Favorite Cookbooks

Since we've done a number of cookbook posts now, I figured that I would put together a little index page for the sidebar. This is that index page.

As I'm sure is the case with most foodies, we have a lot of cookbooks. The picture above shows a cross-section of just a couple of the shelves we have devoted to this obsession. We thought it might be fun to highlight some of our favorite cookbooks and recipes from them that we like.

Holiday Food - Mario Batali Italian celebrity chef and über-restaurateur Mario Batali has quite a few cookbooks out these days. This one is probably our favorite. A collection of recipes traditionally served during Christmas and New Year, it isn't a very large cookbook but there are some real gems in it.

Mexico One Plate at a Time - Rick Bayless Bayless is one of the more prominent voices heralding the delicious diversity of regional Mexican cuisine. All of his cookbooks are good, but this one, designed as a companion cookbook to his PBS series of the same name, is the one we use most frequently.

Charcuterie - Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn A great starting point for anyone looking to take a step into the wonderful world of cured meats. And trust me - you do want to take a step into the wonderful world of cured meats. Warning, though, this hobby can easily become an obsession.

The Balthazar Cookbook The signature cookbook of the famous Manhattan restaurant. We've never been to the restaurant, but we love the book. In particular, we love it for its selection of excellently detailed recipes for delicious fish dishes.