I love cookbooks. When I get a new one I like to read them from cover to cover and mark them with little post-it notes of recipes to try. I probably have too many, but over the years I have collected a few that I've used more than one or two recipes.
The Joy of Cooking is really a useful book that every cook should have in their kitchen. No there aren't glossy photos, but there are some great recipes to teach you how to cook. In addition there is a recipe or use for almost anything you can think of as well as teaching you to apply what you've learned to other foods. I've learned how to make several sauces, use up chicken and make great fruit pies.
The Bread Bible is my favorite (quick and yeast) bread cookbook. The directions are clear and not overly complicated. A few of my favorites are: cracked wheat bread, vanilla waffles, pain de campagne, and 7 grain honey bread.
Deborah Madison's Vegitarien Cooking for Everyone is a great book for everything non meat oriented. I love my meat however it is really nice to expand one's repertoire of side dishes, breakfasts, desserts and meatless mains. I use her mixed leftover vegetable soup recipe as one of my main go to quick lunches on the weekend. I also love her breakfast musuli, zucchini fritters and saffron noodle bake.
The last one for today is The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007. I just really like the recipes I've tried in this book. They are clear and easy to read. Date-nut bread, Sirloin steak with mustard sauce, and Alabama BBQ chicken are great. Just to name a few.
I encourage you to go and dust off some of your old cookbooks and see what is inside. Maybe it is a forgotten favorite or something totally new.
As always, bon appétit!
Beth
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