Forgive me if this was posted elsewhere, but the Beard Foundation recently published a list of 20 Essential Cookbooks.

Amazon Warehouse has some great deals on cookbooks right now. Do realize that shipping is probably $3.99 on each, but I had still found 5 that were worth buying this past weekend.
Jamie

My all time favorite cookbook is "The Tex-Mex Cookbook" by Robb Walsh.

I was aways fascinated with this regional specialty that is so misunderstood but I could never find good authentic recipes and historical information about it in Chicago and I have never been to Texas. Unlike most Americans I grew up on authentic Mexican cuisine having lived in Chicago and not until I became such a foodie did I start to develop a real interest for Tex-Mex cuisine and not until I bought this book did I know exactly how good it is and how much history it has behind it. Robb Walsh does an amazing job with all if his books and if you are a fan of Texas food (Tex-Mex and real BBQ) than this is a must for any cookbook collection.

Give me three more years of studying and a couple trips to Texas and maybe even a stint in the kitchen somewhere in Texas and I may follow my dream of opening "T's Tex-Mex Inn" and it all started with this book.

http://www.robbwalsh.com/

One of my favorite cook books is the Silver Spoon. It's sort of a go-to for Italian cooks and has been translated to English in the last few years. Here's a discussion thread on it (within which is a link to a blog that is dedicated to preparing the meals).

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=15429&highlight=silver+spoon

Wow, I kind of wish Amazon didn't keep order history info, as I just realized I have purchased 14 cookbooks in the last month. Many/most were from Amazon Sellers at quite a discounted price, but still...

Two books I am not sure how I previously lived without are:

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
This book is really the new favorite of my wife to cook from, and me to eat from. It is rare that we look through a cookbook and really not find a single item we don't want to make. I purchased this book after recently buying Maida Heatter's Book Of Great Desserts and not being too excited about it. Seemed Maida Heatter's book is full of desserts of old, whereas Greenspan seems to be more modern, though still plenty classic.

Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia by James Oseland
This was purchased after viewing the eGullet thread where every dish from the book has been cooked and photo-documented. Everything looked so incredible I ordered it right away. If you decide to get this book, go buy a mini food processor if you don't already have one. Also find a cheap source for shallots, I have already gone through about 50 of them

This week alone I have made 8 items from this book:
Javanese Peanut Sauce
Beef Satay
Chicken Satay
Shrimp Satay
Celebration Yellow Rice
Stir Fried Chinese Egg Noodle w/ Shrimp & Asian Greens
Beef Rendang
Spiced Braised Nyonya Pork

The other books I grabbed (some from recs from this thread, so thanks!) but have not put much time into yet:
Simple Chinese Cooking by Kylie Wong
The Naked Chef Takes Off by Jamie Oliver
Jamie’s Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook by Jamie Oliver
Jamie’s Italy by you know who
Great Bar food At Home by Kaye Heyhoe
Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province by Fuchsia Dunlop
Saveur Cooks Authentic American By the Editors of Saveur Magazine
A World of Dumplings: Filled Dumplings, Pockets & Little Pies from around the Globe by Brian Yarvin
The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking from Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro by Maria Baez Kijac
The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners by Matt Lee, Ted Lee
The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos by Robb Walsh
Maida Heatter's Book Of Great Desserts by Maida Heatter

One thing I have to say is I have always been rather annoyed by Jamie Oliver’s TV presence, but his cookbooks are great and has us looking forward to farmer’s markets to really put them to use.

Anyone else find anything new and exciting?

Jamie

I'm not a fan of egullet, but that thread looks amazing. Very cool.

Jamie, funny you should say that about Jamie Oliver's cookbooks. The International Assoc. of Culinary Professionals just announced its cookbook winners and Jamie Oliver beat out Jacques Pepin in the "General" category (whatever that is).

This website, omnivoracious, lists all the nominees as well as the winners in all the categories. The IACP official siteonly has the winners posted, does not list the nominees.

