What is the MOST essential Cookbook?

[Molly53]

What book would you consider most essential for a home cook?

Would it be Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia, The Joy of Cooking, or another choice?

[Dib's]

I don't have just one. I have many depending on what Cusine I'm making.

For example I turn to Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless for traditional methods and recipes.
The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen turned my husband from being a accidental jerkey maker into a great griller.
The Complete Book of Home Preserving is my go to canning book if I need something "reliable" fast, although Stocking up by Rodale is not one I turn my nose up at.

[glitter]

I have to agree with Dib's on this. I too blend cookbooks and Encyclopedias and magazines. Seems whatever I can get my hands on and add to my own experiences of what people seem to like. I like Rustic cookbooks alot and those that are very informative about the foods the recipes are made in. They read not only like a cookbook but history books. For quick go to books when I am in a hurry to find temps..I go to Better Homes Charts. They are nicely charted for you according to catagory. This is quite helpful without it being a huge book.

[callronan]

Has anybody tried the Julia Child's recipe book featured in Julie and Julia? A friend here recently completed a cookery course and was told that it was the definitive cookbook to have. Would you agree with this?

[pinky kookie]

I also have a large collection of cookbooks and magazines, but I have only 2 special cookbooks as my MOST essential ones:

1 - First and the most important it is the one I keep with my dear Mother's recipes included some handwritten by her and by me.

2 - My Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook given to me by my SIL as a wedding present in 1969.

And I have other good, small cookbooks with recipes I like:
German, Czech, Italian, French, Oriental and Mexican Food Cookbooks.

[Cookworm]

The Food Substitutions Bible - hands down. I love my cookbooks, but that book has saved many a recipe for me.

[duonyte]

I have the Joy of Cooking that I got in 1974, not sure of the publication date (i.e., I'm too lazy to get up and leave my vodka cocktail to go look at it) from a long ago boyfriend, when I first moved to Chicago. Some of the recipes are a bit out of date according to modern nutrition and my own notions of how recipes should be made, but pretty much any technique I need to know about is in there.

The other thing is my collection of Lithuanian cookbooks - I turn to them frequently, when I want to try something mother did not make.

[linguinelisa]

I have two cookbooks that I'm always using to look things up in:

Betty Crocker Cookbook

Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook


they are essential for looking up cooking times or basic recipes.

[PSU Lioness]

I love my "Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook." It's packed with over 900 recipes that cover most cuisines. I just posted about it on another forum topic because I love it so much!