10 Books You Must Read On the Subject Cooking

"How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman

This comprehensive selection is perfect for the cook who wishes to use only one resource. Containing a couple thousand recipes, it truly has something for any occasion and fills the gaps in our list.

"Kitchen Essentials" by Le Cordon Bleu

"Kitchen Essentials" is not a recipe book or a guide on how to cook a specific dish; rather, it teaches the skills, techniques, and tools to master to form a foundation in the kitchen.

"Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity" by Eric Ripert and Maguy Le Coze

Le Coze is the owner of Le Bernardin, New York's premier seafood restaurant, and Ripert is her executive chef. If the recipes prove beyond you, or you do not have access to the quality of fresh seafood needed to execute them properly, the book provides an entertaining history of the legendary restaurant.

"Burger Bar -- Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers" by Hubert Keller with Penelope Wisner

Any chef who can feature a five thousand dollar hamburger on his menu and remain in business must know a thing or two about cooking ground beef that is not practiced at McDonald's restaurants. This is an excellent example of how in the right hands, even the ordinary can become extraordinary.

“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child

Almost half a century has passed since her book was first published, and it took that long to become a best seller. In those decades, ideas of what is healthy to eat has changed a great deal, and many of Child's recipes may seem like a short cut to the grave, containing more fat than many eat in a week. The author lived to age 91, so perhaps we should allow ourselves a bit of indulgence.

"The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger

Should one feel the need to compensate with something a touch more health conscious, Krieger's work yields a nice counterpoint. Her dishes give consideration to healthy eating, but not at the expense of flavorful food.

"Trattoria Cooking" by Biba Caggiano

Given foods's place in Italy's culture, all ten books could be on Italian cuisine and still just scratch the surface. This guide pays homage to the dishes, ingredients, and atmosphere that make dining in an Italian family restaurant an experience. Any craft is best learned from someone with a passion for it, like Caggiano.

"Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico" by Rick Bayless

With all due respect to Taco Bell, Bayless' guide introduces the reader to the real flavors of Mexico, both at a national and local level. The author spent years traveling the country, coming to love the cuisine and understanding the rich flavors that make it great.

"Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin"

Functions as a cookbook, containing a hundred plus recipes devoid of pretension, and excels as a work of literature, packed full of New York attitude.

"What to Drink with What You Eat" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page

Armed with this book, a host can act as a sommelier and pair the optimum beverage with any course. Not just for fine dining, this resource can guide one to the proper drink to serve with everyday breakfasts, lunches, and dinners as well.