I have such a bad book problem to begin with and cookbooks are the worst. I am trying so hard to resist buying another cookbook for $40.

My rule has been to first take the book out from the library and give it a long, long test drive before buying. Even then, I told myself (and family members who like to buy gifts) that I would only invest money in James Beard award winning cookbooks.

Well, the cookbook I am currently lusting after is Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

This is a ten-year anniversary edition of a James Beard award winner.

Here at our house, we are NOT vegetarians! But I find vegtarian cooking to be very creative, colorful and full of bright flavors. The spicing and the techniques are so innovative compared with a lot of traditional cooking.

So I love exploring this world through spa cookbooks, cookbooks from Bhuddist monestaries and other passionate believers.

This Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone book seems to be worth the money for the "Sauces and Condiments" and the "Vinaigrettes and Other Dressings" sections alone! Between these two there are over 40 pages of dipping sauces, chutneys, relishes, butters etc.

All this good stuff is in addition to 1,400 recipes in every imaginable category. This is a tome! A real reference that could get used like a Joy of Cooking.

Oh no! Amazon has it for $26 with free shipping! arrggh! I am weakening here. --Joy

Joy wrote:
Well, the cookbook I am currently lusting after is Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

This is a ten-year anniversary edition of a James Beard award winner.

Here at our house, we are NOT vegetarians! But I find vegtarian cooking to be very creative, colorful and full of bright flavors. The spicing and the techniques are so innovative compared with a lot of traditional cooking.

So I love exploring this world through spa cookbooks, cookbooks from Bhuddist monestaries and other passionate believers.

This Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone book seems to be worth the money for the "Sauces and Condiments" and the "Vinaigrettes and Other Dressings" sections alone! Between these two there are over 40 pages of dipping sauces, chutneys, relishes, butters etc.

All this good stuff is in addition to 1,400 recipes in every imaginable category. This is a tome! A real reference that could get used like a Joy of Cooking.

Oh no! Amazon has it for $26 with free shipping! arrggh! I am weakening here. --Joy

Is it easier to justify if you can get it used in VG condition for $18.98 shipped?

Have I mentioned how much I like the "New & Used" section for all Amazon books? I have about 60 items in my cart and just wait till I can find it cheap from other sellers. Heck, most of those Jamie Oliver books I just got were <$8 new this way.

I have this Deborah Madison cookbook, and think we have pulled it out once or twice but have not made too much from it. I imagine it will be more useful once farmer's market veggies come back into rotation. I do think i prefer the Bittman Vegetarian cookbook, though.

Amazon also have a list of all James Beard Nominiees, going back to 1999!

Jamie

FWIW, the Deborah Madison book is one of our favorites. Great when you have a veggie and don't know what to do with it...like 10 lbs of turnips.

Cynthia wrote:A couple of years ago, I had the lovely opportunity of editing a cookbook that became a real favorite -- The South American Table by Maria Baez Kijac. Maria, who is Ecuadorian, traveled all over South America collecting the recipes for the book. Of course, one very fun aspect of working with Maria was getting to try so many of the recipes. The foreward was done by Charlie Trotter, and the book has one several awards.

I particularly like all the seviches and tamales, but there is a lot to love in this substantial collection. So I'd recommend The South American Table.

Based on this and a couple of other comments, I'd put this book in my want list on paperbackswap.com (drop me a PM if you decide to join -- I get a book credit if I refer folks), and it finally arrived last week.

Just a quick browse through the book made me salivate: at least a dozen empanada recipes, various filled corn-based things that don't even slightly resemble tamales (humintas, tortes, etc), and I stumbled on a ropa vieja variant caled "Bandera" something or other that I made tonight. It took a lot of prep, but not really a lot of work, for the three items (rice, beans and meat for the three colors of the Venezuelan flag). Absolutely delicious, and I think the beans were even better than the main course.

The book is a definite gem. I expect to cook out of this all year, for a couple of years. Mmmm.

