Italians this is for you!

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

By: Marcella Hazan

Why should u care?

Because if your Italian and haven't grown up in Italy all you life chances are you don't exactly have authentic recipes on your brain. And you probably have no idea what to make if your craving Italian, well boy do I have the book for you! This book is huge and choke full of tons of recipes for that special Italian dish your craving. This book is perfect for beginners and everyday professional cooks and every level in between.

What does it contain?

This book contains a ton of recipe from desserts to appetizers. Soups, pastas, gnocchi, polenta, fish and shellfish recipes are all included. And that's not even all the kinds of recipes!This book is very detail orientated and explains how things like how to make pasta or things like how to carve the meat that you cooked. And not only that, but this book has little black and white pictures, which I like because it not only demonstrates easily how to do whatever it says in the recipe, but it also gives the eyes something to look at besides just pages and pages of words.

Pictures not from book

How did I get it?

I got this book for Christmas last year from my boyfriend because he knew how much I love to cook and how much I love recipe books. 

Price Range

$10-30

More Books by the Author

Marcella's Italian Kitchen

Marcella Cucina

More Classic Italian Cooking

The "Other" Bible

Spice and Herb Bible

By: Ian Hemphill 
with recipes by Kate Hemphill

Should you use it religiously?

Yes

This book is very very cool and is fantastically accurate and fun to look at! You should use it as you would the actual bible.

No 

Wait, why would say no? Why are you even reading this blog? 

What is it useful for?

Defining 

This books really helps you nail on what spice your using and what it's all about. It practically defines to a point on where you will have no questions after you read all the information on just one spice. They even include recipes for each and every spice in the book!

Finding

Looking for a new way to flavor your food? Well this book is perfect for that. It has literally over 100 spices and herbs for you to find while reading it. Not only does it help you find new herbs and spices it gives you pictures and great descriptions. 

Discovering

Honestly looking through this book I guarantee you will find a spice or an herb that you have never ever ever heard of in your entire life! I mean sure it has all the common one, but it really opens up a new world for you. For every spice/herb it gives you it's botanical name, family name, names in other languages, flavor group, weight per teaspoon, suggested quantity per pound and even complements to that spice/herb. And that's not even all the information it gives you about one!

Other books by the author

The Spice and Herb Bible: A Cook's Guide
Herbaceous
Spice Notes
Spicery: A Cook's Guide to Culinary Spices

Price Range

$10- 20

The Ultimate Culinary Book

The Flavor Bible

A peek inside:

What is it?

The whole book is about pairing food with other foods and what goes well with what. So you don't get stuck with trying to pair yogurt with mustard, you'll know in advance that it is not good! It basically lists all the pairings for a food item for example Raspberries go with almonds, apricots, blackberries and so on and so forth. The authors also took the time to list flavor affinities to name the flavors/foods that go especially well together. In addition to this they also list the season of the flavor, taste, weight, volume or even techniques to enhance this flavor.

Why use it?

Pairing 

This book tells you all their is to know about what flavors go together. And honestly I don't think there is a flavor that it misses. Look up any flavor or food your thinking of pairing and you can see what's best with it; and I guarantee that you'll find it.

Inspiration

Buying this book gave me inspiration for many dishes (that I have yet to create), but eventually will. But I really have to say just skimming through this fantastic book really inspires me to get off the couch and cook something! Now where to find the time....

Culinary School

I know I've said this a few times in the past, but being in culinary school you really need ideas and some ideas you can't always pull out from your butt. This book was recommended to me from one of my first instructors and even after I bought it they kept recommending it. This book was especially helpful if needed to come up with a dish fast. I can even remember bringing it everyday to school just in case I needed it.

Other Books by the Authors

Becoming a Chef

Culinary Artistry

Dining Out

Chef's Night Out

*What to Drink with What you Eat

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

* = This is very similar to the flavor bible

Price Range

$20 - 30

My Favorite Dictionary

The New Food Lover's Companion; Fifth Addition

By: Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst

Why do you NEED it?

Curiosity? 

Haven't you at some time in your life be curious about something related to cooking? Say you wanted to look up what thyme was? Or Barbecuing? This book helps with just that! It gives you the chance to discover more of the culinary world.

Culinary School??

And I'm sure if you have been or are in culinary school you at time have just not been able to quite figure out what something is. You think and think and think, but you just can't quite get your finger on it. Just being able to have something else as a reference or go to (besides your notes) is very helpful!

Interested in Food? 

Maybe you just have some interest in food and want to know more? Well your in luck, this book will compel you further pursue this interest. I know that when I'm at the book store any book that is about anything I'm even mildly interested in I will check it out!

Other Books by the Authors

Breads

Desserts-Sensational

The Joy of Cookies

Dictionary of Cooking Terms
The Wine Lover's Companion
The Cheese Lover’s Companion

Prices

$10.69 Rakuten.com
$12.57 Barnes and Nobles
$12.01 Amazon Books