Books that taught you to be a better cook

[medawyn]

I’m a good to possibly very good home cook.  I enjoy cooking most of the time and experiment in the kitchen.  I view most recipes as loose guidelines.

I was gifted Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat for Christmas along with a gift card intended by the giver to be used toward cookbooks.  Of course I can do what I would like with it, but I would like to invest in some books that you might recommend that have changed the way you cook.

[StephanieZ]

The Greens and also, Fields of Greens -- two vegetarian cookbooks. Fields of Greens is actually my favorite cookbook, even though I haven't been a vegetarian for about 24 years. 🙂

These cookbooks teach detailed techniques that make the recipes rock and that I use all the time in other recipes. Things like peeling tomatoes, making a good (vegetable) stock, etc. Now, I got these books when I was 20-22, so they may be too elementary for you, but they taught me more than any other cookbooks (and I've had dozens and dozens). The recipes tend to have a lot of explanations included as well as variations, so you can really get a feel for the whys for recipes and learn to vary things on your own. And, the recipes themselves are simply fantastic. 

Joy of Cooking has probably been my second (third) most educational, just because it so very informative with lengthy detailed nearly encyclopedic entries on so many topics. The binding broke on my late 90s edition about a decade ago, so I bought a new edition, but when I realized the recipes were slightly changed/updated, I couldn't bear to let go of my older/damaged copy, so both editions live on my prime-real estate for a very few cook books (under 20 books) in-kitchen bookshelf.  The older edition sports a lot of duct tape. 🙂

[Carol in Cal.]

Beat This—fully optimized recipes.  Quirky collection, but each one perfected.

French Cooking (from Sunset Magazine)—Just thorough enough to be authentic, but not OTT like Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

The Impoverished Students’ Guide to Eatery, Drinkery, and Housekeepery—from the bookstore website at Reed College.  How to cook a lot of great basic things without exact recipes.  But also, details on how to make great white yeast bread, which I would not have tried otherwise.  Also in general a very entertaining book.

Soup and Bread—don’t buy this.  Go to the library and copy the section on making really good salads.  I make all of my salad dressings from scratch because this book took me from a recipe follower to a master improviser.  

Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza, and Calzone—just, well, remarkable.  The pizza especially.  None of it like anything I’d ever had, but crazy good. California cuisine.  (Ditto Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook).

Betty Crocker International Cookbook—authentic recipes from all over the place

Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book—like an apprenticeship in making whole grain bread from scratch

[Farrar]

The Mark Bittman How to Cook Everything is definitely the book that has helped me understand the basics of a lot of things. I grew up with Joy of Cooking and I think it's abysmal. It was a revelation when I got this book and could actually rely on a general cookbook.

Probably the cookbook that taught me the most on a daily cooking sort of basis though is America's Test Kitchen's Best 30 Minute or Less Recipe, which... I think it's in a different edition with a slightly different title now. But it had a lot of methods for cooking shortcuts that I use constantly. I make more things out of that book on a weekly basis than anything else, hands down. It's not high end cooking or deep methods or anything... but that day to day stuff was important for me in learning how to keep the kitchen just moving in a general sense.

[Chris in VA]

Laurel's Kitchen made me want to cook. Whole Foods for tge Whole Family taught me how to make bread. 

The Palestinian Table is teaching me about flavors and very simple techniques in Palestinian cooking.

[WendyLady]

13 minutes ago, Farrar said:

The Mark Bittman How to Cook Everything is definitely the book that has helped me understand the basics of a lot of things. I grew up with Joy of Cooking and I think it's abysmal. It was a revelation when I got this book and could actually rely on a general cookbook.

Probably the cookbook that taught me the most on a daily cooking sort of basis though is America's Test Kitchen's Best 30 Minute or Less Recipe, which... I think it's in a different edition with a slightly different title now. But it had a lot of methods for cooking shortcuts that I use constantly. I make more things out of that book on a weekly basis than anything else, hands down. It's not high end cooking or deep methods or anything... but that day to day stuff was important for me in learning how to keep the kitchen just moving in a general sense.

Seconding America’s Test Kitchen. 
 

love this thread and reading cook books, though I mostly cook from recipes found online.

