Food

These are a selection of the books that have inspired me to try and be a better cook.

Plenty – Yotam Ottolenghi

Mediterranean Vegetarian Medium complexity

All his books are fun, some have what people think of as having an impossible ingredients list. However, once you have stocked up on Za’atar, Sumac, Iranian Dried Limes and what ever his latest obsession is ( currently Shaoxing wine) you are good to go.

Simple is great too, Jerusalem less so. Nopi is great but honestly a bit of a faff at times, Flavor is good but you will need the Shaoxing altho I sub in Pineau de Charentes. This one man revolutionized how people cook and think of vegetables, God bless him!

The Greens Cookbook – Deborah Madison and Edward Espe

Vegetarian, American, low complexity

The first vegetarian cookbook I got hooked on, having had one of those meals that blows your expectations away at Greens near the marina in SF. Still blowing folks away with honest but serious cooking that just happens to be vegetarian.

The first vegetarian cookbook I got hooked on, having had one of those meals that blows your expectations away at Greens near the marina in SF. Still blowing folks away with honest but serious cooking that just happens to be vegetarian.

French Leave – John Burton Race

French classic medium complexity

I asked my fellow Francophile, neighbor in Lot et Garonne and general all round fucking amazing cook Rob Edwards for a recommendation on a good French cookbook. This turned up in the mail a couple of weeks later at home in San Luis Obispo, where we laid our heads at that time.

Its seasonally laid out with classics, slightly modernized but ingredient forward.

Two Kitchens – Rachel Roddy

Italian, Western spin, medium complexity

I discovered Ms Roddy in her Grauniad columns and loved her approach to classic Italian cookery. Its very focused on the two styles, Roman and Sicilian. The former where she now lives and the latter where her husband’s family is from.

Rachel and I spent the first week of our honeymoon in Testacchio where the other Rachel lives and shopped in her local market and drank in wine bars she recommended so it is personalized. Its a book where she gives color and context to the recipes so its a fun read.

Zuni Cafe Cookbook – Judy Rogers

Omnivore, Californian

Zuni Cafe was and still is one of those destination restaurants that is true to itself and less fixed on the hype. Judy Rogers sadly died a few years ago but her food and her approach lives on. It includes of course the best roast chicken bread salad that is one of my absolute go to crowd pleasers. We lived not that far from it for a couple of years when we lived up between 8th and 9th street in SOMA and would drop in for a glass of wine and eat at the bar.

Complete Cookery Course – Delia Smith

British, compendium, old school, low complexity

“Happy Cooking, Xmas 1983, Love Mum and Dad”.

I have used this book for the last near 40 years for standards like Fisherman’s Pie, Yorkshire Pudding, Christmas Cake and it is still a great standard reference work. Dated now by the opening of the British cannon to new ingredients and the exposure of 40 years of international travel but still great.

Leith’s Fish Bible – CJ Jackson

Fish, Reference Work

One of those reference cookbooks that if you need to know anything about fish or shellfish its here. Great recipes and how to’s. Timeless.

The River Cottage Meat Book– Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

British, compendium, old school, medium complexity

Worthwhile having this just for his explanations of the various butchery cuts, differing in UK, France and USA. What to choose for what kind of cooking method etc.

Great primer for cooking any kind of meat together with interesting modern takes on various traditional recipes.