kitchen bibles

i tend to over-research things. sometimes i worry that i spend more time researching what i'm going to do, than actually doing it. the same is true for finding cookbooks. i've had my copy of "Joy of Cooking" for several years now, and it's still one of my top references in the kitchen.

last year, i acquired Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" and it is love. a great reference, nice illustrations ala Cook's Illustrated, and flexible, easy recipes often featuring variations. he gives you the basics and reminds you that measurements can be loose, and ingredients can be exchanged. it's a great resource for non-veggies as well. if you haven't seen his cooking videos on the New York Times site, they are fun and full of great ideas for quick and easy food from scratch.

next up, from Cook's Illustrated is "Baking Illustrated". the geeks (and i say that with the utmost respect and admiration) in America's Test Kitchen have made hundreds of versions of these recipes until they were perfected. baking is tough for creative folks because the precise measurements do not leave much room for improvisation. i've always needed to know why i wasn't supposed to do something, or else i would try to do it my way. baking is more a science than a creative process, and this book explains all that clearly, and with great illustrations and photos.

these aren't recipes for people who want something fast or without a lot of cleanup. they are detailed, precise, and methodical, requiring a willingness to go through all the steps as described, and a decent selection of mixing bowls! oh, but the finished product is so worth the effort. the Pumpkin Cheesecake may not sound exciting, but was beyond heavenly, as proclaimed by several, former non-cheesecake lovers. the Thick and Chewy Double-Chocolate Cookies are the best i've ever had. and the Hearty Country Bread (which i add flax and sesame seeds to) is our everyday bread. it also doesn't hurt that the book is lovely, from the simple, illustrated whipped cream on a whisk yellow cover, to the rich color of the font and heavy paper. yum.

finally, my newest acquisition, which i first perused at my sister's house: "On Food and Cooking: the Science and Lore of the Kitchen" by Harold McGee. if you love cultural history, etymology, science, and food, you must get this book. this book includes the origins of food, how they traveled from one culture to another, and original recipes dating back hundreds of years. plus, drawings of foods on a molecular level, and the science behind the production, preparation and consumption of food. all of this information is woven together in a very readable, sometimes humorous, never dry, and completely eye-opening way. there are enough charts and diagrams to make a geeky cook's heart flutter. it is a fascinating, wonderful, fun read, and a great reference for the times you need to know how many grams of white make up a chicken egg or what the protein content of cake versus pastry flour is. my new, favorite book, and i'm recommending it to everyone.