Cookbooks Buying Guide

Cooking  is an art, but fortunately for those of us not born with a wooden spoon in our mouths, it's an art that can be learned.  The Food Network  is a great place to watch top chefs in action and learn about food presentation, but a good cookbook  is an irreplaceable resource, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned kitchen veteran. A visit to the cookbook section of your local Barnes and Noble,  Borders  or other bookstore may prove overwhelming, particularly to a beginning chef.   So how do you choose the right cookbook for your needs?   Start by deciding what you want to make and ask yourself these questions:

• Are you looking to make simple, quick meals or elaborate dinners?
• Do you need to cook for large amounts of people or only a small family?
• What cuisine do you eat the most? Is it Italian, Mexican, Indian? Try to buy a cook book focusing on food from a certain culture that you know you will like and eat often.
• Consider your ingredients. Do you need recipes for meatless dishes or vegan dishes? There are specialized cookbooks for any eating preference.
• Flip through the cookbook before buying.  A book may say it has "easy and quick meals" but they may be more complicated than a beginner can manage. Check out a few recipes and make sure you will get use out of your cookbook.

General Cookbooks

• The Joy of Cooking 
• Culinaria 
• How To Cook Everything 
• The French Laundry Cookbook 
• Think Like a Chef 
• A Mediterranean Feast  -- Not for beginners.

Cookbooks by Style

• Caribbean 
• Chinese 
• Ethiopian 
• French 
• German 
• Indian 
• Italian 
• Japanese 
• Low Carb 
• Low Fat 
• Low Salt 
• Mediterranean 
• Mexican 
• Moroccan 
• Quick and Easy 
• Raw Food 
• Russian 
• Thai 
• Vegan 
• Vegetarian 

Cookbooks by Food Group

• Beef 
• Breads and Pastries 
• Breakfasts 
• Chicken 
• Desserts 
• Fish 
• Pasta 
• Pork 
• Salads 
• Tofu 

Cookbooks by Professionals

Who out there hasn't watched a cooking show and wished they could make at least one of those recipes on their own? Fortunately, many chefs with their own cooking shows have also written books, detailing their great recipes and making them more manageable for your kitchen. Check out some of the titles below.

The Big Book of Breakfast	From Emerils Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emerils Restaurants	Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip	The Ultimate Ice Cream Book	Not Your Mothers Slow Cooker Cookbook

Bobby Flays Grill It!	Giadas Kitchen: New Italian Favorites	Johnny Iuzzini: Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets for a Four Star Pastry Chef	Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: A 30 Minute Meals Cookbook	The Food You Crave

 

Related Guides

Books	Pots and Pans	Kitchen Utensils	Bakeware