What cookbook would you have to have if you only could have one?

chrisinhouston · 11-24-2006, 04:10 PM

The 75th anniversary printing of the Joy of Cookiing is coming out and as it's Holiday season where we are more apt to pick up a classic cookbook for those special annual recipes, it got me wondering; which one would you just have to have if you only could have one? As an aside, I collect cookbooks and have well over 100 including ones belonging to my mother, grandmothers and a few from the GG grandparent generation. My parents were friends with Julia Child so we always had hers handy but my mom always swore by The Fannie Farmer one.

My wife and I are away at a remote ranch in west Texas for a week and I chose to bring Craig Clayborne's NYTimes Cookbook which I find has plenty of variety as well as some real classic recipes and everything from cocktails and starter dishes to desserts.

Any thoughts?

Griff · 11-24-2006, 04:23 PM

It has to be Joy of Cooking. I think of it as a framework. If you do it this way it will come out okay, then you play with it.

MaggieL · 11-24-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griff

It has to be Joy of Cooking.

Agree. I'm not a good enough cook to use any other book by itself. :-)

If I can add a second book, it would have to be Shirley Corriher's wonderful "Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed". She's the food scientist who shows up on Alton Brown's Good Eats with the dykey haircut.

SteveDallas · 11-24-2006, 07:02 PM

The Betty Crocker cookbook has produced far more "wins" than any other.

LabRat · 11-29-2006, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

The Betty Crocker cookbook has produced far more "wins" than any other.

Hands down I agree. Great starter cookbook. One of my first. Definately the one I refer to the most by far. I have about 20, including a bunch of church group type ones, and "Annual" books put out by cooking mags and Better Homes etc.

footfootfoot · 11-24-2006, 09:09 PM

I would say "Joy" with the proviso that it is an older edition. I got a copy for Xmas a while back and it was revised and updated. "Great." I thought. some fresh ideas, maybe a section on tofu or something.

It was diabolical. In a pinch, I needed to make mayonaise one night after stores were closed, we were having a cooking party, etc. I open the book and it says something to the effect of
"In today's modern world no one has the time to prepare everything from scratch so things like mayonaise are best bought ahead of time." End of story.

I checked for a few other basic things which I consider simple building blocks in the kitchen and they too had be expurgated. It's not like a I expected detailed instructions on how to make my own rice wine vinegar from raw rice, these were standard recipe basics.

I threw the book in the woodstove, what a piece of crap. Marion Rombauer Becker must have been turning over inher grave when that epicurean slur was foisted on the world.

Pierre Franey, Craig Clayborne, I have Julia's The way to cook and it is great, though I find her turkey times to be too long by an hour.

I just got "on food and cooking" the science and lore of the kitchen, by Harold McGee. I've jsut started it but his approach is purely scientific and goes into great depths about the whys of cooking. Not so much in terms of recipes, but fantastic if you are of an analytical mind and want to know how things work. For example, he has a section on meat with a chart showing the effect of heat on meat over a range of temperatures.

But all that said, an early copy of JOY would be my 1st choice/

wolf · 11-25-2006, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

I would say "Joy" with the proviso that it is an older edition. I got a copy for Xmas a while back and it was revised and updated.

I second that particular suggestion. Should be plenty available used now that the New and Improved one is available.

I also give high marks to the first Silver Palate Cookbook.

Cloud · 06-18-2007, 07:29 PM

I'm going to agree with the others that the "old" Joy of Cooking is the best. Mine's falling apart now, but it's the one I return to again and again.

I happened to get one of my daughters the "revised" Joy of Cooking and it's just not the same. Some of the best recipes and information are missing.

Some of the recipes worth the price of the book:

Chili con carne
peanut butter cookies
Hollaindaise sauce

kerosene · 07-04-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

Some of the recipes worth the price of the book:

Chili con carne
peanut butter cookies
Hollaindaise sauce

Yes! Peanut butter cookies! I won't make them from any other recipe. I also noticed that Joy of Cooking calls for a lot of butter in many of the recipes...is that true of the newer one, too? Have the recipes changed, or have they been deleted and new ones added?

Aliantha · 11-24-2006, 09:17 PM

I hardly ever use cookbooks except for cakes. Of those, I'd have to choose one of the womans day cakes and slices books. They give you the basics and if you've got a bit of knowledge, you can turn out just about any cake you want from there.

