I think back to when I first got married, I was so excited and couldn’t wait
to start cooking for my new husband. I recall being so afraid to deviate from
the recipe and making sure to measure everything precisely to what the recipe
called for. Things certainly have changed. The first cookbook I ever
purchased was Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Sixth Edition. I am embarrassed to
the state of it today, torn, tattered and pages falling out. I loved that
cookbook and I still treasure it today. I still refer to it from time to time for
inspiration. Today I have so many to draw inspiration from and so many more
that I can’t wait to add to my collection.
- Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy
- Gordon Ramsay’s Maze
- Gordon Ramsay’s Sunday Lunch
- Donna Hay, The Instant Cook
- David Lebovitz, Ready for Dessert
- Michel Roux Pastry
- Michel Roux Eggs
- In the Hands of a Chef
- The Professional Chef 8th Edition
- Cook With Jamie
- Jamie’s Food Revolution
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volumes I & II
- Julia Child & Company
- Giuliano Hazan The Classic Pasta Cookbook
- Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques
- Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques
- The Flavor Bible
- The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
- Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes
- Martha Stewart’s Cookies
- Giada’s Everyday Pasta
- Giada’s Family Dinners
- Everyday Italian
- Giada’s Kitchen, New Italian Favorite
- Le Creuset The Cast Iron Way to Cook
- Bernardin The Guide to Home Preserving
- The Ultimate Ice Cream Book
- The Ultimate Frozen Dessert Book
- Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream & Dessert Book
- Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray
- Entertaining With The Sopranos
- Soprano’s Family Cookbook
- Betty Crocker’s Cookbook 6th Edition (1st cookbook I ever purchased)
- Betty Crocker’s Slow Cooker Recipes
- Betty Crocker Italian Cooking
- Betty Crocker Celebrate
- Patricia Cornwall Food to Die For
- BakeWise
- Advanced Bread and Pastry
- Desserts by Pierre Hermé
- Culinary Artistry
- Ratio
The following books are on my wish list. I know that this list will continue
to grow and grow!
- Elisabeth Prueitt – Tartine
- Light of Lucia
- Baking With Julia
- Gordon Ramsay 3 Star Chef (signed copy)
- Gordon Ramsay A Chef For All Seasons (signed copy)
- Gordon Ramsay Just Desserts
- Dianne Jacobs – Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir & More
- Off Duty: The World’s Great Chefs Cook At Home
- Michel Roux Sauces (revised & updated edition)
- Larousse Gastronomique
- Bite Me: A Stomach-Satisfying, Visually Gratifying, Fresh-Mouthed Cookbook
- Donna Hay’s Complete Cookbook Collection
If you wouldn’t mind sharing, I would love to know what’s on your bookshelf,
which ones are your favourites and why they are special to you? I enjoy
collecting cookbooks and it would be great to add more to my collection.
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April 6th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Can’t wait for this blog to be fully up and running! I will visit often…
My favourite is probably “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook”. I love Ina Garten. Never once have I been unimpressed with her recipes. They are always spectacular!
April 6th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Thank you Alexis, have everything almost set to go, should be this week. I love Ina’s recipes as well, can’t believe I haven’t picked up one of her books yet. She has an amazing shrimp scampi recipe that I go to so often.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
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May 3rd, 2010 at 11:21 am
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May 21st, 2010 at 6:31 pm
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June 2nd, 2010 at 8:13 pm
I have just bought “Baking with Julia” which I just love. Also a recent purchase and just published is “Light of Lucia” – recommended as a warm and fuzzy book full of memories for those raised in Italian homes. Also good for recipes, of course!
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:58 am
Thank you for the recommendations, “Light of Lucia” sounds great, I just went to Amazon & Chapters, it’s sold out at both spots. I will pick up for sure when it becomes available.
June 4th, 2010 at 11:31 am
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June 10th, 2010 at 7:37 am
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June 10th, 2010 at 7:39 am
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October 21st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
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November 6th, 2010 at 9:11 am
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November 25th, 2010 at 12:51 am
One of my favourite books this year is Dorie Greenspan’s “Around My French Table”. I want to make every single recipe! So far my favourite is the Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. Amazing!
November 25th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
I’ve thought about getting that one too. I think some of the bloggers are cooking along to the book as well. I think it would be fun. Thank you for sharing.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:32 am
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December 2nd, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Bite Me is possibly my favourite cook book! It is full of humours and witty remarks! A definite book you should get!
December 3rd, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Brandon I visited their site and thought about getting the book. I will have to take another look, thanks for the recommendation.
