Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia


Larousse - 1976
    In one volume, it presents the history of foods, eating, and restaurants; cooking terms; techniques from elementary to advanced; a review of basic ingredients with advice on recognizing, buying, storing, and using them; biographies of important culinary figures; and recommendations for cooking nearly everything.The new edition, the first since 1988, expands the book’s scope from classic continental cuisine to include the contemporary global table, appealing to a whole new audience of internationally conscious cooks. Larousse Gastronomique is still the last word on béchamel and béarnaise, Brillat-Savarin and Bordeaux, but now it is also the go-to source on biryani and bok choy, bruschetta and Bhutan rice.Larousse Gastronomique is rich with classic and classic-to-be recipes, new ingredients, new terms and techniques, as well as explanations of current food legislation, labeling, and technology. User-friendly design elements create a whole new Larousse for a new generation of food lovers.

Marcella's Italian Kitchen: A Cookbook


Marcella Hazan - 1986
    Including almost 250 recipes, Marcella's Italian Kitchen brings home cooks the authentic tastes of Italy. Here are Fettuccine with Clams and Zucchini and Veal Scaloppini with Hazelnuts and Balsamic Vinegar, Cauliflower Salad with Red Pepper, Olives, and Anchovies and Amaretti and Custard Cream Semifreddo. Drawing on her experiences growing up in Italy, Hazan has crafted the ultimate guide to Italian food.

Peat Smoke and Spirit


Andrew Jefford - 2004
    Interwoven through these different narrative strands comes the story of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of bothies and illegal stills to present-day legality and prosperity. The flavour of each spirit is analysed and the differences between them teased out, as are the stories of the notable men and women who have played such a integral part in their creation.PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT is the last word on Islay and its whiskies.

The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection


Robert Farrar Capon - 1989
    In The Supper of the Lamb, Capon talks about festal and ferial cooking, emerging as an inspirational voice extolling the benefits and wonders of old-fashioned home cooking in a world of fast food and prepackaged cuisine. This edition includes the original recipes and a new Introduction by Deborah Madison, the founder of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco and author of several cookbooks.

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads


Peter Reinhart - 2009
    Reinhart begins with the simplest French bread, then moves on to familiar classics such as ciabatta, pizza dough, and soft sandwich loaves, and concludes with fresh specialty items like pretzels, crackers, croissants, and bagels. Each recipe is broken into "Do Ahead" and "On Baking Day" sections, making every step--from preparation through pulling pans from the oven–a breeze, whether you bought your loaf pan yesterday or decades ago. These doughs are engineered to work flawlessly for busy home bakers: most require only a straightforward mixing and overnight fermentation. The result is reliably superior flavor and texture on par with loaves from world-class artisan bakeries–and all with little hands-on time. America's favorite baking instructor and innovator Peter Reinhart offers new time-saving techniques accompanied by full-color, step-by-step photos throughout so that in no time you'll be producing fresh batches of: Sourdough Baguettes • 50% and 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaves • Soft and Crusty Cheese Bread • English Muffins • Cinnamon Buns • Panettone • Hoagie Rolls • Chocolate Cinnamon Babka • Fruit-Filled Thumbprint Rolls • Danish • Best-Ever Biscuits Best of all, these high-caliber doughs improve with a longer stay in the fridge, so you can mix once, then portion, proof, and bake whenever you feel like enjoying a piping hot treat.

Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking


Fuchsia Dunlop - 2001
    Many of us know it for its "hot and spicy" reputation or a few of its most famous dishes, most notably Kung Pao chicken, but that is only the beginning. Sichuanese cuisine is legendary in China for its sophistication and astounding diversity: local gourmets claim the region boasts 5000 different dishes.Fuchsia Dunlop fell in love with Sichuanese food on her first visit to the province ten years ago. The following year she went to live in the Sichuanese capital Chengdu, where she became the first foreigner to study full-time at the province's famous cooking school, the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine. Now she has given us a cookbook gathered on the spot from the kitchens of Sichuan, filled with stories and colorful descriptions of the region itself. Useful for the enthusiastic beginner as well as the experienced cook, Land of Plenty teaches you not only how to prepare the Sichuan recipes but also the art of chopping and to appreciate the textures of dishes.Among this book's unique features: a full glossary of Chinese terms; Chinese characters useful for shopping; a practical introduction to the art of cutting; detailed lists of the 23 recognized flavor combinations and 56 cooking methods used in Sichuanese cuisine; 16 color pictures of the ingredients and finished dishes; double-page maps of the region; and Chinese characters for every recipe

Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil


Tom Mueller - 2011
    Today's researchers are continuing to confirm the remarkable, life-giving properties of true extra-virgin, and "extra-virgin Italian" has become the highest standard of quality.But what if this symbol of purity has become deeply corrupt? Starting with an explosive article in The New Yorker, Tom Mueller has become the world's expert on olive oil and olive oil fraud-a story of globalization, deception, and crime in the food industry from ancient times to the present, and a powerful indictment of today's lax protections against fake and even toxic food products in the United States. A rich and deliciously readable narrative, Extra Virginity is also an inspiring account of the artisanal producers, chemical analysts, chefs, and food activists who are defending the extraordinary oils that truly deserve the name "extra-virgin."

Serious Pig: An American Cook in Search of His Roots


John Thorne - 1996
    These intelligent, searching essays are a passionate meditation on food, character, and place.

In the Kitchen with David: QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home


David Venable - 2012
    And as the beloved host of QVC’s popular program, In the Kitchen with David,® he’s put that passion on mouthwatering display, welcoming some of the greatest names in the food world. But Venable’s own culinary skills—honed in the Carolina kitchens of his mother and grandmothers—are nothing short of remarkable and tantalizing.   Now, in his anticipated debut cookbook, Venable shares 150 delicious recipes of hearty, easy-to-make, comforting dishes. In the Kitchen with David covers everything from appetizers and breads to soups and salads to main courses and sides, as well as his lifelong love of bacon (The Divine Swine!). You’ll get ideas for quick Monday-to-Friday dinners, let-it-cook-all-weekend suppers, savory breakfasts and brunches, cocktail party fun, game-day eats, and family reunion feasts. And of course, no Southern-influenced cookbook is complete without a little something sweet. Venable’s favorites include  Party Starters: White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, Chicken Nachos, Cheddar-Broccoli Poppers with Ranch Dipping Sauce, Cheesy Crab Stuffed MushroomsSupporting Players: Summer Squash Fritters with Garlic Dipping Sauce, Scrumptious Hush Puppies, Mom’s “Browned” Rice, Sweet Potato-Pineapple Casserole Main Events: Breaded Pork Cutlets, Chicken Marsala, Braised Beef Short Ribs, Low Country BoilSweet, Sweet Gratification: Deep Dish Apple Pie, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Banana Pudding Cheesecake, Peach Cobbler   Loaded with gorgeous photographs, helpful “Dishin’ with David” tips, and personal anecdotes, In the Kitchen with David encourages you and your family to gather around the dinner table for great meals and, more important, great memories. After all, the portions are generous; the options are limitless.  Foreword by Paula DeenAdvance praise for In the Kitchen with David  “David Venable’s unbridled love for good, hearty comfort food is absolutely infectious. He knows what delicious food tastes like, and one peek at the recipes in his book had me positively drooling. I haven’t been this excited about a cookbook in a long, long time!”—Ree Drummond, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks   “David definitely knows his way around the kitchen, and he sure gets cooking with some comfort food in this book. And that’s saying something coming from the two of us comfort food lovers!”—Pat and Gina Neely, hosts of Down Home with the Neelys

The Whole30 Cookbook: 150 Delicious and Totally Compliant Recipes to Help You Succeed with the Whole30 and Beyond


Melissa Hartwig Urban - 2016
    The groundbreaking Whole30 program has helped countless people transform their lives by bringing them better sleep, more energy, fewer cravings, weight loss, and new healthy habits that last a lifetime. In this cookbook, best-selling author and Whole30 co-creator Melissa Hartwig delivers over 150 all-new recipes to help readers prepare delicious, healthy meals during their Whole30 and beyond.  More than 150 recipes for main dishes, sides, dressings, and saucesTips to simplify, plan, and prepare meals to save time and moneyVariations to turn one easy dish into two or three meals Whether you’ve done the Whole30 once or five times—or just want to make a variety of satisfying, nourishing meals—this book will inspire you to change your life in 30 days with the Whole30 program.

