So, I have a gift certificate to an online bookstore. I am not particularly interested in buying a novel or a book that I might read only once. I recently bought a few books for Serafina, so I want to hold off on getting her more, since I do believe she has a lifetime to acquire the books she needs or desires. I looked at sewing books, but I have three that are full of projects I want to attempt, and no time. So, this leaves me to a cook book, the book that continues to give and give. I have many classics, kitchen staples and vegetarian ones, but I am sure there are many gems I have not discovered. It is so hard to pick one out because you do not know if the recipes will work or if the ingredients are too complicated. After searching online for a week, I gave up. This led me to ask YOU.
What is your favorite cookbook and why?
Please post in the comments section for all to see!
Okay, this one is completely impractical and obsolete, yet I cannot help being madly in love with it: "Maryland's Way." It has been in existence since 1963 when the historians at the Hammond-Harwood House Museum in Annapolis put together a collection of traditional MD recipes, some dating from colonial times. For each "receipt" they tell you whose cookbook it came from, where in MD, & the year if possible. Sometimes ingredients are now endangered, like terrapin. It's full of photos of historic homes, MD trivia, copies of menus from lavish holiday feasts, and instructions for mixing up "punch" that could sear your eyebrows off. Everyone in my family has a copy. Grandma gave me mine. We seem to use the crab recipes the most. But I think I've followed the seasoning instructions for baking a whole chicken before. My family has been in MD since 1650, so I love that it's very rooted in my history.
ReplyDeletePS - I know I have made the "Olney Inn Sweet Potatoes" before, because I have handwritten notations in the margin. It's a casserole, very delicious for Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeletenyt seafood cookbook! not my fav, but it's like the bible for seafood cooking!
ReplyDeleteWe have two staples at our house: How to Cook Everything, and The Joy of Cooking. An additional one I've used recently with good success is Food to Live By, which is published by the owners of Earthbound Farms. Its only drawback is it seems to have fewer recipes than most of my other books.
ReplyDeleteThe other resource I use constantly for recipes is Real Simple magazine. They have about 10 pretty excellent recipes a month, which I didn't realize until I got a subscription to it. I didn't renew my subscription this year because I don't need more mags piling up around the house, but I got a year of it last year for $5 from Amazon.
I am sure you have Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, but he wrote a small book called Food Matters, with some great recipes. I also love Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton- some super easy vegan recipes (though I sometimes add cheese :)I have been working on my recipe collection as well, putting all of our favorite recipes into a nice book so we have an easy time making meals when little H gets older.
ReplyDeleteI agree--one of my cooking bibles is How to Cook everything. I also use 2 of the barefoot contessa books a lot--her first one, and back to basics.
ReplyDelete