I think I have always loved cookbooks — and often that was a favorite gift to receive or give for holidays or birthdays or whatever special occasion called for a gift. Every fall, new cookbooks come out, and despite my shelves being full, there was always an attraction to this year’s crop.
I asked several friends and chefs in town what their favorite cookbooks were. Here are a few of their selections.
My friend and colleague Jay Kitterman asked me to fill in for him in writing this article. In Jay’s attempt to cook healthier, he and wife, Carole, have been using their Wok more frequently. This past year he wrote an article on the book “The Wok” by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
“His 600-plus-page book provides information on purchasing a Wok, maintaining your Wok and accessories for your Wok, plus great step-by-step recipes with colorful photos,” said Kitterman. “We have reduced our intake of soy sauce, and he provides alternatives for same available at the Asian Market.”
David Radwine, former general manager of the Sangamo Club and a trained chef from the Culinary Institute of America, chooses a couple of cookbooks that have helped on his current journey to eat healthier. His first choice is Sandor Katz’s “Fermentation Journeys.” He also likes Brian Levy’s, “Good & Sweet,” groundbreaking recipes for real desserts sweetened entirely by fruit and other natural, unexpectedly sweet ingredients, from a pastry cook who’s worked at acclaimed restaurants in New York and France.
Also on his list is Anna Voloshyna’s “BUDMO!: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen,” a book that celebrates the rich culture of Ukranian cuisine with traditional European recipes infused with a fresh, contemporary approach for today’s home kitchen. For those trying new cuisines, this is a good one to try.
Gloria Schwartz, a Springfield cooking teacher (I took many of her classes), likes to give a Mark Bittman cookbook, such as “Kitchen Express.”
“What I like about Bittman is that he gives you different ingredients and makes suggestions about what goes with what without giving you every step,” says Schwartz. “This is for someone who cooks a lot, not for a novice I think.”
For those who like to cook and eat Italian, she recommends, “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking,” by Marcella Hazan. “The title says ‘classic,’ and it is. You can’t go wrong with it — good directions, clear writing. I love it and use it. In fact, I have a number of her cookbooks.”
She recently acquired American Test Kitchen “TV Show” cookbook. “If you’ve watched the shows and don’t write down the recipe, it’s in the book,” she says. “It covers many different styles of cooking, explicit directions nice pictures and even has the kitchen gadgets listed. There is only one problem — it’s very heavy!”
My registered dietitian friend Jananne Finck, formerly of Springfield and now living in Arizona, has given the timeless “Joy of Cooking” to all her nieces and nephews. She prefers the older version and finds it a great reference for whatever she happens to be cooking.
Finck helped put together 4-H Cooking Curriculum 101-401 that has some of the best yeast bread recipes you’ll find. They are available to anyone (in 4-H or not) at shop4-H.org and are a great resource for someone learning to cook or wanting to remember those 4-H recipes like Funny Cake. She put the four-part set together in a notebook to give to her family.
Mary Liz Wright, an Extension educator from Paris, Ill., likes to give a church fundraiser cookbook where the recipes are familiar or one of Martha Stewart’s many cookbooks. For the holidays, she’s a fan of any Southern Living cookbook. (I have to agree. I have a collection of Southern Living cookbooks by year.)
Her husband, Phil Wright, makes dozens and dozens of loaves of bread to sell at their local farmer’s market. He uses — and gives — the King Arthur cookbooks or those from Mother Earth News.
Michael Higgins, chef/owner of Maldaner’s restaurant in Springfield, admits he has a lot of cookbooks he uses for reference — maybe just one recipe out of a cookbook — but he finds they give him inspiration.
Some of his favorite cookbooks are “Zahav” by Michael Solomonov who explores a world of Israeli cooking and “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden. The “seasons” start in early spring, late spring and go through late fall. The recipes are “easy-peasey” and give an idea of what to do with all the veggies at a farmer’s market. He’s also a fan of Wotam Ottolenghi’s “Plenty More,” which focuses on creative ways with vegetables.
In addition, he has a “whole stack” of baking books. His favorite is a pastry book from Jim Dodge, who worked with James Beard. The best cookbooks have pictures, says Higgins, because presentation is so important.
“Cookbooks give you lots of thoughts. You can use them as guidelines or memories or for inspiration, or simply thumb through them,” says Higgins. “They also help you learn about diversity of culture.”
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.