Cookbook Recommendations

[cheezepowder]

It's fun to bring home new cookbooks! I have Vegetable Heaven, but it's been a number of years since I made anything from it. I think I only tried one recipe so I'll be curious to hear which recipes you try and how they turn out. I'll have to flip through it again.

[ulysses]

Awesome! I don't know if this is permanent or not, I just won't ask too many questions.

I loaned my copy to a line cook friend of mine and he moved to Turkey.

[edenman]

Looking for a gift for a new foodie who is getting into preparing ethnic foods. She just made her own injera, also a chilean lamb stew. Any recommendations for particularly good ethnic cookbooks?

In other book news, I'm almost done with "Everything I want to do is Illegal" (hilarious at times, needs to be taken with massive grains of salt), and either James Peterson's Fish and Shellfish or the Bouchon cookbook is on deck. Funny how having a twice-weekly public-transport commute enables me to get so much more reading done than I used to.

[MAdinolfi78]

Looking for a gift for a new foodie who is getting into preparing ethnic foods. She just made her own injera, also a chilean lamb stew. Any recommendations for particularly good ethnic cookbooks?

In other book news, I'm almost done with "Everything I want to do is Illegal" (hilarious at times, needs to be taken with massive grains of salt), and either James Peterson's Fish and Shellfish or the Bouchon cookbook is on deck. Funny how having a twice-weekly public-transport commute enables me to get so much more reading done than I used to.

The washington Post just had a list of recommended gift cookbooks yesterday and included an Indian cookbook:

Madhur Jaffries Quick and Easy Indian Cookery

[Anna Blume]

Looking for a gift for a new foodie who is getting into preparing ethnic foods. She just made her own injera, also a chilean lamb stew. Any recommendations for particularly good ethnic cookbooks?

In other book news, I'm almost done with "Everything I want to do is Illegal" (hilarious at times, needs to be taken with massive grains of salt), and either James Peterson's Fish and Shellfish or the Bouchon cookbook is on deck. Funny how having a twice-weekly public-transport commute enables me to get so much more reading done than I used to.

Any particular "ethnic"? Cf. my reference to Paula Wolfert's EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN above. Injera? How about Samuelsson's fairly new one on African cooking--anyone here use it? (click) Or even Wolfert on mediterranean greens and flatbreads.

Otherwise, I might be tempted to go local with a book by Batmanglij. My bookmark's on a recipe, but click on "About author" and perhaps a special ingredient if so inclined: e.g. saffron, orange blossom water, dried rose petals, sumac, pomegranate molasses...

Then, there's Rick Bayless on regional Mexican cooking. Or Claudia Rosen's ARABESQUE. José Andres, TAPAS if not another on Spanish regional cuisine.

[thistle]

One of my favorite cookbooks is Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures Edward RHamilton-while Rick Bayless is known for his excellent Mexican cookbooks, this book, which has him cooking w/ his daughter Lanie (they both provide comments) has sections on Mexico, Oklahoma, France, Morocco, & Thailand. It's a great resource for beginning & more experienced cooks (I just got a copy for my SIL) fairly simple recipes, tips on mise (green sections marked, 'Do This First'), personal stories, CD selections, a little bit of everything. And for the sale price, it's a STEAL!

[edenman]

Thanks for the recommendations. I ended up with the Madhur Jaffrey and also grabbed True Thai by Victor Sodsook. Keep the recommendations coming, though. She'll need a present for her next birthday and I imagine I can stretch this line of present-giving out for a few more occasions

[Heather]

Then, there's Rick Bayless on regional Mexican cooking. Or Claudia Rosen's ARABESQUE. José Andres, TAPAS if not another on Spanish regional cuisine.

I would go with Tapas by Penelope Casas.

[zoramargolis]

Seen on the sale shelf at Politics and Prose yesterday:

Cucina of Le Marche by Fabio Trabocchi-- $9.95 (list price $32.95) several copies (I bought one for myself, natch)

The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert --$19.99 (list price $40) Already have that one.

Some other good things--The New Making of a Cook by Madeleine Kamman--$13. an incredible price for a major cookbook.

[Tweaked]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good Japanese cook book (not sushi-specific)...something that has a good selection of veggie and fish dishes (but again not necessarily just sushi). Brother and sister-in-law are fairly adventurous cooks so moderate to advanced level cook book is ok.

