Your favorite cookbook?

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!

Libraries. Books. Cooking.

Despite my past with libraries, from working in one to spending hours studying for my PhD in another, I have a contentious relationship with the public library. Most of the contention could be blamed on my inability to turn in any book on time. This slight issue forced me to be on the run from the Arlington and Alexandria library systems for half a decade. You see, when I worked in the library, this could be unethically altered, or as a graduate student I explain away late fees as a price to pay for the development of genius. However, I couldn't quite explain to AAM why I chose to rack up fines on a few miserable books on tape or romance novels. So, I choose to avoid the conversation all together by purposefully losing my library card and avoiding the situation all together-- rather brilliant of me indeed!

Well, now that I have time on my hands, I really started wanting to go to the NEW shiny Shirlington library. Peaking through the window I saw sparkly computers, dvds, and a large section of books for children. The neighborhood children were reading and playing on the computer. Toddlers were out front reading board books with their mothers. I realized that my stubborn, flighty behavior threatened my child's future! I could just see her begging to get a book at the library, or hangout with friends in our neighborhood library. And me, her cruddy mother the outlaw took away any opportunity for her to socialize. We chose to live in Arlington because of the diversity, schools, parks, walkable neighborhoods, and yep, the dozen neighborhood libraries. So, about three weeks ago, I announced to AAM that I was going to the library to get the entire thing sorted out. He looked at me, eyebrows raised, and said "Hmmmm?"

Not one to be stopped by the doubts of others, Serafina and I set out on Monday to resolve the entire affair. After our routine stop to Best Buns, I slowly walked over to the library, with each step the tension rose. Really, the stress became too much, Serafina saw the anxiety and became hungry from physical exhaustion. After feeding her a bottle, we entered. I slowly perused the food book section, and made a mini-discovery. All the cookbooks, food philosophy, and green movement books I could imagine filled the shelves. Bingo-a new cooking resource! The surprise over the obvious was as shocking as when the doctor told AAM and I that Serafina will someday burp herself. We were dumbfounded by this possibility, which we shortly laughed hysterically at the realization of our stupidity, of course she will learn to burp herself! So in this case, of course the library had food books! I quickly started making plans of reading food books and reviewing them. Seriously people, this is the best place to go for recipes and food theory books. Who knew?

Anyways, I grabbed two new books The Fruit Hunters and Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, and marched right to the checkout. Trying to connect with the friendly face at the circulation desk, I started mumbling jokes about my inability to find the library in five years. I whispered the possibility of some "small fines" and a "lost card." Due to my half a decade absence, she generally offered to wave the lost card fee. Wow, this place is excellent, they wave fees to get you to visit them! Then, to my shock, she announced that my outstanding fine was $5. Seriously, I was avoiding this haven of child entertainment for $5 lousy dollars? This moment reminded me of how memory inflates our anxieties and insecurities. Somehow, my inability to hand in library books in my twenties came to represent my insecurities about responsibility and money.

Well, luckily, Serafina and I have a date every Monday to walk to Shirlington and grab a drink, well she gets a bottle of milk and I get my much needed coffee. Now, we can continue to the library and pick out new cooking recipes or food theory, when she becomes a toddler we can read outside by the fountain, and maybe even one day she can ride her bike and meet her friends there.

A new cookbook

I used to read cookbooks like most people read novels. The first chapter, explaining the methods and tools, would wrap me into a story. Then I would get deep into the recipes, and skip over the desserts to find out how it all ends. Some cookbooks were frustrating, where the content was too meaty, while other books needed more pictures. I started buying vegetarian only books, but found the ingredients too exotic, and the methods tedious. On Sundays, I would grab a few books, read through them, tag a recipe for each night, and then make a grocery list. A fantastic way to hangout with AAM while he watches sports, without me having to be subjected to football. Perhaps because of the lovely field of Cultural Studies, where I drown in theory, I stopped buying and reading cookbooks. During down time, I could only focus on knitting, crewel, sewing or the TV, reading was out.

Recently, as I have started to cook more, I decided to pick up a new cookbook. Like reading a novel, to get myself excited about cooking again, I needed to go with a chef I love and is an easy read. Giada de Laurentis' book Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites Is the perfect book to try innovative recipes that are not intimidating. I love the variety of ingredients she chooses, and the methods she employs. Always leaning towards healthy fresh Italian, Giada's cooking always reminds me of how my mom prepared food growing up. Italian does not have to be heavy greasy lasagna or chicken parm, in fact, that is the American interpretation of Italian. Giada has vegetarian family members, so she tends to have many meat-free recipes, as well as recipes where it can be made without meat and still feel like a meal. For pescetarians, this is a great book because the fish recipes don't feel obligatory; they are well thought out.

Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites makes me excited to return to my Sunday ritual of reading cookbooks, picking out recipes, and making that grocery list. I am sure AAM is just excited that this means I will be cooking again!