December 19th, 2010 at 12:54 am
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December 24th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Thank you for your lovely blog and the wonderful recipes. I will try them for sure…!!!
December 24th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Thank you so much Eleni Have a Happy Holiday!
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:56 am
You asked for possible suggestions for additional cookbooks. One that I have referred to for a reference resource as well as recipes is an older copy of “La Varenne Pratique”. It was given to me by my brother for a birthday and, much to my surprise, when I looked it up on Amazon to see if it is available, my particular copy seems to be worth around $150! I wouldn’t sell it but if you decide to add it to your collection I recommend working toward the “Gateau Success”. This book can propel a successful pastry chef to celebrity status and the method is conveyed perfectly to ensure maximum success.
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Kent I just looked it up, looks amazing definitely going on my wish list, I think it is moving to the 1st slot. I would love to get into more intricate desserts but learning the techniques is a must. I think this book could help. Thank you so much for passing along the recommendation.
January 15th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
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January 29th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Have a look at Nigella Lawson’s “How to Eat”
It is a delight of a book – well written and stuffed full of recipes you will use again and again. Also Ballymaloe Cookery Course by Darina Allen, Simon Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken and other stories and finally Nigel Slater’s Tender volumes 1 and 2.
January 30th, 2011 at 3:28 am
Thank you Sheila, gonna take some time tomorrow and look through Google books, hopefully they will have previews.
February 2nd, 2011 at 12:18 pm
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February 2nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm
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February 2nd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
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February 2nd, 2011 at 12:35 pm
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February 21st, 2011 at 6:35 am
flour by joanne chang
baked: new frontiers in baking by matt lewis & renato poliafito & their newer book,
baked explorations
sono baking company by john barricela
around my french table by dory greenspan
sarabeth’s bakery by sarabeth levine
February 21st, 2011 at 9:38 am
Hi Linda, thank you for the suggestions, Baked & Around My French Table are definitely two I would like but I hadn’t heard of the others, will do a little research. Thanks again for the recommendations!
April 17th, 2011 at 3:41 am
The Art of Eating by M.F.K Fisher is a wonderful read as well. I still haven’t nearly finished it, it’s HUGE…but it’s classic. She’s the most elegant of writers, and I believe it is 5 of her books in one, the first one written in 1937. It’s not a book with a recipe on every page, but a story about food, about her love for food and her life. She even gives some incredible history lessons in a poetic sort of way. I need to pick mine up and continue reading it again soon.
April 22nd, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Hey,
take a look at Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey – it’s a lovely book and has a tv show to go with it, covers lots of Asian dishes and is healthy too.
April 22nd, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Thank you for the heads up will take a look.
May 1st, 2011 at 7:20 am
My all-time favourites are Nigella Lawson’s “How to Eat” and Marcella Hazan’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking”, but I do have lots and lots of other cookbooks – maybe 100 or more. I love my recently purchased “Light of Lucia” and will one day read my Larousse’s “Gastronomique” cover-to-cover (I hope!).
May 10th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
I am a cookbook collector and dessert fanatic. “Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey” by Jill O’connor is by far one of the best cookbooks ever! I highly recommend it.
May 10th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
Thanks Faye, what a great name for a dessert book. Just checked it out on Amazon, definitely has my name written all over it.
August 26th, 2011 at 7:37 am
Hello grace.my name is tonia and i am from greece.i don’t have a book to recommend you because all the books i know are greek.although i would like if you can to tell me a book of italian deserts so i can buy it.
August 27th, 2011 at 10:06 am
Welcome Tonia! I wish I could recommend an Italian dessert cookbook, they are so very hard to find here in North America. I am in the process of writing one now which is due to hit the book stores sometime around Christmas. It is a market that is definitely lacking here. You will probably have more luck finding one in Europe, in fact I was online last evening trying to find one through an Italian version of Amazon.
November 16th, 2011 at 10:25 am
You should add Joy of Cooking to your bookshelf. While it is not a visually pleasing book the 75th anniversary edition is a must for all cooks/chefs. I enjoy the rest of your books as well. I have quite the collection and hope to add some of yours to mine!Also, for visual delight David Rocco’s Dolce Vita is a great one. Thanks for your pesche dolci recipe. It was very similar to a friend of mine’s recipe but yours had a few tips that the italian ladies leave out (maybe on purpose). Ciao!
