread. Glaze sounds perfect. Happy Baking!

[iL Divo]

Ok it was eaten for desert last night.
It was good but should have been perfect in every way and it wasn't.
I did it in the convection oven and instead of a pound cake I got a 5 pound cake.
Too heavy too hard too dense and all my fault too.
Great flavor, love the combo of peanut butter and all the crumbled chocolate.
I will do it again regular way (as written) and with added chocolate and Himalayan pink sea salt like I did this time. But I'll do it exactly as written (orig oven directions) and hope it's duh bom

[Blancmange]

Ohhhh, so sorry to hear. Its def worth another shot, if you are up for it at some point. H Pink sea salt = brilliant!

[tichyek]

The Book of New Israeli Food- Janna Gur

Good to the Grain- Kim Boyce

Something for the Weekend- Jaimie Oliver (a little slip of a book I picked up in a used bookstore for about 3 bucks)

[iL Divo]

tichyek...
love used book stores.
my favorite two are Powells in Portland Oregon, you can spend all day there, and the one in Old German Towne Columbus Ohio. it is many little rooms to ponder on a lovely walking adventure.

[tichyek]

I can't live without em.
There's a Powell's in Hyde Park, Chicago that I used to frequent often (my favorite was their box of free books out in front). I try to get there whenever I'm back in Chicago.
The particular bookstore where I bought the Oliver cookbook is in Jerusalem, though. Bit far from Portland and Columbus I'm afraid

[iL Divo]

Yep I heard Jerusalem is atleast a serious cab ride:)))))

[Hank Hanover]

I've bought a lot of books. It's been years since I bought a new one, though.

[iL Divo]

............I almost think I appreciate a used book more. It's got soul, it's been around, it's been read and enjoyed, maybe even put to use. I've spent 3 figures on a coveted cookbook. Is it my favorite, nope.
I enjoy with equal enthusiasm my $4 find of Death by Chocolate (Hardcover) by Marcel Desaulniers  in a Vancouver charity shop.

[Breadcrumbs]

For all cookbook buying addicts out there, I thought I'd let you know about a new feature released by Eat Your Books (EYB) in their most recent upgrade. I think it will help those of us w a cookbook monkey on our backs make more informed choices in the future.

Now if you look up a specific cookbook and click on the "notes" view (the icon is a little text bubble icon) you are able to see all EYB members reviews of the cookbook "and" all the member reviews of all the recipes in the book all in one place.

I'm so excited about this feature because the book reviews obviously give you a sense of others impressions of the book itself but having all the recipe reviews in the same place offers something I haven't seen elsewhere on the web. Now you can tell if the recipes are generally working for folks. Whether there are more hits than misses. You'll see commentary about how clear the instructions are, which recipes folks are making....it's just wonderful!

Perhaps in part because it was a COTM here on Chowhound, the New York TImes Cookbook has 180 notes!! Here's a link so you can take a look:

http://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/8...

Enjoy. . . . having only spent a little bit of time reading reviews this morning, I've already added 3 books to my "Wish List"!!!!

[Boudleaux]

I have been in denial about being a cookbook addict and have now decided to just give in. Here are my latest purchases:

A Southerly Course - Martha Hall Foose
The Complete Southern Cookbook - Tammy Algood
Pre-ordered: Basic to Brilliant, Y'all - Virginia Willis

Yes, I am especially addicted to Southern cookbooks.

[roxlet]

How do feel about the Foose? At first perusal, I was disappointed and I haven't gotten back to it yet. Have you made anything from it?

[Boudleaux]

I haven't made anything from it yet. I have my eye on a few things to try next weekend. I'll report back! That said, I loved Screen Doors and Sweet Tea!

[Boudleaux]

I'm reporting back now. I have cooked from A Southerly Course and have to tell you that, though the recipes work and everything turned out fine, I was a little underwhelmed. I can't explain why. I love the first book though.

[flourgirl]

Just bought "Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen" yesterday with a 50% coupon at Border's.

Did I really need another southern cookbook? Probably not. But just flipping through the book, it's beautiful, there's quite a few recipes I want to try & it just looks like a good read.

[pasuga]

My most recent purchase was "White House Chef," by Walter Scheib. It's part memoir, part cookbook. He was hired by Hilary Clinton early in their first term, and went on to work for the Bushes for several years. Lots of great recipes and great stories. He's respectful about both families as far as politics go, and his anecdotes about GWB's lunch habits and Clinton sneaking 24 oz porter-house steaks with Bernaise sauce whenever Hilary was traveling are hilarious.

[iL Divo]

sounds like a fun read.

[smilingal]

Just came in from the library where I noticed From Tapas to Meze by Joanne Weir for sale for $2.00 so I couldn't leave it there. Looks good - anyone have favorites from this?

[SAHCook]

Have you cooked anything from this yet? I'm wondering if it would be a good summer cookbook ... I'm looking for light meals, and the food on her show always looks like things I would enjoy eating.

[smilingal]

no - in truth - i have gone to it a few times but haven't yet cooked from it - i didn't know she has a show! I had never heard of her before buying the book! Do you know the name of her show?
If I recall, the book does look healthy and delicious!

[SAHCook]

She's on PBS ~ her new class is Cooking with Confidence and there was another one before this one. They're both in a cooking class format, which I kind of like and kind of don't :) But the food looks really good!

[smilingal]

Thanks so much - I had no idea! I just set my DVR and will check her out!

[EM23]

Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni
The Romagnolis' Table: Italian Family Recipes by Margaret & G. Franco Romagnoli
Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (to replace my old copy that fell apart)

I have not cooked from the Boni & Romagnoli books yet as I just bought them on Ebay. I'm a sucker for Hazan's bolognese and lasagna so the trick will be to now force myself to try these recipes in the other two books.

[roxlet]

Love all those books! Very retro!

[EM23]

Ha ha - now that I'm in my late forties "very retro" definitely applies:-) Do you have any favorite recipes in the Boni or Romagnoli books Roxlet?
TIA

[roxlet]

I haven't cooked from either book in a long time, but Boni's pasta al'matriciana was my go-to for many years. Risi Bisi, and cenci are two others I remember making with great success. I think that her recipes tend to make some concessions to ingredients that were available at the time. For example, I'm pretty sure that the matriciana doesn't require guanciale, which is what I use now and is the authentic ingredient. But everything else about the recipe is excellent.

[skippy66]

I've had my copy of "The Romagnolis' Table" since it was published in the 1970s. I have used it a lot over the years. The Lasagne, Paglia E Fieno (Yellow and Green Lasagne) is still to this day my go-to lasagne recipe. I've made it dozens of times and I have never been disappointed. The Pollo Alla Cacciatora I and the Pollo Alla Romana are also really good and really easy.

[Candy]

Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table
Julia Della Croce's Italian Home Cooking
Nathalie Dupree's Southern Biscuits

[flourgirl]

Saveur New American Comfort Food
Tart and Sweet, 101 Canning & Pickling Recipes by Kelly Geary
Latin Evolution by Jose Garces

OK, I admit it - I also bought:

Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez
Scoop, 150 Specialty Ice Creams from the Nation's Best Ice Cream Shops by Ellen Brown
Chicken and Egg (on sale at Crate & Barrel for 50% off)
Truffles, Earth's Black Diamonds by Annemie Dedulle, Toni de Coninck
and
Fried and True: Crispy and Delicious Dishes from Appetizers to Desserts by Rick Rodgers,

[DiningDiva]

Truly Mexican is a good book. I've cooked many of Roberto's recipes over the last 5 years and they are pretty easy to follow and yield good results

[bushwickgirl]

Good to hear, I just bought it.

[skippy66]

Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

[Hank Hanover]

I'm afraid I have gotten carried away with my cookbook purchases the last 3-4 months.

Here is the list.

Master Recipes : Stephen Schmidt (Hardcover, 1998)

The Dessert Bible : Christopher Kimball (Hardcover, 2000)

The Tex-Mex Cookbook : Robb Walsh (Paperback, 2004)

Rose's Celebrations by Rose Levy Beranbaum (1992, Hardcover) :

The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum (1988, Hardcover) : .

Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri (2002, Hardcover) :

Cakes & Pastries by California Culinary Academy, (1985)

Home Sausage Making by Charles G. Reavis (1987, Paperback, Revised)

Treasured Recipes from the Charleston Cake Lady by Sara Sheppard Landis, Teresa Pregnall, Wally Pregnall (1996, Hardcover)

Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (1990, Hardcover)

Roland Mesnier's Basic to Beautiful Cakes

The Secrets of baking by Sherry Yard

[goodhealthgourmet]

looks like someone's been bitten by the baking bug!

say that five times fast ;)

[bushwickgirl]

How is that Tex-Mex book?

[Hank Hanover]

I like it. It has a lot of history and old photos in it explaining where some dishes came from. It doesn't overdo the history and photos. There are plenty of recipes. There are several chili recipes including Lady Bird Johnson's.

There are even some old vs new recipes where they talk about how a dish used to be made and how it is usually made now.

[bushwickgirl]

Cool, I may just get it. I've been eye balling it for some time. Thanks.

[buttertart]

It is good, especially to read. His "Are You Really Gonna Eat That" is fun too.

[DiningDiva]

Love, love, love Robb Walsh's writing plus he does a great job researching his topic. The Tex Mex cookbook is very good. "Are You Really Going to Eat That" is even better. I have not cooked from the Tex Mex cookbook, but friends that have like it very mcuch

[bushwickgirl]

Ok, bought that also. I've had a good day buying cookbooks. Looking forward to it. Thanks for the rec.

[silverstarfish]

Wow, great list! You should be all set for a while. I love to see that there is no Martha Stewart on your list (she's the worst) and the Roland Mesnier Book should be fantastic, I had the honor of cooking with him one day and it was very memorable.

[Jay F]

: : I love to see that there is no Martha Stewart on your list (she's the worst) : :

I like Martha Stewart just fine.

[pikawicca]

Me too. I've cooked some excellent recipes from her books. Don't know why it's fashionable to dis her.

[Jay F]

AFAIC, it isn't fashionable to dis Martha. ENTERTAINING changed my life in 1982.

[wekick]

Like her or not she changed the way "home arts" for lack of a better term were viewed. I've had most of her recipes turn out but not all, but that might be with anybody.

[buttertart]

Count me in the pro-Martha camp, say what you will, her baking recipes are exciting and work.

[Jay F]

My favorites are her cranberry nut tart and her creme caramel, one or both of which I've made nearly every Thanksgiving since 1983.

[Blancmange]

*So* agree butttertart.....and they have all been tested. Just made her Strawberry Crumb Cake yesterday morning and everyone went nuts over it!

[JoanN]

The reason Martha Stewart has such a bad reputation has nothing whatsoever to do with her recipes or her books. It springs mostly from the fact that she's a royal PITA to do business with. She's cruel, imperious, and conniving--and has been since before she was famous. People didn't like her when she was a nobody, and many who have worked with her don't like her any better now that she's famous and runs an empire. Even those of us who can't stand her can admire her talent. It's just that I'll never, ever buy one of her books (or magazines or products). I don't care how good it is.

[Rella]

It's difficult to take a stand against Martha Stewart. I don't buy into the MS BS. But I still have a few books of hers. Very few, and definitely no sheets :-))

[Gio]

I know someone who worked as a chef in her test kitchen and No One Ever got any credit except Marvelous Martha.

[L.Nightshade]

Yeah, I have a few very early MS books, but won't throw any more money her way. Not after the stories I've heard from friends who have had contact with her.

[bushwickgirl]

Same here.

[flourgirl]

I love Martha Stewart's baking and cookbooks. They're quite beautiful and I've made many wonderful things from her recipes.

[silverstarfish]

I have no doubt that the recipies in her cookbooks are good, I just doubt that she wrote them.

[flourgirl]

I don't really understand where you're going with that. Do you think she stole them from someone? Because otherwise, I don't think that anyone is under the illusion that Martha Stewart single-handedly developed and tested every single recipe in every single one of her books and magazines. She runs an empire, not a kitchen out of her 5 room cottage. That doesn't in any way, shape or form detract from the quality of her books and the recipes that they contain.

[Jay F]

Oh, please.

