Favorite cookbooks

**Todash** · January 24th, 2013

Just recently I bought this AMAZING cookbook, The Lost Art of Real Cooking. It's really interesting reading; I read it from cover to cover--I may have skimmed some of the bits about making sausage--which I don't normally do. The funny thing is, it's not really like a cookbook at all. It's more like "a little of this, a little of that," and most of what it gives directions for I've never tried: wild yeast bread, koji pickles, and so on. I've bought the groceries to try several of the recipes (going to do three versions of the sourdough starter), and last night I actually used the book for the first time. I made French onion soup. The best French onion soup I have had IN MY LIFE. My ugh-I-really-really-don't-like-French-onion-soup-don't-bother-giving-me-a-bowl husband ate every last drop of his. I did two versions, actually, one with chicken stock and one with water, and although they were both delicious, I slightly preferred the one made with water; the flavor was so sweet and pure. I'll post the recipe. (Yes, I know it's usually made with beef. Trust me on this one: chicken stock or water, water being my personal preference.)

French Onion Soup
Adapted* from the fine cookbook The Lost Art of Real Cooking by Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger

1 baguette
yellow onions, one per person
dried thyme
butter
salt
chicken stock (not broth) or water (I tried both, and both were wonderful, but I slightly preferred the water version)
Gruyere or some other stringy, fun, flavorful cheese you like, coarsely grated

Bisect your onions from root to top, then remove top, bottom, and skins. Lay each half face down on a cutting board and slice as thinly as possible; they'll of course fall apart into shreds. Place the onions in a saucepan with butter (a pat or so for each onion) and a few pinches of salt and thyme. Cook slowly for an hour or so, until the onions are brown and sweet smelling. (Don't rush this part; it's what makes the soup.)
Cover with water or chicken stock to a few inches. If you want thicker soup, use less. (I did about an inch, and it was fabulous.) Cook an additional half hour, then add salt to taste.
Ladle into oven-proof bowls with narrow tops (think chili bowl, not soup bowl), top with buttered toast slices made from your baguette, and on top of that, add a good handful of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with a robust red wine if desired. (I used a Merlot, and it was perfect.)

*By adapted, I of course mean blatantly and unrepentantly stolen.

I'll post about some other cookbooks I love, but I didn't want this initial post to be 100 miles long. (I know, I know: when has that ever stopped me before?) Some of you must have favorites too. Spill it!

**Dana Jean** · January 24th, 2013

I love Ellie Krieger cookbooks and Naomi Judd's cookbook is good too. Dr. Weil has a cookbook with some gal (can't remember her name) that has very healthy and tasty recipes.

**Dana Jean** · January 24th, 2013

I forgot, my absolutely favorite cookbook is the one where my mom wrote down family recipes for me and I have them collected in a cute little card insert album.

**fljoe0** · January 24th, 2013

As someone with limited cooking skills, I think this book is great

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Com...ook+everything

You really can find just about everything in here.

**Out of Order** · January 24th, 2013

I always make French Onion Soup with Beef Broth, never tried chicken.........

**Todash** · January 24th, 2013

Originally Posted by Out of Order

I always make French Onion Soup with Beef Broth, never tried chicken.........

Same with most people, I suspect. The author said that although beef is good, he finds it overpowering. I was hesitant but decided to trust him, and it worked out amazingly. I actually liked the water version even better. When you slow-sauté the onions in a little butter for an hour with just a little salt and thyme, they develop a deep, rich flavor, and the water or chicken stock lets them be the star of the show. I would classify it as one of the best things I've ever eaten.

A nice thing about the water only version, too, is that you can serve it to your vegetarian friends (not vegan, though, unless you substitute the butter and cheese).

**Out of Order** · January 24th, 2013

Originally Posted by Spideyman

In the late 1960's early 1970's there was a TV show called The Galloping Gourmet with Graham Kerr which had a series of cookbooks. Showed many of the basics of cooking as well as all these tempting rich meals. After his wife had a heart attack in 1990, he did a new TV series and sets of cookbooks Smart Cooking scaling down many of the original recipes to heart healthy meals. What a difference cooking smart has made.

My mother LOVED his show! I'll have to ask her if she remembers watching it.

Originally Posted by Todash

Same with most people, I suspect. The author said that although beef is good, he finds it overpowering. I was hesitant but decided to trust him, and it worked out amazingly. I actually liked the water version even better. When you slow-sauté the onions in a little butter for an hour with just a little salt and thyme, they develop a deep, rich flavor, and the water or chicken stock lets them be the star of the show. I would classify it as one of the best things I've ever eaten.

A nice thing about the water only version, too, is that you can serve it to your vegetarian friends (not vegan, though, unless you substitute the butter and cheese).

Thanks Todash, I'm going to give it a try. Maybe this weekend......seeing that it was 10 below this morning I need something to warm me up!!

**Spideyman** · January 24th, 2013

In the late 1960's early 1970's there was a TV show called The Galloping Gourmet with Graham Kerr which had a series of cookbooks. Showed many of the basics of cooking as well as all these tempting rich meals. After his wife had a heart attack in 1990, he did a new TV series and sets of cookbooks Smart Cooking scaling down many of the original recipes to heart healthy meals. What a difference cooking smart has made.

**Dana Jean** · January 24th, 2013

My mom and I watched him (mom was more the devotee at the time) and she loved Jeff Smith (until it turned out he was a molester). She was huge on every cooking show out there. She would always try one of their recipes and tell us, "This is a new dish but..." And then she would go on to tell us how she didn't like this particular ingredient and substituted this or that. It always made us laugh because she never followed their recipes and ended up cooking stuff pretty much the way she always did. (Which was delicious, but still not technically "new."

)