Cookbooks

This is a list of cookbooks that should be the core of your cookbook collection. The knowledge contained within in these books is invaluable to anyone looking to master the art and science of culinary preparation. From this base, you can grow what I like to call the "secondary collection", witch is a library of more personal cookbooks, such as foods of your ethnic, geographical, religious backgrounds, or simply cuisines of interest.

I have taken the time and linked the items to Amazon, so if your interested in owning a copy, your just a few clicks away. I will be adding the secondary collection soon and am open to suggestions, so comment or email away.

Enjoy

Chef W. Dayton Ireland

A GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY
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This book is known to many chefs as the Bible and Escoffier is the culinary God.

This is the first cookbook you should own and it will be the last cookbook you fully understand.

Escoffier standardized the recipe, created the chef's uniform we all wear today, created the kitchen brigade we all use today (Sauté station, grill station, fry station, salad station, etc..), standardized kitchen nomenclature, designed what became the modern commercial kitchen, and was the 1st to make hygiene priority number one for all cooks and chefs.

LAROUSSE GASTRONOMIQUE
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If Escoffier's cookbook is the Bible, then it is the old testament and Larousse's Gastronique is the new testament and a must for any aspiring cook.

There are 4 books in the Gastronique collection.

MODERNIST CUISINE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COOKING
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Part cookbook part textbook, this is kind of an updated Gastronique.

There are 6 books in the Modernist Cuisine collection.

THE PROFESSIONAL CHEF
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This is the textbook used by the Culinary Institute of America and is a great reference to have on hand.

THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION

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Great for reference guide! If you
know a lot of recipes by heart, but haven't made one in awhile, The Food Lover's Companion's definitions will give you a basic idea of what ingredients and cooking techniques go into the preparation of a particular dish, and often, that alone is all that is needed to remember how to make the complete recipe.

FLAVOR BIBLE
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One of the most fundamental things one must understand, when cooking, are the flavor profiles of the foods you are preparing. In this book, you can look up any ingredient and see what flavors pair with it.

This book can be indispensable when creating new flavor mashups.