[bushwickgirl]

Just bought "Falling Off The Bone by Jean Anderson, courtesy of a sale at The Good Cook; the book's basic premise being how to turn inexpensive cuts of meat into heaven on a plate. Sounds right up my meat budget alley. Anyone have this book, cooked from it and care to comment?

Also purchased Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, Nuyorican and Bodega Recipes, by Oswald Rivera. It's a highly rated book I've been eying for some time, and should be a fun ride cooking my way through all those tropical vegetables I see at my local markets.

[roxlet]

You're lucky you see tropical vegetables. The problem I always have with ethnic cookbooks is finding the ingredients without a lengthy trek all over the county!

[bushwickgirl]

They're rampant in my hood, matter of fact, it's somewhat tough to get anything but. Right now, plantains 15/$1, tomatillos, .99/lb, yautia, the same, etc. on and on. If that's all I wanted to eat, it would be heaven. I decided it's just easier to join the club; hence the book purchase.

Creminis? Never.

[goodhealthgourmet]

Flying Apron's Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book - Jennifer Katzinger
660 Curries - Raghavan Iyer
Authentic Mexican - Rick Bayless

unfortunately there are still about 30 more on my to-buy list :) the sick thing is that i already have an extensive library, and i *rarely* ever cook from a book! i just love to collect & read them, and occasionally draw inspiration from them.

[Jay F]

I just bought a copy of THE SUMMERTIME ANYTIME COOKBOOK (RECIPES FROM SHUTTERS ON THE BEACH, SANTA MONICA).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307...

Thanks, D Kennedy.

[Breadcrumbs]

Sheesh, a girl goes on a mini vacation and a whole new thread blossoms up!! I was thinking it had been a little while since someone was going to admit to buying yet another cookbook. . . . so glad I found this new thread!! Thanks buttertart, this was much needed!! I was starting to suffer wrist strain from doing so many page down motions trying to read this on my ipad!!! LOL!

I'm expecting some books to arrive in the mail but so far, this week, two new books to add to my collection:

"Flavors of Tuscany" by Nancy Harmon Jenkins - I know it would appear that I'm on a seemingly irrational quest to own every Tuscan cookbook ever published but that's simply not true!! I'm a sucker for cookbooks that include stories of life in a country and this is one of those books. It came highly recommended by a friend who loves to read books about travel and cooking. Enough said, I wanted it and now I have it!! At a quick glance, I'm happy & hungry! Can't wait to give some of the recipes a try.

The Good Book - Seasonal Recipes From The Good Earth Food and Wine co. Niagara Wine Country, Canada - self-published by Nicolette Novak - This book comes from a happy place for food and wine lovers! The GEF&W co is a magical spot in the Niagara region that is part winery, part farm, part cooking school, restaurant, store and so much more. Warm, welcoming and a frequent respite for local chefs, there's always something fun and enticing going on here. Needless to say I couldn't resist their hot-off-the-press cookbook on a recent visit. A lovely little book (albeit pricy!) chock-full of drool-inducing recipes and photographs.

[L.Nightshade]

Breadcrumbs - as someone who's (not) on a quest to own every Tuscan cookbook, perhaps you've acquired a few. I'd be interested in your recommendations. I am going to a cooking school in Tuscany in the fall, and this summer I'd like to familiarize myself with some more recipes and vocabulary for Tuscan cooking. Which are your favorites?
Anyone else with Tuscan favorites, please chime in also.

[Breadcrumbs]

Ahhh, Tuscany, one of my favourite places on earth! I'm so excited for you LN!! What part(s) of Tuscany will you be visiting? A funny thing about Tuscany is that recipes/dishes/pastas vary from town to town . . . as I believe they do through most of Italy. I'd be happy to recommend cookbooks and, general books even dvds if you're interested.

[L.Nightshade]

The cooking school is in the countryside outside of Arezzo. We'll probably make some day trips from there also. After the cooking school we're spending a week in Florence (we precede school with a week in Rome). My first trip to Italy so I am as thrilled as can be.
I would love to hear any recommendations you have, if and when you have the time. I thoroughly trust your judgement!

[Breadcrumbs]

That's very kind of you LN. I'll be back w some recommendations for you. You're most definitely going to have the time of your life!!

[Breadcrumbs]

Hi there LN, so sorry for the delay but I had to pull books and dig my dvds out of the depths of our cabinets!! I hope some of this is helpful. Here are a variety of recommendations:

Cookbooks For Authentic Recipes:

Twelve: A Tuscan Cookbook by Tessa Kiros

Piano, Piano, Pieno: Authentic Food from a Tuscan Farm by Susan McKenna Grant

La Mia Cucina Toscana: A Tuscan Cooks in America by Pino Luongo

Tuscan Cookery by Elizabetta Piazzesi

Cookbooks w beautiful photography:

Tuscan Cookbook: Recipes and Reminiscences from the Italian Cooking School by Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer

Florence: Authentic Recipes Celebrating The Foods of The World by Lori De Mori and Williams-Sonoma and Weldon

Savoring Tuscany: Recipes and Reflections on Tuscan Cooking by Lori De Mori

Books for Reading:

A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena Di Biasi (I couldn’t put this down, it had me so captivated . . . a true story)

Vanilla Beans and Brodo by Isabella Dusi - though this book is focused on Montalcino the peek into daily life in a Tuscan hilltown translates across the region, another true story. We’ve met folks in the book on our visits!!

DVD’s:

Inside The Tuscan Hills – a PBS series I’d highly recommend. Such wonderful insights, information and videography.

Books to help you plan dining and food-related stops:

Great Eats Italy by Sandra Gustafson (fabulous resource, excellent recommendations)

Tasting Tuscany – Exploring and eating off the beaten track by Beth Elon – a great blend of itineraries, regional info and recipes.

Enjoy!

[L.Nightshade]

Grazie mille, Pangrattati. È un angelo!

I really appreciate the time you put into this. I can't believe you went digging through your shelves!

It looks like I'm in the appropriate thread to talk about what I've ordered so far:

La Mia Cucina Toscana
Florence: Authentic Recipes
Savoring Tuscany
Vanilla Beans and Brodo

I was lucky enough to find them all from various discount sites for between $4 and $9, including shipping.