Booze: River Cottage Handbook No.12


John Wright - 2013
    With this, the twelfth in the River Cottage Handbook series, the inimitable John Wright shows exactly how easy it is to get started. You don't need lots of space to make alcohol at home, and if you follow the simple instructions, you won't be faced with exploding bottles. But don't forget, it's all about experimentation and finding out what works for you.Booze is divided by alcohol type, from beer, cider, and wine to herbal spirits and fruit liqueurs. Each section starts with an introduction to the basic techniques, methods, and other useful information, before giving recipes for delicious beverages like rhubarb wine, sparkling elderflower wine, mead, cherry plum wine, orange beer, lager, real ginger beer, sweet cider, zubrovka vodka, amber spirits, rose infusions, blackberry whiskey, pomegranate rum, chestnut liqueur, mulled cider, and there's even a hangover cure thrown in for good measure.With an introduction from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and full-color photographs as well as illustrations, Booze is a home-brewer's book with a kick.

The Professional Chef


Culinary Institute of America - 1974
    Now in a revolutionary revision, The Professional Chef, Seventh Edition not only teaches the reader how, but is designed to reflect why the CIA methods are the gold standard for chefs. With lavish, four-color photography and clear, instructive text, The Professional Chef, Seventh Edition guides culinary students--professional aspirants and serious home cooks, alike--to mastery of the kitchen. Over 660 classic and contemporary recipes, with almost 200 variations, were chosen especially for their use of fundamental techniques. These techniques and recipes form a foundation from which a professional chef or home cook can build a personal repertoire.From mise en place (preparation) to finished dishes, the book covers Stocks, Sauces, and Soups; Meats, Poultry, Fish, and Shellfish; Vegetables, Potatoes, Grains, and Legumes, Pasta and Dumplings; Breakfast and Garde Manger; Baking and Pastry. In addition to a comprehensive treatment of techniques and recipes, The Professional Chef, Seventh Edition teaches readers other critical elements of the professional chef's domain--much of it universally applicable to any kitchen. From "An Introduction to the Professional," to the identification of tools and ingredients, to nutrition, food science and food and kitchen safety, the book is a wealth of beautifully presented information useful for any cook.The Culinary Institute of America has been hailed as "The nation's most influential training school for professional cooks" by Time magazine. The Professional Chef, Seventh Edition, the cornerstone of its program in book form, belongs on the shelf of every serious cook.

What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained


Robert L. Wolke - 2002
    Chemistry professor and syndicated Washington Post food columnist Robert L. Wolke provides over 100 reliable and witty explanations, while debunking misconceptions and helping you to see through confusing advertising and labeling.

An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace


Tamar Adler - 2011
    F. K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf— written in 1942 during wartime shortages—An Everlasting Meal shows that cooking is the path to better eating. Through the insightful essays in An Everlasting Meal, Tamar Adler issues a rallying cry to home cooks. In chapters about boiling water, cooking eggs and beans, and summoning respectable meals from empty cupboards, Tamar weaves philosophy and instruction into approachable lessons on instinctive cooking. Tamar shows how to make the most of everything you buy, demonstrating what the world’s great chefs know: that great meals rely on the bones and peels and ends of meals before them. She explains how to smarten up simple food and gives advice for fixing dishes gone awry. She recommends turning to neglected onions, celery, and potatoes for inexpensive meals that taste full of fresh vegetables, and cooking meat and fish resourcefully. By wresting cooking from doctrine and doldrums, Tamar encourages readers to begin from wherever they are, with whatever they have. An Everlasting Meal is elegant testimony to the value of cooking and an empowering, indispensable tool for eaters today.

Something from the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America


Laura Shapiro - 2004
    Big Business waged an all-out campaign to win the allegiance of American housewives, but most women were suspicious of the new foods—and the make-believe cooking they entailed. With sharp insight and good humor, Laura Shapiro shows how the ensuing battle helped shape the way we eat today, and how the clash in the kitchen reverberated elsewhere in the house as women struggled with marriage, work, and domesticity. This unconventional history overturns our notions about the ’50s and offers new thinking on some of its fascinating figures, including Poppy Cannon, Shirley Jackson, Julia Child, and Betty Friedan.