texasmesquite

10 best basic cookbooks and why cookbooks are still important in the age of the Internet


August 7, 3:14 PMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns

The bookish film adaptation of Julie Powell's Julie and Julia opens in theaters today. The early reviews have been about as tepid as a deflated soufflé -- People magazine says, "Give us more Julia, less Julie"; New York magazine calls Meryl Streep's performance of Julia Child "transcendental," but sneers that Amy Adams' Julie "doesn't even track."
Whether the Julie and Julia movie is delicious or disappointing, it doesn't seem to have much affected the rediscovery of Julia Child's classic cooking tomes by a whole new generation of fledgling cooks: the spanking new reprint of Mastering the Art of French Cooking is currently sitting pretty at #33 in the Amazon.com rankings.
I find this news endlessly heartening. Like many devout cookbook fans, the proliferation of recipe sites on the Internet has always unnerved me just a little. There's no doubt that they're useful, and it can be amusing to sift through 500 recipes -- all unique in their own way -- for some seemingly bonehead recipe like shrimp scampi or chicken tetrazzini. But I could never get rid of my fear that, with recipes swarming uncontrollably across every available website surface, would anyone ever pay $25.00 for a thick, hardcover cookbook again?
Internet recipe sites are dandy, but nothing beats a cookbook. A well-written, well-organized cookbook is every bit like a great work of fiction or non-fiction with one added perk: instead of just connecting the intellect and imagination of readers across time and space, it connects them viscerally, as well. Your senses are involved in a cookbook. You imagine how a pilaf using raisins and pine nuts will look and taste. You imagine how that roast chicken with lemon will smell. And when you give the recipe a whirl, you are smelling, tasting, experiencing the same concoction that people all over the world and throughout decades who have owned that same cookbook have experienced. I find that oddly comforting.
Cookbooks also get people experimenting. What do you do when you look for a recipe on the Internet? You Google it; you locate the first one that looks promising; you print it out; you cook it. If you're searching for a recipe for bolognese sauce, chances are you're not going to accidentally run across a recipe for miso soup or frittatas that you simply cannot live another day without trying. With cookbooks, this happens all the time. As you flip through the pages, your eye will fall across an intriguing title or picture." What's that? Never heard of it. Looks interesting -- I think I'll try it."
Can this not happen with the Internet? Of course it can. But not in the same way as with a cookbook.
I read cookbooks like I read novels -- I start with the first page and read through every line until I reach the end. And I'll be honest, I've read a hell of a lot of cookbooks that made for better reading than plenty of novels, hands down. It's no wonder that some of these cookbooks end up attracting a cult following like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Harry Potter or Twilight series.
If you're a novice to the world of cookbooks and cooking (or, like me, are simply a greedy glutton for books and food), I guarantee you'll find something to whet your appetite in this list of 10 best basic cookbooks.

A word to cookbook-philes: I know, I know, this list is scarcely adequate. I could have made it 20 or 50 or 100 cookbooks long. Rest assured, more cookbook recommendations will be coming. And if you are convinced I am leaving out the best basic cookbook of all time, let me know: leave a comment below or persuade me at michellekerns@surewest.net
1. How to Cook Everything - Mark Bittman
Of all the cookbooks I've known and loved before, this is my favorite. My copy is so battered, huge sections fall out when I open it. Mr. Bittman is a minimalist in the kitchen -- he believes strongly in cooking food that is fresh and uncomplicated. This book covers everything, literally, from appetizers to desserts, with all of your basic techniques and dishes covered with ideas for improvisations. What I like best is that Mr. Bittman is opinionated about his food and doesn't bother to hide it: the text is as fun to read as the food is to eat. Amen, brother.
2. The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook - The Editors at America's Test Kitchen

Couscous and soybean bread are nice, but, every now and then, you long for Mom's meatloaf or chicken fried steak or some honest-to-God chili. This is your book. The reason why America's Test Kitchen calls it a "family" cookbook is because they went out of their way to include versions of traditional recipes using methods that don't take hours of kitchen duty to produce. Good stuff, here. I highly recommend their paella and Spicy Red Pepper Home Fries recipes, both of which I've consumed copious amounts of in the company of red wine and screwdrivers, respectively.

3. Joy of Cooking - Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker

No serious cook should be without this classic. Joy of Cooking is a kind of bridge between old-timey cookbook classics like the Fannie Farmer Cookbook and newer, hipper additions to the genre. It's got your classic favorites (pot roast, chicken pot pie) sharing space with quinoa and tempeh offerings.


4. The New Best Recipe - John Burgoyne

If you have any interest in the science behind cooking, this book will draw you in and keep you there. The first time I picked it up, I ended up reading nothing else for a week (and cooking a whole lot of things in the process). Put out by the people behind Cook's Illustrated magazine, the reasons behind the choice of method and ingredients for each recipe are explained in minute and clear detail. Some recipes have as much as two pages of explanation before you get down to actual ingredients lists. Wow. If you just want the recipes, give this book a pass. But if you want to know WHY turkey should be cooked this way and not that way, this is your book. For the record, the oatmeal cookie recipe included in this book is the best ever, and I've tried plenty in my time.

5. The Art of Simple Food - Alice Waters

Like Mr. Bittman, Ms. Waters is a food minimalist. Her philosophy says cut out convenience foods; eat simple, simply cooked foods; and eat seasonally and locally. This is an outstanding book for people looking to de-gourmet and demystify their thoughts about cooking great food at home.

6. Bon Appétit: Fast, Easy, Fresh - Barbara Fairchild

Definitely hipper than Joy of Cooking but not insufferably hoity toity. Like most big, basic cookbooks, this includes recipes for every conceivable sort of dish. The drinks section is larger than in most basic cookbooks and is quite nice.

7. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian - Mark Bittman

As good as How to Cook Everything, just without meat and useful to both vegetarians and vegans. This book covers all types of dishes with special chapters for soy-foods, grains, beans, and a fantastic section with A-Z descriptions and simple cooking techniques for fruits and vegetables.



8. A New Way to Cook - Sally Schneider
Ms. Schneider's philosophy has two aspects: the first is that no food, regardless of how taboo it has been in the past (duck fat, butter, red meat) should be excluded from the diet as long as moderation and appropriate cooking techniques are used; the second is that cooking can be as much an exercise in following recipes as in guided improvisation. That improvisation bit is actually what made me fall in love with this book. Each section contains a collection of recipes as well as "improvisations" for general dishes such as fish stews or pilafs or hot salads. Each improv section is broken down into the basic elements needed to make the dish. In turn, each of these includes lists of ingredients that can be chosen from at the cook's whim. You could make a thousand variations on each one of these improvisation guidelines. Excellent.
9. How to Boil Water - Food Network Kitchens
This is the kind of cookbook to buy for Junior when he prances off to college. It covers everything from how to make a cup of coffee to making memorable date-worthy dishes. All are accompanied by big, glossy, appealing pictures and all of the recipes are down-home, normal fare: perfect for when Junior starts secretly wishing he were back home eating Mom's mashed potatoes and gravy.

10. The Moosewood Cookbook - Mollie Katzen (and everything else by Mollie Katzen)

The Moosewood Cookbook doesn't have pretty color pictures (or at least my edition doesn't); it's kind of outdated; and it doesn't even have printed text -- all the recipes and illustrations were done by Ms. Katzen, by hand. Yet I'd be hard pressed to find a fancy cookbook I find more appealing. The Moosewood Cookbook is a classic of vegetarian eating and an absolute joy to read. In fact, every cookbook Ms. Katzen has written (and there are plenty) is a delight for the eyes as well as the stomach.