[rkduggins]

Looking back through the Dinner thread, I saw a recommendation from Xochitl10 for Shizuo Tsuji's "Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art". She's living in Japan now and seems to eat very traditionally. Reading her posts has certainly made me feel better informed on what day to day cooking and eating is like in Japan.

[mdt]

Can anyone recommend a decent Greek cookbook?

[JPW]

Can anyone recommend a decent Greek cookbook?

Anything by Diane Kochilas. I particularly like "Mezze" and "The Glorious Foods of Greece"

[monavano]

Barilla is offering a free download of "The Celebrity Italian Table" with $1 going to Second Harvest for each download, up to $100,000.

[Ilaine]

Barilla is offering a free download of "The Celebrity Italian Table" with $1 going to Second Harvest for each download, up to $100,000.

Those chickpea fritters look tasty. Did not realize there is a difference between Italian chickpea flour and Indian chickpea flour. Wonder why? (Feeling too lazy to google.)

Oh, what the hey, compulsiveness won out. Indian chick pea flour is actually made from chana dal. Wot?

[Tweaked]

If anyone is looking for a cheap copy of Fabio Trabocchi Cucina of Le Marche: A Chef's Treasury of Recipes from Italy's Last Culinary Frontier, as of Saturday afternoon, Politics and Prose has 4 or 5 copies left downstairs for $9.98.

[Seanchai]

Giving this a bump as we near the holiday season, I have to say I'm really enjoying "Urban Italian" by Andrew Carmellini. It starts off by him telling some of his best cooking war stories and then segues to how the idea of this book came about. His writing voice evokes Bourdain's slight nerdy younger brother but really gives the flavor and joy he gets from cooking at home without all of the accompaniments of the professional kitchen. The former chef of A Voce and Cafe Boulud in Manhattan, I've wanted to taste to taste his food sicne the legendary "Battle Pasta" he waged with Mario B. on Iron Chef America.

Reading this book makes you want to pour yourself a glass of red wine, get out your knives and get busy in the kitchen. I'm definitely giving this book to several people this season.

Andrew Carmellini

[sandynva]

Those chickpea fritters look tasty. Did not realize there is a difference between Italian chickpea flour and Indian chickpea flour. Wonder why? (Feeling too lazy to google.)

Oh, what the hey, compulsiveness won out. Indian chick pea flour is actually made from chana dal. Wot?

chana dal is just split chickpeas, but they use a particular type of small dark chickpea, not the big white ones used in chole. it's also sold in indian stores as gram flour. (gram is another word for chickpea)

[Joe Riley]

This is the cook book to give to the cook who has everything: The Testicle Cookbook - cooking with balls

[lscanlon]

My two favorites are Joy of Cooking and The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. They're about the only books I use, although I love the "Pot Roast with Pickles" recipe in the original Frugal Gourmet Cookbook.

Leo

[SeanMike]

This is the cook book to give to the cook who has everything: The Testicle Cookbook - cooking with balls

You could make it a double feature with Natural Harvest, too.

[Sthitch]

While packing away my cookbooks for some home renovation, it struck me that while I have cookbooks dedicated to cultures from Peru to Senegal to Uzbekistan, I don't have a single book on Korean food. Does anyone have suggestions to fill this hole?

[thistle]

Although I don't own them yet, mine are on almost constant rotation from the library-Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen, Hisoo-Shin Hepinstall (I love this one for the stories, &ht make your own kimchee) & Eating Korean, Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee.

[Karen Resta]

Although when it was first released something bothered me about the 'new' Gourmet Cookbook (the enormous size of the thing? the pale yellow cover which reminded me of the color some walls were painted in elderly school-rooms?) I am now a convert. The book has just about one of everything that happened (apart from haute restaurant cookery) post-Joy-of-Cooking . . . post-Julia. ('One' here meaning recipe.)

This is the tome I'll send my kids out into their cooking lives with.

It is a bit biblical in size but every page is worthwhile.

............................

Another favorite: Clifford Wright's 'Real Stew'. Not a lot of media hype for this book, ever, I don't think. But it covers stews to infinity and beyond. It is the only book on my shelves that has a recipe for Son-of-a-Bitch-Stew. This, in itself, makes it worthwhile.

