Do you like to read cookery books?

I love a good book, and usually read one start to finish but only when it has a narrative. Collections of recipes without a background narrative I will avoid. Favourites are Floyd, Rick Stein, James Martin, Hugh FW. Currently, I am ploughing through Jane Grigson's 'Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery'. It is a gold mine!
 
I do love reading cookbooks, those places in cookbooks where the author talks about cuisine or whatever he or she wants relevant to that, letting me into a window of the world they're cooking in.

Right off the top of my head:
  • Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees - Chinese. By Kian Lam Kho.
  • How to Roast a Lamb - Greek. By Michael Psilakis.
I know I have more, not going through the collection at the moment. But:

My newest cookbook, which I have yet to crack effectively, is Autentico, by Rolando Beramendi (Italian). It looks like I'll get some reading pleasure out of this one, too. (One reason I wanted this book wasn't so much for the discussions or the readability, but that I'm rather unimpressed with most Americanized Italian restaurants I've been in lately. I wanna cook something GOOD from that background!)

And then there are people who write ABOUT food, and only incidentally drop in recipes, perhaps to illustrate points. The most recent book I have acquired in this genre is The Cooking Gene, by Michael Twitty (African American/Southern).
 
Mountain Cat said:
I do love reading cookbooks, those places in cookbooks where the author talks about cuisine or whatever he or she wants relevant to that, letting me into a window of the world they're cooking in.

Right off the top of my head:
  • Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees - Chinese. By Kian Lam Kho.
  • How to Roast a Lamb - Greek. By Michael Psilakis.
I know I have more, not going through the collection at the moment. But:

My newest cookbook, which I have yet to crack effectively, is Autentico, by Rolando Beramendi (Italian). It looks like I'll get some reading pleasure out of this one, too. (One reason I wanted this book wasn't so much for the discussions or the readability, but that I'm rather unimpressed with most Americanized Italian restaurants I've been in lately. I wanna cook something GOOD from that background!)

And then there are people who write ABOUT food, and only incidentally drop in recipes, perhaps to illustrate points. The most recent book I have acquired in this genre is The Cooking Gene, by Michael Twitty (African American/Southern).
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I like the points you are highlighting here about different types of food writing. Its making me think!
 
morning glory said:
Yes - I've looked at that site several times. Its a great idea but unfortunately you have to pay for it which put me off. I wasn't sure I'd ever use it enough to warrant the expense. Has anyone else got experience of Eat Your Books?
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You only have to pay if you want all the books. You can have 5 books for free, and can swap them around as needs be. Also if you catalogue a book that they haven't had done already you get an extra book for your bookshelf.
 
Wyshiepoo said:
You only have to pay if you want all the books. You can have 5 books for free, and can swap them around as needs be. Also if you catalogue a book that they haven't had done already you get an extra book for your bookshelf.
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Oh thanks! I'll check it out again. Although cataloguing a cookery book (in entirety?) would be a daunting task.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I've bought several cookbooks, only to thumb through them once or twice, and put them away. When I want to build a recipe, I almost always go on the web.

The only straight-up cookbook that I enjoy reading from time to time is this one:

51x2JF1MNTL._SX442_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


His recipes are at the same time edgy and also old world Italian. And, he includes a lot of history and storytelling with each recipe.

I have other cooking-related books that contain recipes, which I honestly look at more often, most notably this massive tome:

9780393081084_p0_v3_s550x406.jpg

But, as the name suggests, Chef Lopez-Alt is all about explaining the science of cooking - things like truth vs myth regarding cast iron pans - and occasionally dropping in a recipe here and there. I find this sort of book more useful than a straight-up cookbook.
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Isn't he on the judge panel of Chopped & Chopped Junior?!! Looks like him!! :wink:
 
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The Late Night Gourmet said:
I've bought several cookbooks, only to thumb through them once or twice, and put them away. When I want to build a recipe, I almost always go on the web.

The only straight-up cookbook that I enjoy reading from time to time is this one:

51x2JF1MNTL._SX442_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg




His recipes are at the same time edgy and also old world Italian. And, he includes a lot of history and storytelling with each recipe.

I have other cooking-related books that contain recipes, which I honestly look at more often, most notably this massive tome:

9780393081084_p0_v3_s550x406.jpg


But, as the name suggests, Chef Lopez-Alt is all about explaining the science of cooking - things like truth vs myth regarding cast iron pans - and occasionally dropping in a recipe here and there. I find this sort of book more useful than a straight-up cookbook.
Click to expand...

It surprised me that you don't read more cookery books - I'd had you down as an avid recipe book reader! I can get the Scarpetta book here for aaround £6 (used, of course) so I might order it.
 
I keep some recipes that I know I'm using I my office downstairs. Every now and then I file them or make something. Today butter chicken a mixture of three different recipes.

Russ
 
Reading cookery books is what got me into cooking. I've always had the ability to 'taste' a dish through reading a recipe, and as a 6 year old I apparently already read my grandma's cookbooks while gesturing like I was eating lol :laugh:

The first cookbook I ever owned was a 'cooking with kids' book that I got from my grandma due to this particular hobby, and it's always been an interest of mine since. I must own at least a 100 cookbooks by now.

My favorites are usually chefs biographies like Nigel Slater's toast, that's such a delicious book.
 
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