I've downloaded A Thousand Days in Tuscany to both my Kindle and my iPad (my home and travel readers). I will probably start reading tonight. This sounds like just the kind of read I've been looking for.

And I've got the entire series of Inside the Tuscan Hills on hold at the Library.

I plan on ordering Beth Elon's "A Culinary Traveller in Tuscany: Exploring and Eating Off the Beaten Track," which I imagine must be the US version of "Tasting Tuscany," don't you think?

Whew! This is really going to get me in the spirit! I've got the remaining books on wish lists and request lists, which I'll be attending to as I work my way through these.

I also picked up Trattoria Cooking by Biba Caggiano for $1 at a library sale yesterday. Not Tuscan, but looks potentially interesting.

Again, thanks a million, you are a GREAT resource. I will let you know how it goes!

[Breadcrumbs]

Prego LN you are more than welcome, I'm happy that this was of assistance to you. I'm impressed w all your finds, great bargains!!

I'm also confident these will all serve to have you over-the-top excited about your trip.

Please let me know what you think of A Thousand Days in Tuscany . . . I just fell in love w it. I've since read all Marlena De Biasi's books but this one remains my favourite. I also have her cookbooks which are good but, in my view, not as good as others I've mentioned.

You should pick up a bottle of Chianti and a lovely Brunello as well to ensure you're in the perfect frame of mind for reading/learning!! ; - )

[L.Nightshade]

Mmmm sounds lovely. What a perfect idea!

[iL Divo]

Breadcrumbs

How bout if I just come to your house and borrow a few of your gems

[L.Nightshade]

My Tuscany books have started to arrive over this last week. What a pleasure! It's hard to turn much attention to the COTM, I just want to dreamily gaze at (and cook from) these new books. Even Mr. Nightshade is getting a bit excited, looking at recipes and photos. Thanks again, Breadcrumbs, for all of your recommendations!

[Breadcrumbs]

LN I'm so glad you're enjoying the books, I can only imagine how excited you must be getting about your trip! I think the anticipation is a big part of the fun! Keep us posted!

[smilingal]

Jealous, Jealous, Jealous!!! I hope you'll share your experiences when you return. What a fantastic opportunity! Enjoy every minute - before in your learning and there in your experiencing.

[L.Nightshade]

Thank you smilingal. I'm completely excited, for a while I thought I'd never be able to do this. I'm sure I'll be reporting somewhere on my adventures.

[dkennedy]

L. Nightshade,

You are going to love cooking out of Trattoria Cooking. The Bistecca alla Pizzaiola on p. 179 is my go to recipe. In fact, I've used in when teaching a trattoria cooking class. My new favorite from this book is the rabbit with balsamic vinegar. It is great the first night but the leftovers, pulled from the bone and reduced down, make an unforgettable ragu. I have some ragu in my freezer right now and I can't wait to use it! I am looking for an affordable source for rabbit (in L.A.). The rabbit at Bristol Farms is fantastic, but at $11.99 a pound, it makes for a very expensive meal.

[Breadcrumbs]

Great to know dk! i picked up that book for a song at Abes some time ago but haven't had a chance to cook from it yet. I'll pull it off the shelf and move it to the kitchen now I know of your experience w it, thank-you!

[L.Nightshade]

dk - I'm so happy you give this a good review! For a dollar, I just took a chance.
I went back the next day and all books were 50 cents, so I loaded up a few more unknowns, and some duplicates for the vacation/rental house collection. I love a good library sale!

I wish we could get rabbit, at any price. I can't even find duck around here.

[buttertart]

Chinese markets in NYC have rabbit at a very reasonable price, usually frozen, much as it pains me to note (I have bunny issues). I should think the same would be true in LA?

[mljones99]

The French Laundry - great to read through but I'll never make anything out of it so I sold it.

Tupelo Honey Cafe: Spirited Recipes from Asheville's New South Kitchen - great book from a restaurant i really enjoy in Asheville

The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos - my first book from Robb Walsh. interesting reading and great recipes that take me back home to Texas.

[KateCross]

My last 3 -
1) Recipes and Ramblings - Elizabeth Luard , a collection of some of her recipes from her column in the Oldies. I bought it because I have two of her other books that I like a lot.
2) Olive Trees and Honey - Marks, vegetarian Jewish recipes. I love Mediterranean style vegetarian salads in the summer and bought this book to learn some new ones.
3) Another copy of Nigel Slater's Real Fast Puddings, somehow my other one got lost and I always find something in here to make at the last minute when a little something sweet is required.

Now, for my next three - I am considering Supernatural Everyday, the new one by Martha Foose (loved Screen Doors and Sweet Tea but I am not sure I need another southern cookbook as I have a million already) and the biscuit cookbook by Nathalie Dupree (forgetting what I just said about southern cookbooks, of course). Oh, and Radically Simple. I might need an intervention.

[emily]

I'm really enjoying "Olive Trees and Honey," though I haven't made anything from it yet. Everything from knishes to Georgian salads to red lentil soups sounds great!

[bushwickgirl]

Speaking of Elizabeth Luard, I have her The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking. It's lovely, delicious and a very pleasurable read. Do you have this one? Highly recommend.

[KateCross]

Yes! That's one of my favorites as well. I also picked up her European Festival Food recently, which is quite good.

[buttertart]

Love that Peasant Luard book too.
This one of hers is a treat: "The Food of Spain and Portugal" - the Beast loves the pheasant with sour oranges from it, it can be made with a mix of lemons and oranges and Cornish hens fairly successfully too... http://www.elisabethluard.com/page8.htm

[Dorothy Dean]

i recommend supernatural every day--i just bought it. the only thing i've made from it is a dip with quince paste, lemon, olive oil, yogurt, and garlic, but it was well-balanced and yummy and the ingredient combination is so unexpected. that's what i like best about her recipes.

kale with coconut, pomegranate glazed eggplant with ricotta salata--not things i would have necessarily thought of on my own.

same thing with ottolenghi--not plenty, just ottolenghi--which i also just bought. flavor combinations that are completely new to me. haven't made anything from that yet, but really excited to.

[iL Divo]

Quince paste where does one find that?

[Gio]

http://www.amazon.com/Quince-Jam-Paste-10-oz/dp/B001TZU1AO
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen...