November 18th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Too funny to receive your comment today I was just talking about the Joy of Cooking and wondering why I hadn’t added it to my collection yet. You’re right it’s a perfect one to add, I really like books like that. I have the Professional Chef and I think it’s probably the one I refer to most often. You’re right about the ladies not passing on their little tricks, it can be so frustrating at times. It’s funny when I first started going through family recipes and close friends recipes some were so near and dear and sacred and then I started perusing online and found so many recipes that were either the same or so very similar but like you stated it was all the little things that were missing which really changed the end result that took a recipe to a whole other level. Thank you for stopping by for a visit Silvana, have a great weekend.
November 18th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
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November 30th, 2011 at 12:52 am
reading all your posts and finish here ! waow, i’m definitly convince that you love cooking and you do it so well !!!
I’m a little like you , fired from job 7 years ago, i start cooking for my family, but no transcription on a blog ! lol
So to answer your question, you MUST have this book : Secrets gourmands de Pierre Hermé !
It’s in french, but but…………i see you like pastries, this man is the best french cooker for pastries, i went lots of time to his shop and tasted so many different pastries…..
If you can understand french you will discover that you never got idea of what’s cooking means !!!i did it , and waowwwwwwwwwwww, easy to make, and for such result it’s incredible !
Hope it helps you !
Nice to meet you , and will be back for sure !
Sending a kiss from Nice , France
December 1st, 2011 at 9:01 pm
I want that book! I used to be able to speak French in school, not perfectly but could get by. My husband was french and he used it frequently with his family and although my french was rusty by the time we married it did help to keep me up with the language, since his passing it’s been much harder to retain it. I have one of Pierre’s books and I love it. I am so jealous I would love to try his creations first hand. hugs and kisses back to you!
December 20th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
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December 25th, 2011 at 10:47 am
My boyfriend gave me a copy of Dianne Jacobs – Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir & More, just last week. It has a lot of useful ideas, I highly recommend it.
January 2nd, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Hi Jackie I have Dianne’s book too, you are so right a wealth of information.
February 14th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
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March 31st, 2012 at 2:22 pm
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April 14th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
There are dozens I’d love for you to see, but my desert island choice (and I admit I’m cheating a little) is the Time-Life Good Cook Series. There are 28 single subject volumes and owning them is like having a culinary school in your kitchen.
April 15th, 2012 at 4:41 am
Hi Judy My husband used to have one of the Time Life Series, it was amazing. I didn’t realize they had a cook series. I must look into them, thanks for the tip!
May 5th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
HI! GRACE
I ABSOLUTELY LIKE YOUR WEBSITE. ESPECIALLY THE PEACHES AND AMARETTI. SOFAR THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE BAKED, AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS. I DO HAVE THE PEACHES AND AMARETTI RECIPIES GIVEN TO ME FROM MY MOTHER, AND THE PEACHES FROM AN OLD FRIEND. BUT YOUR ARE SPECIAL. SO CAN YOU PLEASE ADD TO YOUR WEBSITE THE BOCCONOTTI RECIPIE AND THE WALNUT TOO. I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
THANKS. PINA
May 7th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Hi Pina, I would love to add the Bocconotti but I’ve included the recipe in my new cookbook and unfortunately will not be able to share on the site. They are definitely one of my absolute favourites.
June 5th, 2012 at 11:20 am
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July 18th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
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October 19th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Hi Grace,
Might I suggest you have a look at Maggie Beer’s Maggies’s Harvest and Stephanie Alexander Cook’s Companion. They are both amazing At what they do. Anything by Kylie Kwong is worth buying. I also love Bourke Street Bakery, the ultimate baking companion by Paul Allam and David Mcguinness. Hope these give you some new ideas. Love your blog.
October 19th, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Thank you Tracy, will definitely take a look at your suggestions. Funny you should mention Kylie Kwong, I’ve been meaning to look at her books. I enjoy watching her on MasterChef.
November 18th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
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December 27th, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Hi Grace, I just tripped over your site checking up on a recipe for creme patissierre. What a lovely array of recipes and they are all so well presented. I’m a vegetarian and a couple of my lifelong ‘friends in the kitchen’ have been Mollie Katzen’s ‘Moosewood Cookbook’, and the follow up ‘The Enchanted Broccoli Forest’ So many yummy sweet and savoury inspirations, all handwritten and illustrated.
December 29th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Thank you for the recommendations Sandy, I’m heading over to Amazon to take a look see, they sound lovely. All the best in 2013!
February 8th, 2013 at 11:50 pm
[...] COOKIES & CREAM CHEESECAKES adapted from Martha Stewart Makes [...]