Cookbook Suggestions

Hi!

I just love the cookbooks by Christopher Kimball or the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine: THE YELLOW FARMHOUSE COOKBOOK is full of well-tested, nearly fool-proof recipes for the most delicious down-home cooking. The pancake recipe and the biscuit recipe are the best ever. THE COOK'S ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE BOOK OF POULTRY is amazing for its range of (again, well-tested and practically fool-proof) recipes, including the best chicken pot pie and chicken dumplings, which I make all the time. THE COOK'S BIBLE is a terrific reference and I even keep a second copy on my nightstand, for brainstorming sessions!

For Chinese cooking, which is a fave of mine, I couldn't live without the series of cookbooks published by Wei-Chuan: true, well-tested, authentic recipes by Wei-Chuan (le Cordon Bleu of Taiwan). My favorites in the series are:

CHINESE CUISINE
CHINESE SNACKS
CHINESE CUISINE SZECHUAN STYLE
CHINESE CUISINE TAIWANESE STYLE
CHINESE RICE: HOME COOKING
CHINESE DIM SUM

For true Southern cooking, you can't go wrong with James Villas' and Martha Pearl Villas' MY MOTHER'S SOUTHERN KITCHEN, MY MOTHER'S SOUTHERN DESSERTS, AND MY MOTHER'S SOUTHERN ENTERTAINING. Another indispensible cookbook in this area is A GRACIOUS PLENTY a beautiful collection of the best old-time community-cookbook recipes from the South, laced with evocative black & white photos and reminiscences of the South.

Finally, for baking I always turn to Rose Levy Beranbam first. If you are serious about baking (and like to have the whys and wherefors explained), THE PIE AND PASTRY BIBLE and THE CAKE BIBLE can't be beat. The former changed forever the way I make pie crust -- delectable every time now! Best apple pie and best open-faced blueberry pie ever.

Sorry this post is long, but these are my favorites, and I hope you might enjoy them, too.

Best wishes,

Sandy