[silverstarfish]

Portugese store, they love the Quince. There is one in Mamaroneck, Ossining, Yonkers and of course Newark, NJ

[bushwickgirl]

Any Spanish bodega will carry it, least in my area.

[Jay F]

My current latest three:

RADICALLY SIMPLE

FAST FOOD MY WAY

a re-buy of the original 1985 version of Martha Stewart's PIES & TARTS

[roxlet]

I succumbed to thegoodcook.com $13 and no shipping sale and bought Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy and Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez. Excited for both.

[DiningDiva]

I just got Truly Mexican as well. Wow! I think the first thing I'm going to make is the Pistachio Pipian.

[buttertart]

I sprang for it on the sale too, excited to see it. Also The Home-Made Sweet Shop (bushwickgirl said it was good, and I really have a candy bug in my noggin) and Fearless Baker by Emily Luchetti and Lisa Weiss, because I am powerless before a new baking book...
DiningDiva, do you have My Sweet Mexico? I can't recall if I saw you comment on it.

[DiningDiva]

Yes, I do have My Sweet Mexico and have made several things from it. I like the book alot and the Emapnadas de Jitomate are drop dead great and the pan de muerto isn't far behind. I do think, however, that the book should have been edited a little bit more tightly as there are some instructions that aren't very clear. For someone who has done routine baking it won't be a problem, I think novice bakers would have some issues.

It is a delightful book and the recipes, for the most part, do work.

[buttertart]

Thanks! I knew if anyone would know it would be you. Next TGC sale...

[Caitlin McGrath]

buttertart, check out this thread that DiningDiva started and she and others have posted in, Baking from My Sweet Mexico: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/738219

[buttertart]

Thanks, Caitlin, that book's on the list!

[Caitlin McGrath]

FWIW, pretty sure this book is Book Search Plus only, so doesn't qualify for all the TGC discounts and sales.

[buttertart]

It is, I already checked... :(

[buttertart]

Hurray my books came yesterday, not bad since I ordered them Sunday night. The Santibanez looks wonderful, and can't wait to go through the others. Thank goodness for The Good Cook supersales.

[roxlet]

Ooh. I'm hoping mine come today!

[DiningDiva]

I think the Pistachio Pipían has my name written all over it for this weekend.

[buttertart]

Manoman thanks for pointing that out.

[DiningDiva]

I got some Yellowtail in my CSA bag yesterday...thinkin' the pistachio pipian might be a decent match with it.

[buttertart]

Yum in advance.

[buttertart]

"The Fearless Baker" is a very good beginner's book. I'm going to give mine to my 13 yr old niece, though - the recipes are good and intriguing but more elementary than I'm looking for at this stage of the game.

[roxlet]

Good to know. I was eyeing that one too.

[DiningDiva]

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/05...

Interview with Robert Santibañez author of Truly Mexican

[bushwickgirl]

It's a great book, quite beautiful and very accessible.

[Breadcrumbs]

Totally agree bushwickgirl. With all of Rick Bayless' and most of Diana Kennedy's books on my shelf, I haven't felt the need to add any more Mexican books. That said, after reading an article online, I had to check it out. Though I haven't cooked from it yet, I still have it in the kitchen as its beautiful photography and, user-friendly approach to presenting information have captivated me. It's a book I'm quick to grab and start reading. I stopped flagging recipes when I realized that most everything appeals to me!!

Here's the article I read:

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/dinin...

[smilingal]

Breadcrumbs - i had once asked this on another thread but don't think anyone had answered --- not having a Mexican book in my collection, I have wondered between Bayless and Kennedy which is a great starter book - not that I am a novice cook, but a good general, rather than specific, book that might start a new collection!

[Breadcrumbs]

smilingal - I think Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless would be a great "first book". The recipes aren't overly complicated and some are very simple but the results are consistently good. This book has a number of photos as well which I find helpful so you know what you're aiming for when making a dish for the first time.

There aren't a lot of Mexican restaurants in Toronto and I don't have a deep enough knowledge of the cuisine to say oh, I really feel like "insert name of Mexican dish here". I may crave Mexican food and the only way I can decide on a dish is by searching by ingredient in EYB or, by pulling the book off shelf and flipping through it to see what appeals. I find this to be much easier when book has pictures.

I don't have all Diana Kennedy's books but there are no photos in the ones I do have so it takes me a lot longer to flip through to decide what to make.

[smilingal]

thanks! I will put it on my wishlist!

[DiningDiva]

Smilingal, I do have a lot of experience with Mexican cuisine and while I adore Diana Kennedy and think her cookbooks are marvelous, for a novice to Mexican cooking they might be a bit overwhelming. If your regular cooking skills are good to very good, The Art of Mexican Cooking is probably her best bet as a place to start.

I agree with Breadcrumbs on Everyday Mexican to which I will add a very small book of RBs that often gets overlooked, and that is Salsas that Cook. It's a slim volume that starts off with 8 essential sauces. Rick includes chile substitutions and each salsa recipe comes in 3 different yields. The remainder of the volume is 50 recipes that make use of the essential salsas.

The Roberto Santibanez book Truly Mexican is also a great place to start as well. One of the foundations of Mexican cooking are the various sauces and learning the techniques for making them is a good place to start. They are not roux based so you'll learn how to roast, toast, grind and blend to make a sauce. Roberto's book has enough simple recipes in it that you could start with those and work your way up to some of the more diffuclt ones.

When I first started getting interested in Mexican cuisine 25+ years ago, DK was about the only option, so that is where I started and where I remain. One of the selling points for her books is that she also provides good context and her books are very easy to read. RB and RS are both great teachers and totally committed to their topic. Go to your local library or a good bookstore that might carry all 3. Check the books out and see which one resonates with you before you invest in purchasing. I have a collection of almost 200 Mexican cookbooks in English and Spanish. The books I come back to time and again are The Art of Mexican Cooking (DK), Mexican Table (RB), Everyday Mexican (RB), Mexico the Beautiful (Marilyn Tausend) and Mexican Cooking (Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz)

Good luck

[smilingal]

thanks DiningDiva for the recommendations! I will check them out. I am off to the library today, as I had requested RB's Everyday Mexican and I was notified that they are holding it for me! Yipee!!

