Cookbooks aren't just instructions; they are philosophies, histories and conversations bound together for consumption. And just as it takes a village to raise a child, a good cook is made by absorbing the knowledge of those who have come before.
As a self-professed cook book fanatic (one who has put herself on a temporary ban from buying any more until she has more space), I would like to think I have collated a collection of rather good ones. For me, a good cook book must A) Be useful – I need to be able to cook from it without too much hassle, random quantities of expensive and hard-to-find ingredients, or 22-step processes, and B) Be beautiful – whether that's a gorgeous cover, or lovely photography, cook books are on display in my kitchen and living space.
So, whether you're in need of a jolt of inspiration or simply wish to be whisked away through food, these are the people and manuals that I personally look to for guidance. From rock star chefs to local foodies, here are 15 cookbooks that we consider essential reading for the home cook.
1. Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi
It's true, Ottolenghi has millennials in a chokehold. But that doesn't mean his recipes don't live up to the hype. The chef brings middle eastern flavours into the mainstream, adjusting them to suit the time poor among us. For those seeking fresh solutions to handling vegetables, Ottolenghi has a few tricks up his sleeves.
2. The Shared Table by Clare Scrine
The best kind of cooking is uncomplicated and fuss-free. For all who subscribe to this belief, then your cookbook collection isn't complete without Brisbane foodie Clare Scrine's The Shared Table. A bible of sorts for Brissy sharehousers, this book is all about cooking for your home's small commune – simple, cheap, large portions and crowd-pleasing vegetarian dishes. I can say I've made almost every recipe in this book at some point or another, and have never had a mishap. Scrine's instructions and ingredients lists are relatively fool-proof. She's also got a follow-up called The Shared Kitchen that's well worth checking out too.
3. Carter's Cookbook 2 by Carter Were
Carter Were's cooking is unpretentious and homey – heaps of veg-heavy dishes and hearty dishes that the whole family will love. From their home in Byron Bay, these indie recipe books have been flying off shelves – so we'd highly advise getting in quick when there's another drop.
4. Ellie's Table by Ellie Boudhana
Another local legend, Boudhana headed up Melbourne institution Hope Street Radio until earlier this year, famed for her perfect salty soft focaccia and intuitive approach to Mediterranean cooking. I was lucky enough to be gifted this book by a friend earlier this year and have already had my first attempt at recreating her focaccia – and while I still have a ways to go before I rival Boudhana's own, the recipe is pretty do-able with some patience and practice. Her pasta recipes and salty snacks are also A+ for a weekend dinner. Her writing on its own is beautiful enough that I read this one like a novel, cover to cover.
5. The River Cafe Cookbook by Ruth Rogers
No cook book collection is complete without Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers tome The River Cafe Cookbook – one that is at the very top of my to-buy list. I nearly picked up a copy in London after visiting their famed restaurant along the river Thames, but thought better when I remembered how full my suitcase was already. Titled after the iconic London institution, one must ask if there is anything cuisine equally as rewarding and simple in its essence than Italian? From three-step blood orange sorbet to ricotta al forno, the only answer is no.
6. Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman
Alison Roman has quickly become a household name in the culinary world, and her recipes cult-favourites among those who know a thing or two about food. Nothing Fancy is her guide to hosting without the fuss, from Caramelised Garlic on Toast with Anchovies (Nigella's fave from the book) to her viral Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread.
7. White Heat by Marco Pierre White
A sacred text among chefs. Indulgent, grimy and authentic, it was the first book that truly captured the spirit of life inside the bowels of a kitchen. While you're less likely to find any recipe in here worth labouring over, what this 'cookbook' will deliver you is the energy and philosophy to galvanise you into cooking. From the food worlds original 'enfant terrible' himself.
8. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron is not strictly a food writer but her descriptions of food and cooking are too good to pass up. While Heartburn isn't technically a cookbook — some have famously dubbed it 'thinly disguised novel' about Ephron's breakup with Carl Bernstein — it features recipes that will bring you comfort, belly laughs, and if nothing else, permission to add a thin slice of butter to every forkful of mashed potato.
9. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
Charismatic and good-natured, few of us are immune to the charm of Samin Nosrat. As a teacher she is the polar opposite of the angry chef archetype and it's for this reason that we adore her. In her famous cookbook she breaks down cooking into four simple principles that should guide your time in the kitchen, as opposed to recipes. Although, snatching up Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is worth it for her Buttermilk-brined Roast Chicken and Focaccia recipe alone, which went viral upon the books release.
10. Momofuku by David Chang
Irreverent as ever and characteristically candid, David Chang and Peter Meehan take us on a romp through Korean and Japanese fusion. When reading Momofuku, you will butt heads with a truth that is not acknowledged enough in a world of MasterChef and TikTok food-fluencers, the fact that there is a canyon's distance between being a good home cook and a trained chef. Ramen takes time, 50 hours to be exact, and food hacks while great time savers are just that, butchered recipes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.
11. On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
Cooking 101. Why do you cry when chopping onions? How to pick older eggs from fresh ones; why you should allow pancake batter to rest — Harold McGee is here to answer every question even remotely food-related. An essential companion for anyone looking to spruce up their skills in the kitchen.
12. The Whole Fish by Josh Niland
If there's anything chef Josh Niland has drilled into our brains, it's that there's so much more to fish than its' fillet. Much like Nose to Tail Eating, Niland applies curing and dry-ageing methods to fish to cut down on waste and demonstrate the endless possibilities in the slippery realm of seafood. Home cooks are encouraged to bring the same reverence set aside for meat, to fish, and this cookbook provides all the instructions on how to do so.
13. Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
A woman that needs no introduction. Julia Child is famed for having introduced the Americans to authentic French cooking but this book is not for the faint of heart. She'll make you work for it. So if you're not prepared to follow the three pages worth of instructions to conjure up her boeuf bourguignon, then this cookbook will be more aspirational than practical. That being said, it is a classic and your kitchen will be all the better for it. Just leave yourself enough time and a glass of wine to get started.
14. The Escoffier Cookbook by Auguste Escoffier
It would be remiss of me not include at least one of the great masters of French cooking on this list. After all, western cooking as we know it owes much to French cuisine. That's why we've landed on Escoffier, the king of chefs and the chef of kings. It's a hefty manual with over 2,973 recipes but required reading for anyone seeking to plunge into the annals of modern cooking.
15. The Noma Guide to Fermentation by David Zilber and René Redzepi
So you've graduated from the school of gentle cooking and want to sink your teeth into something with funk? Look no further than The Noma Guide to Fermentation. Highly technical, this manual will take you far beyond the realm of kimchi and sauerkraut and into the territory of lacto-fermentation and koji. Although it shouldn't be intimidating — everything you need to know is clearly explained in the cookbook and reflects the techniques and knowledge employed at the three Michelin-starred restaurant.
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Image via Pinterest.