[PeterPan]

6 hours ago, medawyn said:

along with a gift card intended by the giver to be used toward cookbooks.

Maybe you'd like to use it for site subscriptions? When we had my cookbook thread a few weeks ago, several people liked the NYT Cooking and of course ATK.

[Laura Corin]

The Doctor's Kitchen by Rupy Aujla. A completely different way of looking at food, plus really well-flavoured recipes.

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/

[JennyD]

Heartily agreeing with the recommendations for The Food Lab, especially for meat.

For vegetables: The Vegetarian Cookbook, by Deborah Madison

For sweet baking: Flour, by Joanne Chang

I do not like Mark Bittman's cookbooks; the recipes are consistently meh, IME.

[wathe]

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee - science and cooking book that really explains the why of various techniques.

[J-rap]

The Silver Palate Cookbook taught me to be a better cook.  Not because it had long instructions on how to cook properly, but because its recipes are amazing!  I can make a healthy, amazingly delicious chicken dish using ingredients i'd never think of using that are worthy of company.  

[Spy Car]

22 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

Laurel's Kitchen made me want to cook. Whole Foods for tge Whole Family taught me how to make bread. 

The Palestinian Table is teaching me about flavors and very simple techniques in Palestinian cooking.

What are the favorite things you've picked up from Palestinian cooking, Chris?

Bill

[ScoutTN]

8 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

What are the favorite things you've picked up from Palestinian cooking, Chris?

Bill

Yes, please share!

[ScoutTN]

On 12/26/2019 at 10:47 AM, Carol in Cal. said:

Soup and Bread—don’t buy this.  Go to the library and copy the section on making really good salads.  I make all of my salad dressings from scratch because this book took me from a recipe follower to a master improviser.  

 

Who is the author of this book? My library has at least three books with the same title.

[Carol in Cal.]

50 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

Who is the author of this book? My library has at least three books with the same title.

Wow!

It's Crescent Dragonwagon, of Bat In The Dining Room fame. She used to run a B and B in Arkansas and got good at soup and bread.  And salad.

[Chris in VA]

On 12/27/2019 at 7:04 PM, Spy Car said:

What are the favorite things you've picked up from Palestinian cooking, Chris?

Bill

You are so kind to ask! 

I am just a beginner cook, really. I am learning about the flavors associated with Palestinian cooking--nine spice mix, good chicken broth to flavor freeka (roasted green wheat), and some yogurt/labneh sauce. Nine spice has things like cardamon, cinnamon, cumin, coriander (I call them the Big C's lol ) plus garlic, pepper, paprika...and I can't remember the rest.  I can now make a really good lamb and freeka mix and will work soon on kubbeh, my favorite! (K is sort of cigar shaped, but fatter--a bulger wheat cigar stuffed with meat and rice.) Reem has really easy and delicious food in her book and I love it. I do get sorta tired of the flavors but we mix it up a bit, eating dinner at other types of restaurants from time to time. 

On 12/27/2019 at 8:25 PM, Carol in Cal. said:

Wow!

It's Crescent Dragonwagon, of Bat In The Dining Room fame. She used to run a B and B in Arkansas and got good at soup and bread.  And salad.

Oh, and she has also authored some other lovely, lovely children's picture books!

Edited December 28, 2019 by Chris in VA

[Caroline]

On 12/27/2019 at 1:25 PM, Carol in Cal. said:

Wow!

It's Crescent Dragonwagon, of Bat In The Dining Room fame. She used to run a B and B in Arkansas and got good at soup and bread.  And salad.

What a great name! 

[Carol in Cal.]

51 minutes ago, Caroline said:

What a great name! 

She picked it herself when she got married.  It was in the days of complicated self-naming decisions, including hyphenation but going far beyond that.  So she and her husband ended up naming themselves Dragonwagon.  

[Spy Car]

1 hour ago, Chris in VA said:

You are so kind to ask! 

I am just a beginner cook, really. I am learning about the flavors associated with Palestinian cooking--nine spice mix, good chicken broth to flavor freeka (roasted green wheat), and some yogurt/labneh sauce. Nine spice has things like cardamon, cinnamon, cumin, coriander (I call them the Big C's lol ) plus garlic, pepper, paprika...and I can't remember the rest.  I can now make a really good lamb and freeka mix and will work soon on kubbeh, my favorite! (K is sort of cigar shaped, but fatter--a bulger wheat cigar stuffed with meat and rice.) Reem has really easy and delicious food in her book and I love it. I do get sorta tired of the flavors but we mix it up a bit, eating dinner at other types of restaurants from time to time. 