[herby]

I took Salsas that Cook from the library yesterday after reading DD's recommendation and BC's endoersement. Have not had a chance to read it yet, just flipped through and it looks delightful:)

[smilingal]

ENJOY! Share some good recipes please! I am surprised that our library system doesn't have this book. I will have to speak to somebody to request it!

[DiningDiva]

Salsas That Cook is a slim volume and probably the least well known of all the RB cookbooks. It's a good book for a novice to Mexican cooking.

One of the things that I've always appreciated about Rick has been his ability to explain the steps and processes in a recipe. I think he did a good job of that in this book. IIRC, it came out shortly before Mexico: One Plate at a Time and I think it kind of got overlooked in favor of One Plate.

I *think* the recipe for Chocolate Struesel Cake in in Salsas that Cook. If it is, try it, it's a good, all purpose cake and it's not particularly difficult to make. Also, the photo on the cover of my copy has the most tantalizing photo of a whole roasted chicken. I've made the recipe and while mine didn't really look much like the cover photo, it was still pretty darn tasty :-)

[herby]

Thank you for the suggestions, DD! The cover yummy chicken on the cover of my book. I have been cooking for years but never Mexican - will definitely try the chicken and will look for the cake recipe.

[Gio]

My latest purchases are:

The Antipasto Table by Michele Scicolone
Made a Tuscan bean salad last night and it was delicious. I had cooked Jacob's cattle beans using an Ottolenghi recipe and put the salad together using a recipe from MS's book. Thanks to Breadcrumbs for the recommendation!

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and her daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali
This has been shipped and I eagerly await its arrival. (Sometimes I think sellers ship by Snail Express)

Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin, and Ben Fink
Haven't cooked from this yet but have today free to read and plan some meals..

[roxlet]

Please report back on the Bastianich. I have been considering this book for some time, but haven't taken the plunge. I have to say that what she makes on her show always sounds appealing to me, so I am curious about my reticence in this instance!

[Gio]

I'll do that, roxlet. Last night I used a recipe of hers that's in "Lidia's Italian Table" for roasted whole branzini and I must say it was delicious: easy, light, and scrumptious, so I'm anxious to see what this new book has to offer.

[Gio]

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy...

Now that I've had a chance to read this new book of mine I have to say there a quite a few of tasty sounding recipes that I've listed To Make. Some of them recall food I remember my Mum and aunts making, some variations on a theme, and some are totaly new to me. Lidia does not review all the regions however. I was waiting to see what she had to say about Puglia and Friuli-Venezia Giulia but they're omitted as are Campania, Tuscany and a few others. Puglia and Fruili are two regions my mother lived and she went to university in Naples so I was particularly interested in those, but I suppose they've been written about many times elsewhere. Her descriptions are vivid and and the writing is personal, which I like. I'm looking forward to many hours of happy cooking from this book.

[roxlet]

Oh, good! I finally decided to order it, so I am excited you find it worthwhile!

[buttertart]

Don't make the beef rolls, y - u - c - k.

[Gio]

Do you mean Braciole?

[buttertart]

Yes. The ones in this book are plain nasty.

[Breadcrumbs]

Gio, so glad you're enjoying The Antipasti Table, I couldn't help but think of you when I first looked through it.

Not sure if you saw my other recommendation for you in the older thread but just in case . . .. :

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7340...

. . . you're welcome, I just know you are looking for another book to buy!!! ; - )

[Gio]

You mean "Pleasures of the Good Earth"? Yes, I saw that but for now I'm concentrating on that Carluccio book (Antonio Carluccio's Italia) because it falls right in line with the new Lidia book...and he includes the regions Lidia has left out. There are fewer recipes in his book but the references to the foods and wines of each region is all inclusive.

To compensate for not getting Pleasures, I ordered Seductions of Rice...O_o

[Breadcrumbs]

Hmmm, well that makes sense Gio, Seductions should definitely come first!!

[buttertart]

Down, girl! (Wink wink.)

[schoenfelderp]

Bouchon - Just bought this and can't wait to start using it. The fundamental techniques from TFL are all there, but it's food you can cook for your whole family.
Ad Hoc at Home - Same reasons as above. Can't wait to try the lobster roll and see how it compares to everything I ate growing up (Keller worked at the Dunes club in RI, so I have a feeling he'll have it classically right, but even better)

[DiningDiva]

I like the Ad Hoc book. I've done a few things from it and they're all turned out well

[bushwickgirl]

Been said more than twice, but thank buttertart for part two of this thread.

No new book purchases lately, but the doesn't mean my wish list is empty. I did get Gale Gand's "Short and Sweet", pretty simple but impressive desserts in under 15, 30 or 45 minutes, nice photos; most recipes contain baking supplies most everyone has in the pantry, with just a few "convenience" ingredients, (puff pastry, phyllo, a frozen pie crust shell) so you can always have dessert.

[Dansky]

"French Feasts," by Stéphane Reynaud.
"The New Spanish Table," by Anya Von Bremzen
"The Soul of a New Cuisine," by Marcus Samuelsson.

Getting all over the map lately: France, Spain, and Africa!

[Jay F]

660 Curries - Raghavan Iyer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761137874/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Radically Simple - Rozanne Gold
http://www.amazon.com/Radically-Simple-Brilliant-Breathtaking-Award-Winning/dp/1605294705/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305310758&sr=1-1

A Man and His Meatballs: The Hilarious but True Story of a Self-Taught Chef and Restaurateur - John Lafemina
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060...

[buttertart]

I saw the Gold last Saturday and thought it looked much better than I expected.

[Jay F]

I'm going to make a sea bass/pesto/pistachio and green bean dish from it first. After you make the pesto, I think the fish just bakes or broils for a couple of minutes.

[buttertart]

Sounds fab.

[DiningDiva]

I've had Radically Simple for at least 6 months probably more, but have yet to cook from it. There actually quite a few recipes in it that sound really good.

[bayoucook]

Ordered from Amazon.com this morning:
The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking
Zuni Cafe Cookbook
Martha Stewart's Hors' d'oeuvres Cookbook

[buttertart]

I'm really taken with the Barbara Tropp this go-round. Her Chinese pronunciation instructions are very good as well, btw.

