I’m currently super into Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters and Mexican Today by Pati Jinich. Vegetables is just so useful, I use it as a reference all the time now. And there are so many great ideas! This is my first Pati book and I have to say her food is phenomenal. Everything I’ve made has been a 9 or 10/10. And she is just a total delight to top it off.
What about yall? Any books in heavy rotation right now?
Just finished the Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, and I really loved it! There are plenty of recipes in it, but it is more focused on techniques and the “why” behind a lot of things. I’d also recommend his YouTube channel super heavily.
The egg part is particularly helpful for learning to get eggs to come out just how you want them to.
If you haven’t made the gruyere oxtail sandwiches yet, you really need to. One of the most delicious things i have ever eaten. Very sad how hard it’s become to find oxtail recently, of course, let alone for a reasonable price. Still worth it! Maybe I’ll see how it comes out with bone-in flank.
Anarchist’s
I just finished reading Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America. I read it cover to cover and I am unsure if I will ever make a recipe out of it. But man was it interesting, informative and captivating to learn about the native foods in North America. I can’t recommend it enough
His first book completely changed my world, can’t wait to read this one!!
It’s amazing. It’s separated by region from the arctic down to Mexico. Each section talks about the biome, the people who live there, a little history and culture followed by recipes. The recipes use only native ingredients but in an accessible way. I learned so much about foods that had a native origin that isn’t talked about. I especially loved the regions around Mexico because I never considered how foods there are unchained for centuries. Highly recommend it.
I rented it from the library so I read it in like 2 weeks. I might buy it just to have around
I reread The French Laundry Cookbook frequently. It changed how I think about cooking.
Followed by the Good Eats cookbooks, Vol 1-4. Alton Brown NEEDS a Pulitzer, or the cooking equivalent.
The science of cooking has become more important to me than cookbooks/recipes.
Alton Brown NEEDS a Pulitzer, or the cooking equivalent.
A James Beard award is probably closest to what you have in mind.
“Dessert Person” and “What’s for Dessert?” by Claire Saffitz. Really great recipes ranging in difficulty from easy to difficult, interesting food and flavor combinations, and a focus on flavors themselves instead of excessive sweetness.
I’ve made some absolutely delicious desserts from these books, my favorite so far is the toasted sesame banana cream tart.
Justine Cooks: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen - Justine Doiron
We’re not vegan/vegetarian but with the increasing meat costs and environmental impacts it has, we’ve leaned into this book a lot. Also so cheap to soak a 1lb bag of beans the night before.
One of my favorites is Mandy Lee’s The Art of Escapism Cooking
I think there’s maybe a bit more complexity to the recipes and some require like various set up spice blends or sauces or what have you but the recipes are a lot of fun. There’s a really fun fusion and play element to her recipes and if you like Szechuan food, you’ll get a lot of those flavor profiles.
I am always very into Fuchsia Dunlop’s Sichuanese and other Chinese books. Great recipes, great info, and so much passion for the food and the land. Land of Plenty, Every Grain of Rice… I don’t know if I could pick a favorite. I pick them up just to browse regularly. I can’t recommend her enough, especially the hot pot broth.
Recently got a copy of her Revolutionary Chinese Cooking and am looking forward to getting into it.
Also recently rereading Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Alford and Duguid. Beautiful and informative book. Best nuoc mam cham recipe, too (but of course your preferences may vary).
The Dungeon Crawler’s Cookbook.
zaitoun - palestinian cookbook we keep coming back to
Matty Matheson’s Soup, Salads, and Sandwiches. Lot of good recipes and I enjoy the layout.
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You inspired me to read about Chang a little and the dickhead is also facilitating toxic work environnements in his restaurants apparently…
https://www.today.com/food/news/david-chang-momofuku-chili-crunch-trademark-controversy-rcna146564
