How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is also a good book to have in that vein. Bittman’s work is top notch in general.
several CIA cookbooks (Professional Chef, Professional Pastry Chef, Advanced Professional Pastry Chef, Garde Manger) that I don’t recommend to novices
Novies or amateurs? I ask as I’m past wanting recipe books but I do want to improve my techniques and gain a greater understanding of some of the methods involved in being a good cook (as opposed to a chef). Larousse is a fantastic book but again, in a similar manner to the questions I raised about Self taught coding, I feel that I’m still lacking in understanding around some of the (basic) principles around why I’d do something this way compared to that way.
Does that make any sense?
I doubt that you would ever cook any of the formulas out of the Professional Chef series, but the technique stuff you would probably find useful. Whether you would find it $50 worth of useful, I can’t say - I certainly do. The trouble is that the text can sometimes be confusing or misleading without classroom (or kitchen, really) instruction - they’re meant as literary supplements for the CIA curriculum.
Seconded. It’s my favorite vegetarian cookbook, probably because it’s the least romantic one I’ve ever read. Just great recipes, with a thousand variations for each template he gives you, so you can always knock something together from what you have in your pantry when it’s 7pm and you’re starving.
I haven’t read it, but would How to Cook Without a Book be helpful? My brother and aunt both rave about it.
It’s very very very true although not always usable for the home kitchen (The recipes can be finicky but have great results). Escoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire is rad too.
Time to bring a thread back from the dead. My sister is very much into cooking. What are some of the “top” cooking books out there. I’ve been told that there are some really good cookbooks out there but that they are quite expensive, price doesn’t matter to me.
Also, I’m curious, what are some cookbooks that Qt3’ers have enjoyed and or are coveting but haven’t bought?
I like Kenji’s cookbook, Better Home Cooking Through Science. There is a lot of interesting information and discussion. A lot of the recipes and techniques covered are pretty involved – it is not a good resource for quick weeknight meals.
He is usually the first source I check when I want to try cooking something new. If you’re not familiar with him at all: https://www.seriouseats.com/editors/j-kenji-lopez-alt
He is working on a new book that is supposed to be more of a practical guide to day-to-day cooking for a family, but it’s not due for another year, I don’t think.
Ha. I didn’t realize it was quite as lauded as it is: “The one book you must have, no matter what you’re planning to cook or where your skill level falls.”― New York Times Book Review
It has the benefit of also looking nice, unlike something like “How to Cook Everything”, which is a great resource and a cool book, but it’s not much to look at.
My current favorite cookbook is more of a coffee table book than useful cookbook. It contains recipes, but nothing that I’ve felt the need to actually make. Someday, I’ll have a party themed around its recipes though.
All my current actual cooking books are online, either on the internet proper, or in a google drive folder where I’ve accumulated my own family recipes.
I second Kenji.
Beyond that, what kinds of food does she like to cook?
Are you looking for a more practical book or a more gifty, coffee-table style book with lots of photos?
I saw this on one of Alton Brown’s shows, in the background. Wishlisted.
I think either and both, really. My sister likes to make deserts for people a lot. She also enjoys doing a bunch of cooking for meals at Christmas time as well. She really enjoys the craft.
This Harold McGee book is the original “scientific and empirical approach to cooking technique” cookbook for the mass market. If you read the negative reviews of Kenji’s book, they mostly say, “Don’t bother, just read McGee.” I haven’t read it, but I understand it isn’t recipes, but more discussions of the science of cooking with some technique.
Ok…some wide ranging suggestions:
Anything by Nigella Lawson. Based on what you said, have a look at the Christmas book and Feasts
Art of the Pie by Kate McDermott
- A couple of ethnic options:
Mexico the Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte
Nanban: Japanese Soul Food by Tim Anderson
- and for something a bit more out there, if she likes historical cookbooks
A Treasury of Great Recipes by Vincent and Mary Price
This one you would have to find used. You’d probably be looking at 100+ for a hardcover edition from the 60s. However, I just noticed that they did a 50th anniversary edition (2015) which is available on Amazon for about 35. Not as swanky as the original version, but maybe a wiser choice if you aren’t sure it is something she will love.
Did you guys not read this resurrected thread? Come on, man, it’s only 36 posts!
That said, as an update to the exchange @Waltzer and I had 9 years ago (!!), a funny story about the Cook’s Illustrated/Best Recipe series. A person I employed for a while at that Exec Chef job I mentioned there eventually went on to write for CI. I was super envious- big fan of their work, etc., seemed like the dream job- testing recipes, making notes. But then they became disillusioned with the gig. There was an ‘ideal script’ that they needed to write toward- a structure, a sense of drama. When I went back to look yeah, it was definitely there in pretty much every article. Made me a bit sad.
That said, the Best Recipe series is still one of the high water marks for good, solid, approachable learning to cook everyday stuff. And their “The Science of Good Cooking” is much better than that Food Lab book, IMO, and more approachable that the McGee.
Whoops.
I will take a look at that Science of Good Cooking book, though. Thanks!
Here, btw:
When I was growing up this was in almost every kitchen I knew. Its still a great book for everyday cooking. One of my sisters still has the vintage copy that my mom had back in the 60’s. It was given to my mom by her mother and still has all of the handwritten notes that my mom and grandmother added.
Edited to add. Big thumbs up for Serious Eats and Kenji. They are my cooking go to spot for pretty much everything.
Kenji thirded.
Also, if like me you want to experiment with meals, or just come up with something to use a leftover ingredient in, but don’t have an intuitive sense of what would go with what outside of established combos, The Flavour Thesaurus is very handy.