Thursday, May 6, 2010

What's your favorite cookbook?

I was just in the kitchen, looking at my cookbooks, thinking of what to make for dinner with the extended clan on Mother's Day.

I collect cookbooks. The newest one is A Passion for Baking. I bought it because my friend Jacquie Laflamme often bakes from it. Every single thing that comes out of her oven (even those scalloped potatoes) is so good that I want to run away and hide and not share. I can't do this, though, because I'd be unpopular amongst the softball parents, who benefit from Coach Jacquie's baking at almost every game.

There's a rice cookbook named Seduction of Rice which I've never used and is now out of print. But I won't throw it away because I bought it after a long conversation about rice with my late father-in-law.

I use Chez Panisse Vegetables and Chez Panisse Fruit all the time. These are my go to books when I buy something random at the Farmer's Market.

Thom and Sara thoughtfully sent me the Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow Spain cookbook, based on their trip and PBS series. I like the pictures and am reminded of our trip. But Spanish food isn't my favorite.

A few years ago Neeracha bought Paris Cupcakes! I bet I've made half the recipes in there. The best is the one that resembles Millie's coffee cake. We also like the banana caramel ones.

My favorite cookbook, my go to cookbook for all things, is the original Barefoot Contessa. The roasted chicken. The coconut cupcakes. The swordfish. The Indonesian ginger chicken. The chocolate chunk cookies. Everything I've ever made is divine. I love you, Ina, even though you're a bit of a freak on TV. Thank you for making me fat and happy.

5 comments:

Ron Hutzul said...

since I've dropped the ball on catching up with you live, I figured I'd pop over here to at least get the sense that I'm up to speed on things...

My favorite official "cookbooks" are the entire Williams Sonoma series - but also include the last couple copies of Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Cooks Illustrated (No joke, they really publish it - and no, there's no swimsuit edition) as I like to mix it up and try new things.

Without fail however, my go-to resources are epicurious.com and the tattered collection of print-outs and clippings I've collected over the years

One day, I hope to own: The Professional Chef (the CIA textbook)http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Chef-Culinary-Institute-America/dp/0764557343

So I've got a refernece for the basics and proper technique.

Entropic Potato said...

Well, probably the newest Joy of Cooking, believe it or not. It has almost everything I need. And the zucchini bread recipe is da bomb!

LoriB said...

I think I just published a comment using Leo's ID! hehe.

Lori

thomsinger said...

My favorite cookbook is "Mad at Martha". Of course, my wife is the author, so I am biased cuz I think she is HOT. :)

Sara said...

I'm with you, Les. I really like Ina's recipes. They're delicious and reliable. If you haven't tried the lemon meringue tart in her Paris book yet, it's definitely worth making! Overall, I have lots of cookbooks and love getting new ones, but I seem to gravitate back to the same ones over and over again when it comes to actually making recipes.