[zoramargolis]

Although when it was first released something bothered me about the 'new' Gourmet Cookbook (the enormous size of the thing? the pale yellow cover which reminded me of the color some walls were painted in elderly school-rooms?)

In the first edition, which I bought, there was a very bad design or printing error: the recipe titles were in a pale yellow color which was almost illegible against the white paper. I heard an interview at the time with editor Ruth Reichl, where she was asked about that and described it as "an unfortunate surprise." This was corrected in subsequent printings, and the recipe titles are now a deep yellow-orange.

I know this, because I got a free copy of the second printing sent to me with an inscribed greeting from Ruth Reichl. How did that happen? Well, gather round, young 'uns and I'll tell you the whole story. It seems that Ms. Ruth Reichl, a writer I admire and whose work I have enjoyed since she moved from Berkeley to Los Angeles in the early 1980's to write for the L.A. Times Food Section, and I lived in Los Angeles from 1976 to 1996. I grew up there, but I moved away, and then I went back and moved away again, but that's a different story. Anyway, Ms. Ruth Reichl was doing one of those food celebrity chats on egullet maybe three years ago, now. I looked in on the thread a couple of days after it had started. One of the posts was from a woman who said that her aging eyes made the pale yellow type undecipherable. Ruth, and I call her that in preference to Ms. Reichl because she is very down to earth and accessible, offered to send the woman a free copy of the second printing if she PM'd her name and address. Well, I PM'd Ruth, too. I told her I like the book a lot, which was true, except for that pale yellow type, which made the book hard for me to use, because I have aging eyes, too. Which I am sure that Ruth can appreciate, because she is about the same age I am. And of course I threw in that I lived in L.A. all those years that she wrote for the Times and I read just about everyword she wrote for the Times, and I thought she was so much better as a restaurant critic than Lois Dwan, the woman she replaced. And I wasn't just saying that to be a smarmy butt-kisser. It was the gods' own truth. And I told her that I was a passionate home cook, which is also the truth. I didn't tell her stuff that wasn't the truth, just to try to get a free book. But I thought it might help if I told her a few things that were true. And she PM'd me back and said to send her my address and she'd send me a copy of the second printing. So I replied with my address. And not two days later, a DHL delivery truck pulled up to my house with a big envelope. And there was a copy of the Gourmet Cookbook, second printing, inside. The recipe headings are in dark yellow-orange type, which isn't my favorite color in the world, but at least you can see it when there is bright light on the page. And on the title page, in bold black penmanship, it says: For Zora - Keep cooking! Ruth Reichl. And I just thought it was a classy thing to do. And it made me start looking at Gourmet Magazine again, which I hadn't done in years. And I like what she writes in her Notes From the Editor, and a lot about the different direction she has taken that old stodgy status-seekers' rag in. So don't anybody be talkin' trash about Ms. Ruth Reichl. She did right by me, and I've got her back. And it just goes to show, young 'uns. Sometimes, if you speak up and ask for what you want, and say it right, you just might get what you ask for.

[Pat]

I know this, because I got a free copy of the second printing sent to me with an inscribed greeting from Ruth Reichl. How did that happen? Well, gather round, young 'uns and I'll tell you the whole story. It seems that Ms. Ruth Reichl, a writer I admire and whose work I have enjoyed since she moved from Berkeley to Los Angeles in the early 1980's to write for the L.A. Times Food Section, and I lived in Los Angeles from 1976 to 1996.

I have the edition with the unfortunate typography, and I can read it, but it's sometimes challenging. She's a fabulous writer and has led quite a life. I've just read her three memoirs, in reverse order, and they were fantastic. She's apparently got another volume coming out in a few months. (There are recipes in them, so they are cookbooks of a sort .)

[Karen Resta]

Oh yeah! I'll join the Ruth Reichl fan club, for sure. Yes, it was that first edition that looked strange, as you note, Zora. But she certainly made up for it - very nice gesture with the book inscribed and sent to you.

Yes, she's made Gourmet into something exceptional once again, in my opinion. And adding up the projects she's involved in and/or manages (my god editing that cookbook alone would have made me want to lay in a hammock for a good long amount of time doing nothing, just to recover) . . . . whew.

Funny thing about 'free books'. Last summer I got an invitation from one of the larger publishing houses to get sent free cookbooks for review purpose. It sort of surprised me, because I always think 'Don't take anything for free or you may be accused of collusion' (or some word like that).