I've very much enjoyed Bernard Clayton's books

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url ... d&x=8&y=15

Also Nick Malgieri

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b_0_8 ... x=Malgieri

These books are mainly for those who bake.

Have once again been on a cookbook kick of late (I have maybe 100 in my Amazon cart and wait till they are super cheap from other sellers as remainders, often $6 shipped or so).

These two I just got ordered with regular Amazon pricing and am quite excited about both:

The Korean Table by Debra Samuels and Taekyung Chung

Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann and Peter Kaminsky

I plan to do a few things from The Korean Table this weekend. Book seemed VERY approachable had had a nice array of bbq, pickled/fermented items, soups, etc. Seems like a nice intro for a beginner Korean cook.

I too have somewhat of a cookbook jones and especially love the regional cookbook/history books that Robb Walsh puts out. In fact I own all of his genuinely authentic cookbooks. Its not just the recipes but the old school pictures and history lessons that come in them. I think he and his peops do an amazing job with their work. Whether its "The Legends of Texas Barbecue" or "The Tex-Mex Cookbook" there hasn't been one I haven't pretty much read front to back and I will try as many recipes from them as I can before I'm gone. Well thats going to take a little longer now because Robb has a new book on the shelves that I peeped yesterday while going to grab my Dads fathers day gift, Low & Slow by Mr. Wiv.

The Tex-Mex Grill and Backyard Barbacoa Cookbook

Right in time for summer, this is one of his best yet. Although its impossible to pick one of his works as best, this new one is just as good as the rest. If you order it off Amazon its like $13 and at that price, its as good of a way to spend $13 as any out there. From the mouthwatering recipes to the mail order guide and chili pepper glossary, its got it all. I would highly rec. any BBQ/grilling enthusiasts to check this latest one out. I'm going to get started tonight I think. Theres a recipe from Rick Schmidt (from Kreuz Market in TX) called "bird poppers" and they're whole quail breasts with a sliced jalapeno stuffed into a slit and wrapped in bacon and then toothpicked together. Once you start grilling them you glaze them with a pepper jelly and white wine glaze. They sound fantastic. Check this latest one out.

We are moving soon and I thought I had sold/donated enough cookbooks. However, as the packing progresses I am realizing I need to let a few more go. So, I will give the following away for free to a good home. Catches - must take them all and must pick them up at some point this Holiday weekend from my home on the Northwest Side.

BobybFlay's Boy Gets Grill
The Eagle Cookbook
Bugialli on Pasta
Noodle
Country Entertaining
Diva Cooking
Serena Food & Stories
Mushrooms
Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook
The Arab Table
Summer Fruit A Country Garden Cookbook
Berries A Country Garden Cookbook
James Peterson Fish & Shellfish
Canal House Cooking Vol. 3
A Well-Seasoned Appetite
Cooking for Two
The American Country Inn Bed & Breakfast Cookbook Vol. 2
Donna Hay Modern Classics Book 1
American Classics
The all New Goodhousekeeping Cook Book
The Good Housekeeping Cook Book
Comforts of Home Cooking
James Peterson Vegetables
The New Whole Grains Cookbook
Skinny Vegetarian Entrees
The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook
The Best American Recipes 2000
Pike Place Market Cookbook
Parisian Home Cooking
Hometown Potluck Favorites
The 15 Minute Gourmet Vegetarian
The French Slow Cooker
Busy People's Slow Cooker
The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes
Food Network Great Easy Meals
Cooking at Home with Pedatha
Everyday Food Light
Carb Conscious Vegetarian
The Healthy Voyager's Global Kitchen
Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries

Most are hard cover. All in good shape. We do not have pets.

Mods - remove if not appropriate.

Cookbooks have found a temporary home with irisarbor. If any of the titles interested you they will be available at the Deerfield Library Cookbook sale next week. See the Events page for the details.

Thanks to stevez for facilitating. I am happy to know they will most likely wind up in caring hands. When I hit 20 packed boxes of cook books I knew it was time to let more go.