Thanks for the recommendations. The Larousse seems like it's a bible of sorts.

There were a lot of good suggestions in this thread as well. 'appy cooking!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...cookbooks.html

D'Oh. Of course, I can't get pass the suggestion of Sandra Lee.

Can a mod merge these two threads?

I recently picked up "The Complete Robuchon" on a recommendation and have found it to be great.

Out of time or out of date, "Romagnolis' Table" brought "doable" upscale Italian food at a level not before easily possible to US home cooks. All of a sudden, we were moved beyong "Tomato Gravy". I still recall how much I enjoyed my first visit to the little restaurant in Boston.

Readable, fun and a teaching experience, almost anything of Jeff Smith's, no matter his personal pecadillos, still the perfect gifts for young couples interested in learning to cook.

Any great books or guides for spices, different ingredients (such as the type of fish or vegetable, what they taste like, how to cook them, ect.), and kitchen equipment and tools?

For kitchen equipment and tools, The Well-Tooled Kitchen by Fred Bridge and Jean F. Tibbetts, is the best book I've ever seen. There are all kinds of everyday and obscure implements along with explanations of their usages (who knew that a China Cap is actually a Chinois, and a Chinois is actually a Bouillon Strainer!). I can't imagine any book on kitchen equipment being more complete.

As for guides for spices, etc., Dornenburg and Page put out a book called The Flavor Bible last year that won the James Beard award for Best Reference Book. It gives an exhaustive list of ingredients and what they combine well with. It is a great reference guide. Their website is: http://www.becomingachef.com/

Thanks!

I strongly dislike most celebrity chef cookbooks. In many (not all) cases, it's meaningless branding that doesn't guarantee a minimum level of quality or a particular cooking style.

One of my bibles is Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques. I also gave this to my sister and her husband at Christmas, and they've loved it. It's something to sit in bed and read, and then try things out of. You'll discover things you never even thought of cooking (my sister didn't even know you could make homemade mayo, now she absolutely loves the stuff).
I shop at farmers markets a lot, and frequently come across veg I'm not familiar with, or new cultivars of familiar veg. Vegetables: Amaranth to Zucchini is excellent for giving guidance on how to cook with them.
If you have access to offal and game, then Nose to Tail is invaluable.


My father has also enjoyed "License to Grill", so that comes recommended too.

Not cookbooks, but outstanding books about food, culture and biology:
Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan's most accessible (and most interesting) work.
Also worth reading is Taste: The History of Britain Through Its Cooking for an interesting historical look at the way that tastes have changed over 2000 years.

www......cooks.com[/url]

The expurgator done caught me....the dots are left after censorship of a word used to describe women of evil temperament and female dogs.

Really? I found it to be rather lackluster - repetitive and obvious.

It's definitely not as in-depth as some of his other writing, but as a first introduction to his approach to food, I think its a good read.

Husband and I collect cookbooks from restaurants we visit, mostly New Orleans and we have the staff involved in our experience sign them. Best was Susan Spicer's from Bayona if you are looking for recipes. Most interesting was from I believe, but am probably mistaken, the Colonial Inn in Philadelphia with recipes and history from the colonial days. George Washinton ate at this site in the original building. Current restaurant was rebuilt to the specs as the original burnt to the ground.

If there is no cookbook we ask for a menu or even a napkin signed by the staff. Have a wonderful menu from a restaurant located in Graz, Austria.

When we have explained we cook, collect and enjoy dining out we have received the most memorable items and stories. People love that you love their work.

All this stuff is at home in the US and I am in China, this thread reminded me to get back on track and continue a wonderful hobby. Also we need to learn to cook here as were have no oven or outdoor grille.

Any of you have or checked out any of the books by James Patterson?

I didn't know he had any cookbooks, I thought they were all murder mysteries.