[bayoucook]

Looking forward to it. We have a huge Vietnamese population here, as well as Chinese, and they have plenty of stores so I can get supplies for those two cuisines. Japanese and Thai not so much.

[qianning]

I've never taken to her "China Moon Cookbook" would that rule out interest in "The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking" ?

[buttertart]

No, I don't think necessarily so, this is more of a traditional book. I hated it when it first came out (we were just back from Taiwan and I of course knew everything there was to know about Chinese food then, ha ha). I'll look at in depth and let you know for sure.

[qianning]

thanks i'll be keeping it in mind & would love to hear more of your view on it before i ask my long suffering librarian to track it down.

[Westy]

I have both cookbooks (and I oived in taiwan for a few years. i know what you mean when you say you think you know it when you come back).
Modern Art is a great reference book. If you can master its techniques, there is not much that is beyond you. She has the flavor combinations down pat.
China Moon....I love the IDEA of a chinese bistro, and I am sure the restaurant is/was very good, but....too many sub-recipes. You have to make a variety of infusions, etc to really cook from it. in my view: More trouble than it is worth.

[buttertart]

China Moon was open when we lived in the area and never appealed (again because of my snobbery), so the book doesn't either. Gotta give Tropp credit, it was she who posited that "yu xiang" ("fish-flavor") refers to Yu and Xiang, old names for Sichuan and Hunan, not to fish flavor, since the flavorings used are not just used with fish and don't make things taste like fish...she has to be right. It's simpler to write the characters for fish and flavor than it is for the old kingdom names.

[Candy]

I ditched-donated those two ages ago.

[blue room]

I read (somewhere, most likely here) that the *cookie* recipes at the back of "China Moon" are excellent. Maybe a little odd, but true! Can personally vouch for the Currant -Ginger Shortbreads and the Sesame-Brown Sugar Shortbreads. For this reason I'm reluctant to let go of the book.

[bayoucook]

Thank you thank you thank you buttertart! I love this thread and the other one was getting too long. This is wonderful!

[buttertart]

I aims to please!

[Happywarlock]

India Cookbook: Pushpesh Pant
Saveur: The New Comfort Food - Home Cooking from Around the World: James Oseland
The Indian Slow Cooker: Anupy Singla

[buttertart]

I saw the Pant last Saturday and really want it, I have to say.

[bayoucook]

How is the new Saveur book, have you paged through it yet? I want it!

[margiehubbard]

I have to say I LOVE that new Saveur book. The recipes are so easy and good. I've cooked more out of it than any book since I bought Greenspans French Table. I totally recommend it. Plus, it's full of beautiful illustrations. Some of the recipes are a bit less spicy than I usually prefer. But, that's corrected easily enough.

[buttertart]

Any recommendations of recipes to try?

[bushwickgirl]

Uh oh, I smell thinking of buying.

[buttertart]

No need, already have! TGC $10 program.

[gingershelley]

Buttertart,

I can't seem to find what this acronym stands for - I search, but keep just seeing TGC... DYING to know source of discount cookbooks?
Help!

[Caitlin McGrath]

TGC = The Good Cook. It is a book club, like Book of the Month Club (in fact, owned by that company) but for cookbooks. At signup, you get four books for $1 each, plus tax and shipping, and must buy a couple more within, I think, a year (you can get one of these for half off at signup, knocking it down to one more) to fulfill the membership. Their regular prices are no great bargains, but they occasionally have great sales and offers once you've bought the requisite. The trick is to find enough books you really want at any given time to join. Best sellers, famous and mainstream names dominate.

http://www.thegoodcook.com/

[gingershelley]

Thank you thank you! People keep reffering to TGC and I googled it and came up with nothing relevant :)

[buttertart]

Actually I've found a lot of the more obscure ones I've been after on TGC too, if you join and are over the membership hump it pays to look there first and hold off for ther sales which are more and more frequent. If you can stand it.

It's not all Paula Deen and Cake Boss (which last, shudder)...

[herby]

How will I know when I am over the membership hump? Is there a place on TGC site to check?

[buttertart]

Buy 4 books as the intro, plus 1 at half price, as they allow at signup. Then buy 1 at full club price. Then you've fulfilled the requirement and they start sending you special offers by email. You can also check the account section of the website, it should indicate there too.

[herby]

Thanks Buttertart! Just checked and I am over the hump:) The account section has all info - I even have 2 bonus points!

[Rella]

I've looked at the site a few times and got confused by the books that one can buy 4 of. They have a 100 books iconed-list, another new releases books iconed-list; are there more titled iconed lists, I'm wondering.

I can't seem to find 'exactly' what books one can choose from for the sign up new membership. It seems in olden times, these type of book clubs had a iconed- list for 'new' customers that they could choose from, so maybe I'm making an assumption there should be an 'iconed list for new members to choose from' and I'm wondering where the heck is it.

Answer only when you have time to answer. Thanks.

[herby]

Rella, when I first signed up, I could only select the first almost free ones from a limited list. As soon as I became a member, the selection opened up. I bought one 1/2 priced book at the same time and needed to buy one more book which I did without thinking that I now fulfilled my committment and lately have been receiving tons of "special" deals from them. Not sure how long I'll keep the membership since their prices are not as good as Amazon's but they do have good sales. Hope, this is helpful.

[Rella]

Thanks, herby.

[nomadchowwoman]

If you buy a lot of cookbooks and get over that membership hump, as others have noted, it offers some great deals (best ex. 4 or more, 10$ ea., free shipping--I boughtsix that time, three for gifts; three were $30-35 books, reg.prced, $25 range at, say, Sam's). For me, and I've done the math a few times, it's worth it to be a member though there are often periods when there's nothing I want. It totally depends on your personal cookbook appetite/habit.

[Rella]

Sounds great!
My problem is that I just can't get over experiences over the decades of receiving books I didn't order because of a monthly mailer problem not responding soon enough, returning books, adjusting bills, etc. Years ago I belonged to a 'book club' though not cooking.
And, of course, the experience that I've had with Cook's Illustrated, a nightmare. I was a good customer and they were always courteous, but what a time-waster to take care of problems with mailings, bills, etc.

