Great reads for cooks...

                                  Great reads for cooks...

  I just received one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, and it isn't on the market!
It's a unique mixture of my family members' favorite recipes, typed up and pictures of each person and the completed dessert included! This treasure was a gift to me from one of our sons, for my birthday. It is my favorite cookbook because it possesses all three of my criteria, highlighting the personal connection aspect!  

  After looking through this homemade cookbook, I began thinking about what constitutes a memorable cookbook, and I think I have some ideas to share on this:

1.) Personal connection-each cookbook that I return to over and over again has this characteristic for me. Notice that I said that I return to over and over again...not necessarily make a recipe out of. This is a critical distinction, as some cookbooks are just for ideas and inspiration, and others are for actual use.
A cookbook I own that holds a deep personal connection for me is a beat-up copy of The Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places, copyright 1954, and given to me by my father. The personal connection comes from that fact, along with the Pine Tavern, Bend, Oregon entry for Wild Rice Dressing. My parents lived in Bend for 14 years, and I've eaten at the Pine Tavern with them a few times over the years.

2.) Inspiring- this is a difficult characteristic to describe, and is unique to each cook. For me, the clear directions of a recipe combined with some nice color pictures is enough to provide inspiration. A good example of this is Lidia's Italy by Lidia Bastianich. This cookbook capitalizes on close-up color photos, along with regional specialties from ten different regions in Italy.

3.) Challenging- if a cookbook looks too basic or easy, then I lose interest. I've been cooking long enough to recognize a basic beginner cookbook when I see it. 
Two cookbooks that have always kept my interest are: Monday Night at Narsai's by Narsai David, and The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook. These two books never fail to offer challenge because of their wide variety of recipes.

~Kathy~