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Underrated cookbooks everyone should read
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items Go beyond the obvious with this list of underrated cookbooks that every food lover should read. These aren't just recipe collections; they're masterclasses in technique, explorations of flavor, and cultural deep-dives. Discover the books that will ma...
A classic that's organized by cooking method (e.g., boiling, roasting, braising). This book is less about a collection of recipes and more about teaching the "why" behind the "how," making it a foundational text for anyone who wants to become a more ...
James Beard's Theory and Practice of Cooking
An accessible and classic guide to French cooking. Olney's approach is about understanding the principles of simple, delicious French cuisine, rather than just following rigid recipes.
Neglected cookbooks: Simple French Food by Richard Olney
This book offers a look into a unique and often-overlooked culinary tradition. It's a blend of Italian flavors with Jewish dietary laws and history, and is praised for its wonderful vegetable and meat recipes.
The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews
Often considered a masterwork, Kennedy's books delve into the regionality and authenticity of Mexican cuisine, going far beyond the Tex-Mex that many Americans are familiar with.
The Art of Mexican Cooking: Traditional Recipes
Dunlop is a master of regional Chinese cuisine, and her Sichuanese cookbooks are highly recommended for their authentic, well-researched, and delicious recipes that go beyond what's found in most Chinese restaurants in the West.
Land of Plenty: Authentic Sichuan Cooking
Originally published in 1901 to help newly arrived German-Jewish immigrants, this book has been reprinted many times and is a fascinating historical document as well as a great source for classic American recipes and techniques.
The Settlement Cookbook: 116 Years and 40 Editions Later - Taste Cooking
his book, while a bit older and sometimes hard to find, focuses on the building blocks of flavor in different cuisines. It's a great tool for learning how to improvise and create your own recipes based on flavor profiles.
Ethnic Cuisine: TheFlavor-Principle Cookbook
This is a great resource for cooks who want to move beyond a strict reliance on recipes. It teaches foundational concepts and techniques, giving you the confidence to cook with what you have on hand.
How to Cook Without a Book: Updated Recipes
These practical and well-written books offer dozens of easy and delicious recipes for two of the most important meals of the day.
The Supper Book: Cunningham, Marion: 9780679401445
Her food writing is beloved for its wit, charm, and the way it weaves together stories and simple, comforting recipes. Her books, like Home Cooking and More Home Cooking, are a joy to read even if you don't make a single recipe.
Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen Memoir
While Aaron Franklin is a well-known name in the barbecue world, this book is more than just a collection of recipes. It's an in-depth, almost obsessive, look at the science and art of smoking meat, particularly brisket. Franklin demystifies the proc...
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto
Michael Symon is known for his meaty, bold flavors, and this cookbook is a testament to that. It's an excellent book for the home cook because it focuses on techniques and flavors that are both approachable and exciting. Symon's "grilling bible" isn'...
Michael Symon's Playing with Fire: BBQ & Grill
This is a beautiful and inspiring book that focuses on open-fire cooking, or "asado," as practiced in Argentina. While it's not a traditional American barbecue book, it offers a different perspective on cooking with fire. Mallmann's methods are more ...
Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way