But apparently this is common practice. The public relations/marketing departments of publishers send out lots of them. I didn't accept, because it felt a bit odd to me. I'd rather buy my own or go to the library.

But you guys probably already knew this stuff. I'm the only one that is likely slightly shocked by it.

It's probably like that little ditty:

See the happy moron,

He doesn't give a damn.

I wish I were a moron -

My God, perhaps I am!

[mktye]

Bookcloseouts.com is having a Buy One, Get One Free cookbook promotion through 18 February. The selection of books available for free is somewhat limited, but there are a few of interest. Details here.

[Pete]

Bookcloseouts.com is having a Buy One, Get One Free cookbook promotion through 18 February. The selection of books available for free is somewhat limited, but there are a few of interest. Details here.

In their "Scratch & Dent" section they have Michel Richard's Happy in the Kitchen for $7.27!

[goldenticket]

In their "Scratch & Dent" section they have Michel Richard's Happy in the Kitchen for $7.27!

Not anymore - no copies available.

I did pick up the Silver Palate 25th Anniversary edition + the Union Square Cafe Cookbook for $9.99 (plus s/h). Hope I like them!

[Pat]

I just made something from The Cuisine of Armenia last night and remembered how wonderful the book is. I hadn't pulled it off the shelf in a while.

[The Hersch]

To continue a conversation begun in the Dinner thread: Anna Blume quotes Marcella Hazan:

"... I find the gremolada overloads with unnecessary pungency a beautifully balanced and richly flavored dish." (1979, p. 258)

Is this from More Classic Italian Cooking ? That was published in 1978, according to my Web research, and is the closest to 1979 I can find among Marcella's book publications. Anyway, as I've said, I love Marcella's cookbooks. I have long owned and used Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which combined material from her earlier books The Classic Italian Cookbook and More Classic Italian Cooking , with many revisions. I've never actually read or used the two earlier books. My question, to anyone who would like to offer an opinion: Is it worth buying the first two books, at a reasonable price, if you've got Essentials? Also, my Web meanderings turned up another title, The Second Classic Italian Cookbook , with hints that this was a UK edition, possibly revised, of More Classic Italian Cooking. Anyone know?

[Anna Blume]

The Hersch: You don't remember what I posted Tuesday? :

If I have enough time, tonight there will be osso bucco made w beef vs. veal shanks. I consulted my mended copy of The Classic Italian Cook Book and found a note penciled in the margins at a time when I got my meat from The Orange Street Market, the only place in New Haven that sold veal shanks which the butcher sawed into 2-inch thick sections upon request: "(1 shank=$9)", enough to feed four people.

Why "More CICB" preceded "The CICK" I don't recall, though I have a vague recollection of some to-do. My bookplate for the latter is dated "April 10 1980" while "1979" is written in the former.

Worth buying? If you're a stalker, sure. Otherwise, I would imagine "E" is enough, written not only to reduce the amount of fat in some recipes, but I am guessing, to acknowledge how many more ingredients had become available to the North American cook than most could find in the late 70's-early 80's.

[porcupine]

My question, to anyone who would like to offer an opinion: Is it worth buying the first two books, at a reasonable price, if you've got Essentials?

I'd been using The Classic Italian Cookbook for years when I got a copy of Essentials, and was glad I got the latter for free, because they are very, very similar.

[The Hersch]

The Hersch: You don't remember what I posted Tuesday? :

I don't remember what I posted Tuesday. I suffer from a condition known as CRS Syndrome.

This will probably be of interest to no one besides me, but it appears that the CICB first appeared in 1973, from Harper's Magazine Press; was brought out again by Knopf, in 1976, after which it was reprinted several times under the Knopf imprint with new years of publication shown; one of these was in 1979. Later softcover editions were released by "Papermac", a division of Macmillan, and Ballantine, which is owned by Random House (which also owns Knopf). It is scheduled to reappear in August of this year in a new hardcover edition from Grub Street Publishing, which is an independent press in the UK. That's quite a little career for one book (especially one that was "essentially" superseded in 1992). MCIC first appeared in 1978 under the Knopf imprint, and has subsequently appeared in various forms under the names of Knopf, Ballantine, and Random House. It looks like its last edition was in 1995, but it's hard to tell. The Second Classic Italian Cookbook appears to have been first published by Jill Norman & Hobhouse, a London publisher, in 1982, and seems to have been "adapted" (presumably from MCIC, but who knows?) by Anna Del Conte, who has written several cookbooks of her own. One description says it was "metricated". It subsequently appeared in softcover editions under the Papermac and Macmillan imprints. The World Wide Web is an astonishing thing.

