Everything I know about cooking and eating I learned from my father.
Knowing that asparagus becomes edible when sprinkled with Parmesan and roasted in the oven, and that strawberry shortcakes taste better when the juice is spiked with balsamic vinegar, comes from years of watching my dad in the kitchen, sans recipe and spoon in hand.
Most of our family meals came from, and still come from, his memory, though the wrought-iron baker’s rack in the kitchen has always been piled high with cookbooks.
To this day, I love to flip through the massive collection, gingerly handling the tattered, faded covers and feeling years’ worth of breadcrumbs and olive oil on a crinkly page.
Though most of my cooking knowledge comes from observation and instinct, there are several cookbooks that have changed my life and the way I view food:
“THE JOY OF COOKING”
By Irma Rombauer
Price: $23
No respectable food critic ever compiled a list of the best cookbooks without including Rombauer’s classic, unless they were trying to get themselves fired.
To this day my father still references this masterpiece, a book that teaches you how to perfectly roast a chicken and master bouillabaisse.
“How to Cook Everything: the Basics”
By Mark Bittman
Price: $24
I always ask for books for Christmas, and last year, almost every one I received was related to food.
I remember unwrapping “How to Cook Everything: The Basics,” flipping through it, and thinking, “There aren’t any pictures.”
My Dad reassured me that a shorter version of Bittman’s culinary contribution to the world — a massive encyclopedia of food and how to cook it — was worthy of any cookbook selection, despite its lack of visuals. This book makes cooking challenging foods like a porterhouse steak and mussels easy with simple instructions and classic preparations.
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking”
By Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child
Price: $22
My love for, and obsession with, French culture is no secret to my friends and family, and it greatly influences the way I behave in the kitchen.
So naturally I own two copies of Julia Child’s famous “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”
As a lover of Eggs Benedict, I was determined to learn how to poach an egg, and I succeeded with the book propped up next to me on the counter. (And it was how Julie Powell described it, as if Julia was there in the kitchen with me like a big, food fairy.)
The cookbook is a must-have for any Francophile and anyone who wants to learn the basics of classic French cooking.
“Barefoot Contessa Family Style”
By Ina Garten
Price: $20
The Food Network is almost always on rotation in my house, and everyone drops what he or she is doing when “The Barefoot Contessa” is on.
On any given day you’ll find hostess Ina Garten cooking everything from juicy lamb with mint sauce to peach cake in her Hamptons kitchen (which happens to be a renovated barn in her backyard).
My family owns all of her cookbooks, but her best is “Family Style,” which blends simplicity and elegance with comfort food.
Try the Parmesan chicken recipe (my favorite) and take a stab at penne with five cheeses, a classy update on macaroni and cheese.
“Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food”
By Rick Rodgers
Price: $21
Ladies, take note: want to make a man fall in love with you? Buy this book and cook from it. Boys love food, and they will love you for making anything from this cookbook.
A must-have for comfort foodies (obviously), this book provides recipes for everything from chicken potpie to spaghetti and meatballs to rich chocolate cake.
The best part is that almost all of the recipes are accompanied with large, drool-worthy pictures.
