Cookbook Collection Growth

My modest cookbook collection has grown to the point that I'm proud to post a photo of it. I've been very careful about the books I choose, so I think most of them are selections with which other aspiring young home cooks would be happy. I've also tried to keep my selections balanced, so I'm slowly collecting a little of everything. I'll start from my oldest to newest books rather than the order in which they're sitting on my shelf.

This post is, more than anything else, a big sloppy thank you kiss to everyone who helped me build my collection. You people truly know me well.

The Chinese Kitchen, by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo: this book actually belongs to JS, my better half. It's a fairly comprehensive book of classic Chinese dishes. The good thing about this book is that it's very comprehensive and has great descriptions of unusual Chinese ingredients. The recipes and instructions are completely in English, but the names of the dishes are written in Chinese so that those who know Chinese food and can read the names can verify that they're about to cook what they think they're going to cook ("braised Chinese pork" could mean anything, but "hong sao ti pang" can only mean one thing). It's one of the few English books I've found that has lengthy and authentic Chinese dishes. The recipes, however, are very complicated.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison: a gift from my beautiful and talented friend Claire. I think she finally got tired of my always asking her to type out recipes (but it's her fault for describing all her drool-worthy creations to me!). This book is almost 700 pages long and has a recipe for every vegetable out there. It's great for those times when I wonder "What to do with this artichoke besides steam it?" This book's recipes are know for being simple but wonderful, meaning you don't need to have a ton of talent or experience to make something impressive. It is a daunting book to pick up; how does one decide which of over a thousand recipes to choose first? But Madison has written a great basics book here; from pancake batter to simple vegetarian sauces, this book is full of recipes even non-vegetarians will enjoy. My biggest complaint is that there need to be more photos.

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin: I picked it up for a song at a used bookstore, and it's probably the most charming cookbook I own. Julia and Jacques introduce a few dozen basic French recipes and techniques, all the while bantering back and forth about whose technique is best. It's fun to see two ways of cooking any one dish, and reassuring to know that even master chefs agree there isn't always one right answer. The layout and color scheme of this book is very whimsical, and the recipes aren't too complicated at all. There are also clear directions for basic kitchen skills like deboning a chicken, folding a fish en papillote, trussing a bird, and so on.

The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rogers: my sister gave me this for Christmas after seeing it on my Amazon wish list. I wanted it after falling in love with the Zuni method of roasting a chicken. I plan to take my sister to Zuni Cafe the next time she's in San Francisco so we can try the famous roast chicken and bread salad, and ask Judy Rogers to sign my book. It's a lovely book, but so far I can't say that it's a must for every kitchen. Maybe I'll change my mind after cooking more out of it. Ricotta gnocchi and mock porchetta are high on the list. There are gorgeous photos, but of course not enough. And I would really rather Rogers included photos of actual dishes from the book, however lovely a plate of cheese or a plate of sliced fruit might be.

How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman: another book to check off my wishlist, this one gifted to me by hungryindc and junist. This is definitely a cook's bible. There's a little bit of everything, including recipes with international influences. I plan to use this more as a resource and jumping off point than as a "follow religiously" cookbook. This book has the distinction of being the only on in my cookbook collection that was written by a man.

Suday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin: my latest find. Half off at Anthropologie, of all places! People keep talking about how great it is, and I know I shouldn't have, but I love this book. First of all, it's possibly the most beautiful cookbook I have. The photos are stunning, and they're on almost every other page. The most unique feature of this book, however, is the way the recipes are arranged. Instead of having a section each for appetizers, soups, entrees, and desserts, the book is divided into 52 meals. Each meal has at least one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert. The dishes are matched to complement each other, taking away the guesswork for those of us who slave over questions like "what do I serve on the side when the main course is already so heavy?" The book is divided into seasons as well, so it's easy to see what dishes are summer appropriate and what dishes will warm your soul during winter. I really have yet to find a flaw in this book, but I guess I won't know until I cook out of it. Braised ribs and a lemon tart, anyone?

Here's a photo of all the book covers:

I think I'm going to take a break from buying cookbooks for awhile. When I start up again, I'll probably be looking more into Asian, Southeast Asian, and Latin American cookbooks. I'll need to stop buying books from San Francisco based chefs (Madison, Child, Rogers, and Goin all either started off in or still work in San Francisc0).

Oops: I forgot my Bread Bible and Big Book of Stews. Maybe more on those later...