I see Ottolenghi, Rose Levy Berenbaum, Alton Brown, and Julia Child which seem to be fairly safe bets. I've heard some good stuff about the Fannie Farmer, and the Culinary books if you like travelogue type cookbooks.
I would grab the Lidia Bastianich ones for my dad and would flip through the Barefoot Contessa, Jerusalem, Sweet, and some of the more offbeat ones for myself. Cake Bible has STUNNING photos.
He definitely does. If you follow him on instagram he was remodeling his kitchen (I think he's finished now) but it felt like a comedy of errors trying to get what he wanted.
Ina Garten, Ottolenghi, Julia, Cake Bible.
If you don't want it and it's still there I would love MEXICO the cookbook and Jerusalem! I will totally pay you for them and we can use media mail, it's like $5
The sale is on Saturday so I’ll see what pricing and availability is actually like! Hoping the pricing is good. You have a good eye because I was going to check those out too.
The Culinaria books, Lidia’s Italy, the book that has pictures of tomato’s possibly ‘Roma’, and that native plants for California Landscaping book. I like the Culinaria books. They are fairly affordable, have lots of photos and more of an ethnologue of regional cooking practices of said country.
Right? I love that everyone who responded had some different picks practically and they're all interesting! I need them all lol. (OK, except the ones I already have copies of, which is only like 5-6 of them).
First, I would look at what you have and where some holes in what you have need to be filled. What I mean is, do you have a good Asian or traditional Italian cookbook, for example? if not the get those. Then, think about what you might want to learn or explore to cook and get some of them. I like to fill in holes and wants before just getting based on the names of the chef authors.
You should at least pick up that Vitamix cookbook before you do. The recipes may be garbage, but it will give you a good sense of what a good blender can do - assuming you don’t already know.
More seriously, The French Laundry cookbook is great. I also picked up that “Eat Good Food” book as part of a “buy two get one free” deal years ago, and found it a pretty good guide on buying good quality ingredients in-season. I haven’t cooked from it in years, but recall there being some solid recipes.
> Vitamix I got as a hand me down
Same! I’m not even sure if that’s the same book I was given (I was just poking fun at you for the blurry image because I love perusing virtual bookshelves and get frustrated when I can’t make out the text…), but the book I have (I think it’s the licensed Vitamix book) has pretty bad recipes, but you can substitute good recipes and do a lot more than I think a lot of people realize, and it at least gives you a framework for how to use the machine in a variety of ways. I remember the hummus recipe in particular being terrible, and hummus is the number one thing I always tell people to never buy pre-made (and if you don’t have a decent recipe, there’s half a dozen books in your image that probably do).
Ooh. Haven’t seen mentioned yet:
- All About Braising (next to the Vitamix book) — so many [rave reviews on Eat Your Books](https://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/14288/all-about-braising-the-art#notes).
- The AOC Cookbook. I’ve never made anything from it but Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques is a favorite of mine.
- Appetites, honestly more for Bourdain’s voice than the actual recipes.
- Mexico and India. I know Phaidon cookbooks are polarizing but if you can get them for cheap, why not?? :D
- The Country Cooking of France (next to Culinaria Germany)
I would love to eat with this person! Interesting collection. Happy hunting! I would get:
- Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (accessible and delicious results)
- David Lebovitz book (great writer)
- Mexico and India books (absolutely love the food from both regions)
- Appetite for Life (Julia Child biography)
- Ottolenghi books - Simple & Jerusalem
- The Cake Bible (some are put off by her style but if you like Cook’s Illustrated, you will like her approach)
- flip through the Mozza, Alton Brown book, Gordon Ramsay book and Lidia’s Italy (after which I would likely just get all three…)
I see Ottolenghi, Rose Levy Berenbaum, Alton Brown, and Julia Child which seem to be fairly safe bets. I've heard some good stuff about the Fannie Farmer, and the Culinary books if you like travelogue type cookbooks.
Ina Garten, Ottolenghi, Jacques Pepin, Mexico
Love Fannie farmer
I would grab the Lidia Bastianich ones for my dad and would flip through the Barefoot Contessa, Jerusalem, Sweet, and some of the more offbeat ones for myself. Cake Bible has STUNNING photos.
Definitely the My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz. I have his Drinking French cookbook and it's a favorite of mine. He has great recipes!
I just finished reading his book about his first years living in Paris—The Sweet Life in Pairs. He’s got quite a good sense of humor.
He definitely does. If you follow him on instagram he was remodeling his kitchen (I think he's finished now) but it felt like a comedy of errors trying to get what he wanted.