So, I'm tempted and always want another cookbook. With Borders gone, I'm a bit of a loss. Even though I just purchased a Barnes and Noble Nook Color to take up Borders store loss, I'm still not a B&N fan, online or store

[nomadchowwoman]

I hear you on getting those unwanted books: my previous TGC stint involved a lot of book returning. But now the special selection notices come via e-mail, and it takes just a second to click and decline, so no more unwelcome arrivals. (Of course the inverse is true: it's a lot easier to buy. But I try to hold out for the real bargains.)

[roxlet]

Do sign up for email notifications. It's much easier to deal with than snail mail. I used to have the same problem with other book clubs -- I'd walk around with the mail in slip in my purse, and forget to mail it. Next thing, I'd be the proud owner of some Better Homes and Gardens tome that I had no interest in having. I've been a member of TGC for over a year, and nary a slip up. I respond ASAP, and never buy the book on offer -- even if I want it -- preferring to wait instead for the $10 a book sale...

[Rella]

Thanks Nomadchowwoman and roxlet. Yes! to email notifications. I've not heard about this.

Sort of coincidental to this, I've spent the last two days about 1-1/2 +/- hours working with my ISP trying to get certain emails that were listed on their site but weren't coming into my inbox. Having to re-do getting my emails through another source which is inconvenient. Now wouldn't that bite me if I had missed the TGC notifications. But this is just a fluke, I know. Now I have to contend with, I notice, the new ISP putting my legit emails into a SPAM folder, whereas I never had spam previously. (Aren't I the lucky one not to have spam?

At any rate, thanks for your informing me of this choice. Quite good.

[herby]

Rella, TGC is very good about giving you an ample time to reply and then there is usually a reminder a week or so before the reply is due. Even if you miss the original message, which I did in the beginning, there is enough time and warning to opt out of selection. My impression is that they do not want you to receive a book you do not want and make an effort to avoid this situation whether the old book clubs seemed so eager to the book over to you no matter what. So, this is refreshing.

[nomadchowwoman]

I'd too love some recs. Like Buttertart, I succumbed to its charms (and TGC sale). It is beautiful, indeed, but I haven't tried anything yet. I loved all those Saveur cookbooks. I wish they'd continued the series on the food of a particular country.

[buttertart]

OH NO! You mean the other ones are good too?

[nomadchowwoman]

I love them--for cooking, for reading, and for drooling. I've made several repeat recipes from the France book:farmhouse vinegar chicken, poussins w/Calvados and cream (that one makes me cry b/c my dad saw the photo and put in a request; he died a few weeks later and I never got the chance to make it for him), pork loin cooked in apple cider and Calvados. The gratin dauphinois is sinfully delicious. Good recipes for tarte tatin and tarte au citron, too, and thye kouign amann has you written all over it, BT.
I also make a pasta w/prosciutto sauce from the Italy book that is a great quick dinner.
I use the American one mostly for reference, but it too is gorgeous.

[buttertart]

Must...get...
I feel for you on the thwarted recipe request.

[qianning]

love that book, the dacquoise recipe is a real killer, although you have to be in the mood for a project.

[roxlet]

Is this from the Saveur book? I've lost the thread somehow...

[buttertart]

Saveur France I think.

[Westy]

How do you like the Indian slow cooker one? I have thought about it, but yet to make the plunge. be nce to come home to a great indian meal. And have a kitchen that smelled so good.

[Pata_Negra]

i have too many but not for cooking. i read them like novels, marvel at the photography. last three bought in Argentina.

[giorgionadi]

Thomas Keller - French Laundry Cook Book - Will most prb never make anything...quite amazing to see the effort gone into each conceptually simple dish..

Lafcadio Hearn - Creole Cook Book - Ancient cookery recipes written in old New Orleans...No measurement...no specifics...but some truly some traditional word-of mouth techniques.

Jacques Pepin - La Technique - Need I say anymore? Like a manual on proper french techniques from the man who mastered it.

[ellabee]

I still kick myself for having left La Technique behind in one of my many moves during the 1980s. Someday I'll put the combined edition on my list for Santa...

[giorgionadi]

Oh boy...thats a tough one. My friend gave it to me as his dad used to cook. He had no idea how invaluable the lessons in the book are....I mean..he does some tiny things that make the dishes for you guest so nice. Shows to your friends/family that you really put the effort into something.

[ellabee]

Classic Indian Cooking - Julie Sahni
Authentic Mexican - Rick Bayless
Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure - Lorna Sass

I got the Sass book to make it easier to start using my new pressure cooker, but have since realized that many Indian dishes also work well. And pozole!

The first two books are the result of my resolution to read through and cook a bit from books in the library whenever possible before buying. It's saved me from a bunch of cookbooks that sounded appealling, but would have just sat around unused. And it's also made it very clear which ones might be keepers. Thanks, buttertart, for feeding our habits. And thanks to you and others who promoted Eat Your Books here -- that's made a huge step forward in my actual cooking from books. (Along with padding my wishlist...)

[buttertart]

My sister-in-law is from Kolkata and is a big pressure cooker advocate - her mom too.

[wekick]

Agree, time for part 2.
I mentioned on another thread I use the Time Life books for my filing system. I use both the Good Cook and Food from the World for sections. I love those books and the Southern Living series too

My last few from Goodwill
Flatbreads & Flavors: A Baker's Atlas
A a couple of the food editor's favorites by Barbara Gibbs Ostmann

[buttertart]

Hi wekick, glad you're not miffed I muscled in. That is a great tide on the filing by the way, when I bestir myself to get after my books I'll do the same.
That "Lutheran in the title" still makes me smile.

[pikawicca]

In preparation for the summer/fall harvests, I recently purchased two canning books:
"Put 'em Up," and "Canning for a New Generation." Both are full of intriguing, contemporary recipes.
(Maybe we should do a canning book for COTM this summer.)

[buttertart]

That is something I have never done. My mom was a big canner. V good idea, pikawicca!

[rainbowbrown]

I recently got Canning for a New Generation and I really like it. The recipes are simple, made for small batches and are not heavily reliant on sugar or pectin. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure.

[BadRabbitAU]

Artisan Bread Every Day - Peter Reinhart
Mexican Kitchen- Rick Bayless
Charcuterie- Ruhlman & Powlcin