DucksNuts · 11-24-2006, 09:32 PM

Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion

BrianR · 11-25-2006, 06:03 PM

I always had good luck with Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The older version with the red and white checkerboard design.

However, right now I would settle for a good tex-mex diabetic Adkins cookbook.

lumberjim · 11-25-2006, 06:11 PM

wolf · 11-26-2006, 12:30 PM

The best parts of the Joy of Cooking, for me, are the About sections. I love those in the same way that I love watching Alton Brown on Good Eats. The hows and whys of food science intrigue me.

footfootfoot · 11-26-2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

The best parts of the Joy of Cooking, for me, are the About sections. I love those in the same way that I love watching Alton Brown on Good Eats. The hows and whys of food science intrigue me.

Then you have to get "On Food and Cooking" the science and lore of the kitchen, by Harold McGee.

It rocketh

11-24-2006, 04:10 PM	#1
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	What cookbook would you have to have if you only could have one? The 75th anniversary printing of the Joy of Cookiing is coming out and as it's Holiday season where we are more apt to pick up a classic cookbook for those special annual recipes, it got me wondering; which one would you just have to have if you only could have one? As an aside, I collect cookbooks and have well over 100 including ones belonging to my mother, grandmothers and a few from the GG grandparent generation. My parents were friends with Julia Child so we always had hers handy but my mom always swore by The Fannie Farmer one. My wife and I are away at a remote ranch in west Texas for a week and I chose to bring Craig Clayborne's NYTimes Cookbook which I find has plenty of variety as well as some real classic recipes and everything from cocktails and starter dishes to desserts. Any thoughts?

11-24-2006, 04:23 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	It has to be Joy of Cooking. I think of it as a framework. If you do it this way it will come out okay, then you play with it. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-24-2006, 09:09 PM	#6
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	I would say "Joy" with the proviso that it is an older edition. I got a copy for Xmas a while back and it was revised and updated. "Great." I thought. some fresh ideas, maybe a section on tofu or something. It was diabolical. In a pinch, I needed to make mayonaise one night after stores were closed, we were having a cooking party, etc. I open the book and it says something to the effect of "In today's modern world no one has the time to prepare everything from scratch so things like mayonaise are best bought ahead of time." End of story. I checked for a few other basic things which I consider simple building blocks in the kitchen and they too had be expurgated. It's not like a I expected detailed instructions on how to make my own rice wine vinegar from raw rice, these were standard recipe basics. I threw the book in the woodstove, what a piece of crap. Marion Rombauer Becker must have been turning over inher grave when that epicurean slur was foisted on the world. Pierre Franey, Craig Clayborne, I have Julia's The way to cook and it is great, though I find her turkey times to be too long by an hour. I just got "on food and cooking" the science and lore of the kitchen, by Harold McGee. I've jsut started it but his approach is purely scientific and goes into great depths about the whys of cooking. Not so much in terms of recipes, but fantastic if you are of an analytical mind and want to know how things work. For example, he has a section on meat with a chart showing the effect of heat on meat over a range of temperatures. But all that said, an early copy of JOY would be my 1st choice/ Attached Images __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

06-18-2007, 07:29 PM	#8
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I'm going to agree with the others that the "old" Joy of Cooking is the best. Mine's falling apart now, but it's the one I return to again and again. I happened to get one of my daughters the "revised" Joy of Cooking and it's just not the same. Some of the best recipes and information are missing. Some of the recipes worth the price of the book: Chili con carne peanut butter cookies Hollaindaise sauce __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

11-24-2006, 09:17 PM	#10
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I hardly ever use cookbooks except for cakes. Of those, I'd have to choose one of the womans day cakes and slices books. They give you the basics and if you've got a bit of knowledge, you can turn out just about any cake you want from there. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-24-2006, 07:02 PM	#4
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	The Betty Crocker cookbook has produced far more "wins" than any other.

11-24-2006, 09:32 PM	#11
DucksNuts Bitchy Little Brat Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 5,067	Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion

11-25-2006, 06:03 PM	#12
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	I always had good luck with Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The older version with the red and white checkerboard design. However, right now I would settle for a good tex-mex diabetic Adkins cookbook. __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

11-25-2006, 06:11 PM	#13
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	__________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

11-26-2006, 12:30 PM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The best parts of the Joy of Cooking, for me, are the About sections. I love those in the same way that I love watching Alton Brown on Good Eats. The hows and whys of food science intrigue me. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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