Books for Cooks discussion

I suggest we get a list of 25-50 around the country. We let the group know why you chose the person, does the chef have a Restaurant? Did the Chef write a Cookbook anything you find pertinent.

Tie: Julio Ramirez and Ming Tsai
Chef Julio put out my all time favorite cookbook (The Turtle Bay Cookbook) and his Fishwife Restaurant is a favorite. I was in the Monterey area this weekend and ate there Saturday night. The meal I had was fantastic.
Ming's Blue Ginger cookbook has almost as many spills on it as Turtle Bay and Simply Ming is my favorite cooking show.

William Thank you for your input. I would like to add Michel Richard to the List and one of his cookbooks 'Happy in the Kitchen'. A few years ago I went to Santa Barbara and had the pleasure of meeting him at 'Citrus'. Now I want to go to DC, just so I could eat at 'Citronelle' until then I just have to keep cooking from his cookbook He is truly a Master Chef.

i love the idea of compiling a list. That way if there is a great chef people havent heard of they have the opprutunity to check them out! All though the list will be long and interesting.
I will have to add an obvious one right off the bat..... THOMAS KELLER

Have you eaten at French Laundry or made anything from the F.L. cookbook?
Just curious if you consider his food something the home cook could dive into.

Adriana, I agree Thomas Keller is fantastic. I have two of his books truly an inspirational type chef.

William, I tried to get into the French Laundry years ago, you had to call one year in advance and then....No...Unless you knew some one;so I became a bit strong headed. If I plan on paying around $600-$800 for dinner I did not like the idea of what I considered Theatrics, so I chose not to do the calling in favors just for the privelage to eat there.
To answer shorter your second part. Yes, I made the French Onion Soup from Bouchon, need lots of time:)))The Results Superb.

william,
I have not eaten at the french laundry yet but i have eaten at Bouchon which was one of the best meals i have ever had.
i have yet to make any of his reciepes at home but i think using parts of his elaborate dishes to enhance a meal would be nice.

I should add another one of my favorite chefs that you can definatly make all his dishes at home and have a great time with is Paul Prudome.

Adriana, slowly but surely our list of chefs and cookbooks is growing. Thank you for your input. BTW I made the French Onion Soup from Bouchon, lot of work, but total success:))

Kelly Jo, I like Jamie Oliver as well, what I find with his recipes the timelines and length seem to be off a bit from real time vs Thomas Keller is more precise. Do you agree?

Kelly Jo, Hope Santa will get you one of his books, Bouchon or French Laundry.Tell Santa there is a Box set of both:))

kelly jo, i do not have any jamie oliver cookbooks but am interested in taking a look at some at the book store. does he have several? if so which do you reccomend?

Hey Adriana I have 'Cook with Jamie' and "The Naked Chef Takes Off" they are both worth while to a collection, I preferr the Cook with Jamie as his subtitle implies "my guide to making you a better cook.

Kelly Jo, so was Santa Good to you? Did you get the Thomas Keller books? BTW have a great New Year.

Hope your Valentine is watching:))

I love Rick Bayless and Jose Andres, because they're both so passionate about food and travel.

My favorite dessert cookbook is by Susan Purdy, "A Piece of Cake", because she describes every step. That book is worthwhile for the black forest cake recipe alone!

My favorite food-themed book is by author Isabel Allende, "Aprodite". It's a book about aphrodisiacs.

I think my favorite cookbook is Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I have yet to cook a bad recipe from this one, and use it a good bit (probably a couple of times a week).

Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way

Jacques Pepin is definitely a favorite. His ease with food, the simple, classic approach, and his emphasis on the care and love that go into cooking make him a standout! "Fast Food My Way," which accompanies the television series, is a much loved volume in my library.

Jacques Pepin was a great guest judge on Top Chef this week; he really tore into one chef's supposedly Provencal tomato. He has written some great cookbooks, too.

Jacques Pepin!!! I read his autobiography and just fell in love with him..I love his simple french style and his great food stories..my favorite is when he comes to California for the first time and rents a cabin and decides to go snail hunting and come home with this huge bag full of snails..him and his wife go out for the night and I guess he did not seal the paper bag enough, so when he comes home ALL THE SNAILS ARE OUT OF THE BAG!!! can yoe imagine the slime!! LOVE HIM

Ximena, welcome back:)) Missed you, Time to figure out how many books we have now:))

Thanks..I have room and energy to breathe again! I would also like to suggest another cookbook - vegetable soups by deborah madison - very interesting flavor combinations.

Yes that Aunt Bee. This is a very easy to follow cookbook with wonderful recipes.
http://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Bees-Mayberry...