Oh, and she has also authored some other lovely, lovely children's picture books!

You've helped me decide what's for dinner. I have some lamb and some homemade 9 spice mix aka "Baharat" (note to self: it's running very low) and I have some freekeh.  Perfect!

For those who don't know freekeh, it is green (not fully ripe) wheat that is smoked by burning the wheat stalks. So it is a little smokey grain that remains pleasantly chewy when cooked. Freekeh absorbs flavors--like a tasty stock--nicely.

I had my first big harvest of Za'atar this year from a Za'atar garden I planted in the fall of last year. I planted a much of herbs traditionally used in the mix, with the main one being Origanum syriacum (which is the famous hyssop mentioned in the Bible). Now I'm working on propagating more of the Syrian Oregano so I can eventually supply friends with Za'atar.

I personally don't think it is a good idea to add garlic to the "Baharat" mix. Better to use the garlic fresh in my estimation as it can go "off" otherwise and spoil the spice mix. One person's opinion.

Off to start some stock and go garden.

Thanks for inspiring dinner!

Bill

 

 

 

[PrincessMommy]

Crescent Dragonwagon--!!  That brings back memories of reading picture books to my kids.  Sigh.     Never thought I'd find that in a thread about cookbooks! LOL. 

[Chris in VA]

@Spy Car My pleasure! 

For the record, Reem Kassis' 9 spice mix contains 6 T allspice berries, 6 cinnamon sticks or 6 cassia bark, 3T coriander seeds, 1T black peppercorns, 1 t cardamom seeds, 10 cloves, 2 bladez of mace, 1/2 nutmeg (crushed). You put all into a frying pan over med heat, stirring for about 10 mins, til you begin to smell everything.  Then cool completely for about an hour (if you don't cool, they won't crush into powder).  Then crush all in a spice grinder. You can absolutely sub baharat or even Lebanese 7 spice. This is her mom's blend and you are right, THERE IS NO GARLIC! 😳😂 It is in the mix that goes into making the broth, though. There's no paprika either--that was in a 7 spice mix I got online once. Sheesh. 😳🙄😁

Hope dinner is tasty. 

[Spy Car]

42 minutes ago, Chris in VA said:

@Spy Car My pleasure! 

For the record, Reem Kassis' 9 spice mix contains 6 T allspice berries, 6 cinnamon sticks or 6 cassia bark, 3T coriander seeds, 1T black peppercorns, 1 t cardamom seeds, 10 cloves, 2 bladez of mace, 1/2 nutmeg (crushed). You put all into a frying pan over med heat, stirring for about 10 mins, til you begin to smell everything.  Then cool completely for about an hour (if you don't cool, they won't crush into powder).  Then crush all in a spice grinder. You can absolutely sub baharat or even Lebanese 7 spice. This is her mom's blend and you are right, THERE IS NO GARLIC! 😳😂 It is in the mix that goes into making the broth, though. There's no paprika either--that was in a 7 spice mix I got online once. Sheesh. 😳🙄😁

Hope dinner is tasty. 

I just finished roasting some chicken scraps (mostly bones, with some meat) that I freeze and use for stock. Smells so good!

Now to simmer it up. Gonna be a very good dinner. Thanks again for the inspiration!

Also glad to hear there is no garlic in your Baharat mix. LOL. That seemed wrong.

Getting very hungry and sore from gardening. Getting old is better than the alternative.

Bill

 

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Spy Car

[Liz CA]

I have to say the "Nourishing Traditions" cookbook has taught me a lot about ancient preparation methods and why they did what they did. Even if you are not a Weston Price fan (organic ingredients, full fat, meat, etc.) there is a lot to learn here. I do eat a little meat but generally I am a veggie eater and feel best when I keep meat consumption low, however, I can eat a lot of fish.  🙂

And I do have to add that I love to watch Julia Child on YouTube, it's comedy combined with some good cooking.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Liz CA