There has been a lot of blog chatter about cookbooks recently, and I'm regretting not leaving my poll available for a longer period. This is the first poll that is completely indecisive. Personally, I'm a picture guy, and good content trumps functional recipes as far as I'm concerned. Unless I'm following a baking recipe, I treat a recipe more like guidelines opposed to directions. As a professional of course, don't try that at home!
On a professional level I've found Culinary Artistry by Dornenburg and Page the single most useful book in my library. There is an assertion of basic cooking understand, but a back to basics approach to building dishes, and menus. This book is a great explination of flavor pairings and seasonality. A more entertaining cookbook and something more for an adventurous home cook is Bouchon, by Thomas Keller. The photos are great, the food is all very approachable, and the few recipes I've followed worked perfectly. Luckily my friend Forest gifted me a copy of Bouchon two years ago, and it's my favorite cookbook to flip through.
What have other bloggers been talking about cookbooks recently?
Ideas in Food looks to go straight digital.
Ruhlman picks out a few of this years highlights.
The young cook gets a few modern classics.
Chadzilla goes deep with an interesting discussion in tow.
3 comments:
Well...I think people were just afraid to admit that the photos are what really draw you in. If there is a picture of a nice yummy pie or cookie, you're going to be more likely to try that recipe! I'm not ashamed. I voted pictures. (Now if novels just started getting their act together with pictures, then we'd be in business!)
oh yeah, I've been wanting the picture book, "of mice and men" for a long time now. ahhh, i love that story.
i agree, pictures are a serious draw.
you ever watch the movie? you busy this sat? we are officially opening on the 24th
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