Ximena, I have just recently got one of Deborah madisons cook books. (I am blanking out on the name right now) Something about cooking the savory way? anways its amazing! have cooked a few things from it so far. Thanks for suggesting the vegetable soup book by her, i cant wait to check it out.

I like Mario Baltelli, wolf gang Puck,simply ming, Tommy taing, Litia, and more

Lenalee, I am not familiar with "litia" tell me more,

Perhaps Lidia (Lidia's Italy on PBS).

Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery Recipes for the Connoisseur is my current favorite. I love her organic almost reverent approach to bread making. I also recommend watching her cooking clips on pbs.org. She was a featured chef on cooking with Julia Child and her demonstrations made the information in her book come to life.

I completely agree about the La Brea Bakery books--both the Breads and the Pastries books are excellent. I also love Tessa Kiros' book Apples for Jam, but more for how it's organized by color and is full of anecdotes. I love the new trend in cookbooks to include personal history and messages. Too, though the recipes didn't intrigue me as much as the miscellaneous content, I do think Crave: a feast of five senses, by Ludovic Lefebvre is worthwhile reading.

Me tooo they make me hungry though

Kelly Jo wrote: "Speaking of Top Chef...I like Eric Ripert. He's been a guest judge a few times. I was looking at his cookbooks and was wondering if anyone has an opinion about them. "

You know, I like him as well - I have seen a cookbook of his, but was at a friend's house, so no time to browse. What did you think?

WOOO and Nickstellino I love thte episode when he makes the fruit tarts...YUM

Wow I need help What is the best spice Rub? Well wht spice rub tht u guys recommend???

Kelly Jo wrote: "Erika - I looked at Eric Ripert's books at the bookstore last month. He's really big on seafood, which my family is not (unfortunately). However, some of his recipes looked wonderful.

Kelly Jo I LOVE seafood!! Thanks for the tip - I know what's next on my wish list.

THX

Hi everyone,
I have to say, Rick Bayless is one of my favorites. I just finished reading
Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. Great book on mexican food. I also love the classic, Julia Child. Looking forward to hearing about interesting and good cookbooks from eveyone. -A

The late Keith Floyd has to be one of the greatest, entertaining, witty and he knows his stuff..... living, Delia Smith may lack excitement but she is very sound and the few times I have looked at recipes for guidance she has been spot on!

Of the chefs I have actually eaten at their restaurant--Mark Miller, unlikely food combinations that somehow work (tamale w/cherry BBQ sauce? It was yummy.) Otherwise: Pepin, Madison, Bittman, Madhur Jaffrey, Bayless, so many more but that's a start.

RANT: Except for honest-to-goodness "chefs." and several cooks who openly admit being just that, not one book written by a Food Network cook/actor or actor/cook. The latter diminish the term, "chef."

So many favorite cookbooks. Most appreciated are those in which authors tell stories and, therefore, make reading so fun and educational. Don't find this with Internet recipes!

A DELIGHTFUL SLEEPER: "A Taste of Tuscany" Tuscan resident/author John Dore Meis and photographer John Ferro Sims passionately celebrate country-based cuisine, We read/travel along as they dine by the seasons in homes, vineyards and restaurants. Recipes range from chestnut blossom honey ice cream and truffle-butter rolls to spinach sauteed in olive oil and paschal lamb. (Ingredient measurements are both standard and British.) From the various menus, my tried favorite? Chocolate truffles.

I like Gordan Ramsey or bobby flay they both make incredible and delicious meals

Melissa wrote: "Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery Recipes for the Connoisseur is my current favorite. I love her organic almost reverent approach to bread making. I also recommend watching her co..."

I agree with you that her approach is reverent. I had the La Brea Bakery book and dutifully followed her basic sourdough recipe. I kept my starter alive (following her instructions for using grapes) for over a year, and it was definitely a worthwhile experience. I have just ordered My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method. I wonder how it will compare.

As for other favorite chefs, Judi Rodgers, Julia Child, Thomas Keller.

Also, my husband is from Egypt, and many of the recipes I have tried from Claudia Roden's books have turned out very successfully in terms of capturing the familiar flavors of the Middle East.

This is a difficult question because there are hundreds of possible answers.

MG: Grant Achatz
Southern: Sean Brock
Unique: Magnus Nilsson
Character: Marcus Samuelsson / Anthony Bourdain

There are so many to chose from but these are the few of the top of my head right at this moment. If anyone is interested in the series Chef's Table or Mind Of A Chef they will recognize most of the names.

Madhur Jaffrey's Eastern Vegetarian Cooking. Authentic and written witha warm voice. Just love ut.

I meant just love it