One more detail: Macmillan/Papermac appear to have acquired only non-US rights to publish Hazan.

[porcupine]

This will probably be of interest to no one besides me,

Hey, Hersch - I have an old pasta machine you can work on if you like.

[The Hersch]

Hey, Hersch - I have an old pasta machine you can work on if you like.

Heehee. Perhaps I could drum up some interest in obscure bibliographical details about the Savoy Cocktail Book, which isn't exactly a cookbook, but is a book of recipes.

[Tweaked]

Any suggestions for a vietnamese cookbook?

[thistle]

I have 4 -

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table-Mai Pham, 2001

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen-Andrea Nguyen, 2006

The Little Saigon Cookbook-Ann Le, 2006

Wild, Wild East-Bobby Chinn, 2008

They're all good, most are available in your local library, probably the most used & well-rounded is Mai Pham's Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table-I have made a kicking pho ga from her recipe...

[hungry prof]

With the holidays upon us, I thought I'd bump this thread up. I usually ask for cookbooks for the holidays. What should I be asking for this year? What's new and good? What isn't worth the hype? What are you hoping to receive this year? Already on my list:

Jim Lahey's My Bread

Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home

Monica Bhide's Modern Spice

Max McCalman and David Gibbons' Mastering Cheese

[dcs]

What should I be asking for this year? What's new and good?

I recently purchased Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition), Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food (Hardcover) and have been very pleased. It is more of an idea book for me than a straight recipe book.

[JPW]

My list this year is:

Ad Hoc

The new John Besh "My New Orleans"

Momofuku

[Heather]

FWIW, I bought Ad Hoc at Home, and am not that excited about it. The recipes just aren't doing it for me.

[hungry prof]

FWIW, I bought Ad Hoc at Home, and am not that excited about it. The recipes just aren't doing it for me.

That's disappointing. I had heard it was the first of Keller's books that one might actually cook something out of.

[dlebby]

FWIW, I bought Ad Hoc at Home, and am not that excited about it. The recipes just aren't doing it for me.

What she said...

[Heather]

That's disappointing. I had heard it was the first of Keller's books that one might actually cook something out of.

Huh. I cook from Bouchon all the time, and from French Laundry for special occasions. My ten-year-old has decided that Ad Hoc is hers.

[monavano]

Huh. I cook from Bouchon all the time, and from French Laundry for special occasions. My ten-year-old has decided that Ad Hoc is hers.

I enjoy cooking from Bouchon and feel that I've learned from it-insight and technique. TFLAH is just not for me, but I thought that I might be interested in Ad Hoc. I'll stick to Bouchon, especially after making Keller's "Potato Pave" for Thanksgiving (he was on Martha the day before and demonstrated the recipe which is also on MS's website). Meh, totally meh.

The potato "brick" is just a version of scalloped potatoes which is pressed, chilled, sliced and fried up on each side to crisp and brown. It was not worth the time and effort. I found myself wishing I'd made classic Pommes Dauphinoise. Screw the calories-it's worth it once in a while. Especially when you can have fun with the leftovers.

[hungry prof]

Huh. I cook from Bouchon all the time, and from French Laundry for special occasions. My ten-year-old has decided that Ad Hoc is hers.

Don't shoot the messenger. Just what I've heard. Maybe I'll ask for Bouchon instead of Ad Hoc.

[monavano]

Don't shoot the messenger. Just what I've heard. Maybe I'll ask for Bouchon instead of Ad Hoc.

Although Ad Hoc is "hot off the presses", I'd start with Bouchon. It's a beautiful tome and Keller's simplicity will inspire. Not to mention the stunning photography.

[Heather]

Don't shoot the messenger. Just what I've heard. Maybe I'll ask for Bouchon instead of Ad Hoc.

Wasn't shooting at all! I was just trying to say that Bouchon is very accesible, and French Laundry not as intimidating as people think.