My Favorite Cookbooks

by Susan Lott

From Bengal to Punjab - Smita Chandra
These recipes are authentic, yet easy to follow. Includes a wide variety of Indian recipes from all over the country. Includes instructions for making homemade cottage cheese, naan bread, Tandoori chicken, biriyanis, pullaos, and much much more.

Delicious Amish Recipes - Phillis Pellman Good
Don't let the size of the book fool you. It may be only 95 pages, but it's crammed full of the best Amish recipes I've ever seen. These recipes are the real deal for Amish cooking. Includes many excellent recipes including one for homemade pumpkin pie from real pumpkin (not canned!)

The Chinese Cookbook of Many Delights - M. Sing Au
All authentic and tasty recipes! I especially recommend the sauces from this book, so delicious! As with all Chinese cooking, the main dish recipes can occasionally be tricky, but the end result is always worth the effort. It's a small-ish book, but it contains all the classic recipes you should expect from a quality Chinese cookbook.

The Ultimate Thai and Asian Cookbook - Deh-Ta Hsuing
Large pictures often accompany the recipes in this book. The recipes are from all over Asia, not just Thailand, and they are all very authentic and good. I would recommend this for anyone, whether you're already an Asian expert, or just getting into Asian cooking for the first time. The beginning of the book contains a large informational section, also with large pictures, showing many common ingredients and equipment needed for authentic Asian recipes.

Candymaking- Ruth Kendrick
There are pictures for about half the recipes in this book. All the recipes are very easy to follow. Contains instructions for chocolates, fondants, marzipan, caramels, and most other common candies that you can make at home. A great investment for experienced and amateur candymakers alike!

The Betty Crocker Cookbook - the Betty Crocker Editors
Excellent for beginners and the rest of us that need reminders of how to cook the standard American dishes we all treasure. Betty Crocker sticks to the basics in techniques and recipes, but there are many "basic" items here that are elegant and fit for a fancy dinner. I especially love the pie crust recipe, it's never failed me yet. This would be a great gift for a college student or a young bride. I often turn to this book for inspiration, troubleshooting, or for baking. Lots of good information, pictures, and basic cooking advice and instructions!

Japanese Cooking - Jon Spayde
Simply the best Japanese cookbook I've ever seen. A picture on almost every page! Contains recipes for all the standard and local specialty recipes that I encountered while I lived in Japan. The instructions are easy to follow and the recipes are very authentic. This could be a coffee table book, it's so beautifully done!

Savoring Mexico - Marilyn Tausend
These are authentic recipes from all over Mexico, most with full-page pictures. I'm not usually into Williams Sonoma's published cookbooks- often they are fussy and contain ingredients and special pans that I can't afford. But this one was a very pleasant surprise! Mexican ingredients are readily available here in the west, so I am able to make most of these recipes very cheaply. The recipes are easy to follow, flavorful, and fun to cook! I especially like the meatballs in green salsa, and the fish tacos are to die for!

Where's Mom Now That I Need Her?: Surviving Away from Home
(Added by Tamsyn) This is the cookbook that helped me survive my first year of marriage as a complete amateur. My favorite recipes are the easy granola, whole wheat pancakes, biscuit mix, and pizza dough. I've graduated to bigger cookbooks now, but this is still a standard that gets pulled out often.

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