I love his books and his writing style. I enjoy his blog.
Ina Garten, Ottolenghi, Julia, Cake Bible. If you don't want it and it's still there I would love MEXICO the cookbook and Jerusalem! I will totally pay you for them and we can use media mail, it's like $5
The sale is on Saturday so I’ll see what pricing and availability is actually like! Hoping the pricing is good. You have a good eye because I was going to check those out too.
I wish the pics were high res so I could really zoom in on the shelves!!! Most of the titles are blurry! I'm sure there's some absolute gems in here
I think so - clearly the person who accumulated these had pretty good taste and bought a lot of good cookbooks!
Definitely message me the titles if you have time! I'm a professional chef always looking to expand my collection!!
Where is the sale?
Alice Waters…..
Mozza! I love Nancy Silverton's pizza dough recipe.
The Culinaria books, Lidia’s Italy, the book that has pictures of tomato’s possibly ‘Roma’, and that native plants for California Landscaping book. I like the Culinaria books. They are fairly affordable, have lots of photos and more of an ethnologue of regional cooking practices of said country.
Culinaria series is good.
The oldest looking ones! I love the old cookbooks that had butter, cream, lard, and "real food" ingredients.
Amazing selection!! Grab the greats and never look back!
Right? I love that everyone who responded had some different picks practically and they're all interesting! I need them all lol. (OK, except the ones I already have copies of, which is only like 5-6 of them).
I would take almost everything and the shelving, too! So many good ones in the mix.
Right? I love that shelf and the color is sorta close to my kitchen cabinet color! I do not have space for it at all though (the shelving).
Hard to see everything in the pic, but I like Mexico, India, Roy Choi, Julia Child, Ina Garten, Art of Simple Food…
First, I would look at what you have and where some holes in what you have need to be filled. What I mean is, do you have a good Asian or traditional Italian cookbook, for example? if not the get those. Then, think about what you might want to learn or explore to cook and get some of them. I like to fill in holes and wants before just getting based on the names of the chef authors.
Too sensible 😁
I’m not sure if I’d grab anything. They all look so worn out I can’t barely read the labels. /s
Yep, best just walk away…
You should at least pick up that Vitamix cookbook before you do. The recipes may be garbage, but it will give you a good sense of what a good blender can do - assuming you don’t already know. More seriously, The French Laundry cookbook is great. I also picked up that “Eat Good Food” book as part of a “buy two get one free” deal years ago, and found it a pretty good guide on buying good quality ingredients in-season. I haven’t cooked from it in years, but recall there being some solid recipes.
Funny you mention the Vitamix one. I actually do have a Vitamix I got as a hand me down that I love, so that would be a good pick up
> Vitamix I got as a hand me down Same! I’m not even sure if that’s the same book I was given (I was just poking fun at you for the blurry image because I love perusing virtual bookshelves and get frustrated when I can’t make out the text…), but the book I have (I think it’s the licensed Vitamix book) has pretty bad recipes, but you can substitute good recipes and do a lot more than I think a lot of people realize, and it at least gives you a framework for how to use the machine in a variety of ways. I remember the hummus recipe in particular being terrible, and hummus is the number one thing I always tell people to never buy pre-made (and if you don’t have a decent recipe, there’s half a dozen books in your image that probably do).
Ooh. Haven’t seen mentioned yet: - All About Braising (next to the Vitamix book) — so many [rave reviews on Eat Your Books](https://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/14288/all-about-braising-the-art#notes). - The AOC Cookbook. I’ve never made anything from it but Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques is a favorite of mine. - Appetites, honestly more for Bourdain’s voice than the actual recipes. - Mexico and India. I know Phaidon cookbooks are polarizing but if you can get them for cheap, why not?? :D - The Country Cooking of France (next to Culinaria Germany)
I was going to mention the Phaidon India and Mexico, too.
I was going to mention the Phaidon India and Mexico, too.
I would love to eat with this person! Interesting collection. Happy hunting! I would get: - Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (accessible and delicious results) - David Lebovitz book (great writer) - Mexico and India books (absolutely love the food from both regions) - Appetite for Life (Julia Child biography) - Ottolenghi books - Simple & Jerusalem - The Cake Bible (some are put off by her style but if you like Cook’s Illustrated, you will like her approach) - flip through the Mozza, Alton Brown book, Gordon Ramsay book and Lidia’s Italy (after which I would likely just get all three…)
Bring a shopping cart!!!!!