Reading List

Since I started cooking a few years ago, I found myself reading books less and reading cookbooks more. Strange, considering that I hardly ever refer to a recipe when cooking. An exception is baking, a skill that rivals my ability to send all plants to their eternal resting place. My cookbook collection is ever expanding. I’d call it diverse, but it’s mostly Asian, Italian and simple perfection. I love the bottomless ideas that are born in the pages. I love practical tips that chefs share. The following represent some of my budding collection and also items that are on my wishlist. I am currently up to 61. What are your favorites?

Le Guide Culinaire by Auguste Escoffier (originally published in French, published
in English as The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery)

Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller

The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press

Vefa’s Kitchen by Vefa Alexiandou

Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon by Claudia Roden

Cooking with Italian Grandmothers by Jessica Theroux

Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Marcella Says by Marcella Hazan

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

James Beard’s American Cookery by James Beard

Le Bernardin Cookbook by Eric Ripert

Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet by Padma Lakshimi

Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis

Breakfast Tea Lunch by Rose Carrarini

Simply Ming: East Techniques for East-Meets-West Meals by Ming Tsai Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan

Passion for Flavour by Gordon Ramsay

A Day at El Bulli by Ferran Adria

La Reportoire de la Cuisine by Louis Saulnier

Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point

The Complete Robuchon by Joel Robuchon

The Complete Asian Cookbook by Charmaine Solomon

The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dorneburg

White Heat by Marco Pierre White

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen

Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spicec Islands of Indonesia, Singapoore, and Malaysia by James Oseland

Uchi the Cookbook by Tyson Cole

Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook by Susanna Palazuelos

Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless

The following are cooking memoirs, commentary, novels and non-fiction works that I have enjoyed greatly. Let me just say in advance, I will read or watch anything involving Bourdain.

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan