I've been churning out meals for over 35 years and have the resultant plethora of cookbooks to liberally cover that time span. Mostly now, I just whip stuff up without consulting any of these books but, when I do need to find a recipe, these are the cookbooks I revisit, time and again.
Over the years, my preferences gravitated to recipes providing good methodology and ease in both comprehension and execution. I've listed them in descending order of visitation.
The Fanny Farmer Cookbook
America's great basic cookbook completely revised to provide, for our generation, a full repertory of wonderful dishes and ways of good cooking in the best American tradition. With an introduction by James Beard
By: Fannie Merritt Farmer, Originally published in 1896 under the title The Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Merritt Farmer
Obtain a copy: No longer in print but a version has been revised by Marion Cunningham to take into account newer preparation techniques and newer dietary preferences.
1,000 Vegetarian Recipes
By: Carol Geddes
Obtain a copy: Amazon
Betty Crocker's Cookbook
By: Betty Crocker Food and Nutrition Center
Obtain a copy: Amazon
Traditional Recipes of Atlantic Canada
By: Shirely Jones and The Culinary Institute of Canada
Obtain a copy: No longer in print because it was a promotional item put out by Ultramar, where chapters were offered each week and you could also purchase the binder to hold them. Sections of it come up for auction sometimes on Ebay, Canada.
Recipes: Middle Eastern Cooking
By: Time Life Books' Foods of The World series
Obtain a copy: Dig Modern
The Southern Accent Cajun & Creole Cookbook
By: Elena Embrioni & Frances Wood
Obtain a copy: Wikio
Betty Crocker's Southwest Cooking
By: General Mills
Obtain a copy: Amazon
Better Homes and Gardens Cajun Cooking
By: Better Homes and Gardens
Obtain a copy: Amazon
A World of Baking
By: Delores Casella
Obtain a copy: Amazon
Canadian Mennonite Cookbook
By: Rita Kaethle & Pat Gerber Pauls. Originally published under the title Altona Women's Institute Cookbook.
Obtain a copy: Amazon
The Silver Palate CookbookDelicious recipes, menus, tips, lore from Manhattan's celebrated gourmet food shop.
By: Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins with Michael McLaughlin
Obtain a copy: Amazon
The Alice B. Toklas CookbookForeward by M. F. K. Fisher
By: Alice B. Toklas
Obtain a copy: Amazon
Life, Love and LobstersAn Anecdotal Collection of Recipes from Harris' Seafood Restaurant
By: Clara Kathleen Harris & Gaynor S. Kleiber
Obtain a copy: Email Gaynor Kleiber at kleibergay@hotmail.com
I love the idea of sharing what cookbooks are your favorites. Though I am familiar with several of those, I own none of them.
ReplyDeleteI have a bad cookbook habit though. When I see them at thrift stores, I have a hard time not bringing them home. I have decided now that if I bring a new one home, I have to give up an old one.
What I really need to do though is to get a larger shelf upon which to keep them!
I lost my Betty Crockee cook book and if I ever saw it at the thrift shop I'd buy it in a heart beat.
ReplyDeleteIt was my very favorite book.