- The All New, All Purpose, Joy of Cooking
- Baking, from the Williams-Sonoma Best of the Kitchen Library
- Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Matt got me the Joy of Cooking for Christmas 2000, right after we got engaged. I guess I had already gotten to his heart through a route other than his stomach, but perhaps he was trying to lay the foundation for gastric happiness in the years ahead. Actually, I remember him being a bit sheepish about me opening the book in front of my parents. It was (and still is) one of my favorite gifts, but I think he was afraid he might look like a boor for offering a gift seeming to suggest his future wife might want to brush up on her culinary skills prior to gettin' hitched. I don't think they minded a bit.
Anyway, I usually start with it & then refer to similar recipes in both the Baking & Barefoot Contessa books. I like to see how the recipes are alike & how they differ. Sometimes I follow one of the books precisely for a particular dish. Most often, though, it is some combination of the three put together. I think of Joy as more of a textbook - a way to get the best understanding of how a dish came about or has evolved over time. Baking & Contessa provide inspiration through gorgeous photography & sumptuous descriptions of each recipe.
So, wishing you happy cooking & baking this holiday season. I'll let you know how my goodies turn out.
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