I found myself collecting & keeping cookbooks I had from culinary school (Escoffier/ CIA Pro Chef '08 edition). Even my finance & accounting book.
When Borders was going out of business this year started stocking up on \professional cookbooks & various cuisine books. I believe I have 30 books total. not many. I need to get a bookcase lol.
I haven't read through all of my cookbooks yet -----> That will take sometime since I am still on James Peterson revised SAUCES edition (2008) & Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg The Flavor Bible. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I, too, collect cookbooks and find they have been a great resource for helping me find ideas and learn new techniques in pastry. However, to be cost effective, I also recommend subscribing to some great food blogs. I have found quite a few top ones that include great plating examples and detailed descriptions of cutting-edge techniques. Since these are free, it can help balance out your expenditures in this area.
i found books in charity shops in UK as I have lived virtually most of my life in UK since 1983. .
when I arrived in uk I brought with me about 3 books as I had to travel light. the Escofier le guide culinaire always with me even now that I am back in France the repertoire de la cuisine in french, and my student cook book.
after it grew with the Roux's book la nouvelle cuisine. and etc........
before coming back I had to get rid of some of the books that I got after so many years. well my car had about more books than furnitures.
added with one as old as 1898 Ithink I had to leave it at my parents, and another Escoffier dating 1901. and Mrs Beeton 1920's about 2 of them I think.
but all full of great knowledges. on the sauce the best the guide culinaire and the repertoire for a small book with efficient formulas, as well as very practical to carry. escoffier is great for so many stuff included when you meet one Roux brother senior and he is kind enough to show you its sof making sauces a la bourgoise. you remember it all your life. and you start keeping those technics and practice and improve it in deep sense of it.
so many ways of making imaculate tocks for the start of exquisite full of flavours sauces and soups etc.............
a Clear view like a consomme.
all books are the best resources to open eyes and curiosities in all languages.
now after leaving in a dry place the older books. I brought with me down south west france 10 large books added with repertoire in english this one from my first wife. do not know what happen to my french one. added with a book in Herboristerie in french. as herbalism is a good way to study interactions of certain plantes used in cookery especially in stock making and sauces for a better understanding in the value and the importance of eating can be in digestions and its effect in good ways..........
Walking around I always have a food/kitchen book in my bag. Currently I have Gary Alan Fine's Kitchens: The Culture of Restaurant Work which is an incredible sociological perspective on working in the kitchen that also has very good points (that can be deduced through intelligent reading) on kitchen management and the like. When I travel and the book I always have on my bed is none other than Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking.
Yesterday day i was walking in the cooking section at book mans and i was just scanning the shelves and my eyes stopped right in the book, Becoming a Chef.
I grabbed it and just walked to the cashier and bought it with no thought of flipping through it first,
This really nothing has to do with this post but if your ever in Portland or. go and checkout Powell's bookstore in downtown Portland. They have roughly close to ten isles of nothing but cookbooks...I spent a good four hours in there the first time I went.
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