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/ck/ - Food & Cooking

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8281318 No.8281318 [Reply] [Original]

Didn't see a cookbook thread in the catalog. Saw one last week but I don't think it got too far.

Pic related is one of my bibles. Have had my copy about twenty years, mom gave me her extra copy when I got my first apartment. There are a few things that are outdated, but all in all it is a damn solid cookbook.

Post your go-to cookbooks, your guilty-pleasure cookbooks, weird cookbooks, cookbooks you threw in the trash because they were retarded, whatever.

>> No.8281333

IMHO one of the best deals in cookbooks is to get a previous edition of "The Professional Chef". That is the main textbook for the CIA (cooking school, not spies). It is a massive book covering everything from food safety to budgeting to preparation and of course a whole bunch of recipes. It covers fundamentals like knife skills, how to cut and trim meat, how to fillet fish, etc. Cooking-wise it covers all the important stuff: stocks, sauces, and all the major cooking techniques with step by step photos for everything. And it has a massive selection of recipes including a lot of classics.

Like any college textbook the current edition is expensive. But you can get earlier editions very cheap. I've bought many copies for around $10 or so to give as gifts. It's an incredible amount of information and makes a fantastic go-to reference. When you factor in the low price for a previous edition it's easily the best deal going for cookbooks.

>> No.8281632

Joy of cooking is a pretty great cookbook. I usually don't follow the recipes exactly, but it's a good starting place for just about ANY recipe. I always reference it with something I grab off the Internet.

>> No.8282166

>>8281333
Check'em

Agree, it's a good cookbook I've been through a few different times. Given me some good techniques and ideas.

>> No.8282635

>>8281333
>That is the main textbook for the CIA (cooking school, not spies)
>He doesn't know thee CIA is just a front for the CIA

On topic I have the 1975 version of the joy of cooking I got from my mom and its really great as a general reference. I've also found the Santa Fe school of cooking cookbook to be pretty helpful for making New Mexican food at home since I can't really justify taking tons of weekend trips down to Santa Fe just to eat food.

>> No.8282652
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8282652

I would only buy cookbooks if you are looking to improve technique in a certain kind of cooking, as the internet has all the recipes you could ever hope for.

examples of techinque related cookbooks:
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Chef-Culinary-Institute-America/dp/0470421355/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479347091&sr=1-1&keywords=cia+cookbook

https://www.amazon.com/Project-Smoke-Steven-Raichlen/dp/0761181865/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479347126&sr=1-1&keywords=stephen+raichlen

https://www.amazon.com/Bread-Illustrated-Step-Step-Bakery-Quality/dp/1940352606/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479347182&sr=1-6&keywords=bread

Like I said, I would only buy cookbooks for techniques not recipes (of course they will include some recipes)

>> No.8282659
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8282659

>>8281318
No joke, look for any cookbook by the Frugal Gourmet, they're about .01 each on Amazon, don't believe me look at all the almost perfect ratings for his books. I know, I know, the guy was a little touch happy and what not, but ignore that.

On a side note if you're into pressure cooking pick up Pressure Cooker Perfection by America's Test Kitchen. Simple recipes, but surprisingly good, haven't gone wrong with one. Only problem is they like to add too much liquid, always end up simmering it off after releasing pressure, defeats the purpose of pressure cooking. I tone down the amounts of liquids their recipes call suggest and have never simmered off excess.

>> No.8282668

>>8282659
That guy! Entertained me for years on PBS as a kid

>> No.8282679

>>8282668
Lets just say you're lucky it wasn't hands on irl entertainment.

>> No.8282681
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8282681

Mah Cookbooks.
AMA

>> No.8282685

>>8282681
Why don't you own a better bookshelf

>> No.8282686

>>8282681
I'm curious about your collection of Texas cookbooks. Are any of them actually good? If so which one is your favorite?

>> No.8282692

>>8282685
I do, but that's for other books. And there's another bookcase full of vinyl. Both of them are in another room.

>> No.8282693

>>8282686
Oh, yeah some of them are very good, some are mediocre.

>> No.8282703

>>8282693
Which ones do you like?

>> No.8282704

>>8282686
Forgot to say, I'm in the middle of cooking dinner right now, but afterwards I'll make a little stack of my favorites and post it.

>> No.8282823

>>8282704
What did you make for dinner

>> No.8282850
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8282850

>>8282823
Just a simple spicy chicken pasta (cajun style). Nothing super fancy.

>> No.8283001

Escoffier, Larousse, Hering's Dictionary, La Repetoire, and Careme. There's really nothing more that you need.

>> No.8283031

>>8281632
This. Basic techniques, basic sauces, basic recipes. Just use any as a base and experiment from there.

>> No.8283585

>>8269048
>>8269048
>>8269048
>>8269048

>> No.8285474

>>8282681
What's it like picking up your books for 20c at a second hand shop?

>> No.8285824

>>8285474
Hmm, I thought this thread had died already.
Anyway, nearly half of those were bought new. The rest are either gifts given to me, or picked up at garage sales and thrift stores for specific reasons (I have several specific collections going on in there).