My Foundation Cookbooks

The secret to great cooking is to build on a solid foundation. It's one thing to have a great collection of recipes - quite another to have a great collection of information. These following books provide extensive knowledge and information as to the why's and what's as well as the how's. I find these books far more important than ANY collection of recipes. Thus I have listed them first, my following links provide for the categories of a few of my other better cookbooks. The following "foundation" cookbooks are NOT recipe collections although some of these selections do include many recipes.

 

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The Cordon Bleu textbook. Need I say more? Gonna' cook up some family Sunday omelets or start a Five Star restaurant? why braise? why mince? why whole leaf herbs? why ground spices? It's ALL here! Many recipes but you'll have to recalulate the portions as they are for restaurant sized crowds (12-50 portions). Otherwise, I suggest you study the "Leftovers" chapter thoroughly! This book is packed with all the basic information: heralded as the "Practical Guide to Foods and Cooking" - many illustrations. A very clean reference book. This book is basically a "technique" book. A good assortment of illustrations convey the techniques, tips and information necessary for a successful home kitchen. A good set of reference books on herbs, vegetables and fruits are worthy to keep on hand. Shown is the one I have on herbs. It notes the culinary and health conscious segments of each herb - as well as the no-no's!
ISBN 0-471-24563-1 ISBN 0-929694-01-5 ISBN 0-912608-73-0 ISBN 0-88029-774-3
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The entire series of the California Culinary Academy cookbooks are to be prized. Clean and straightforward reference with plenty of information and a large variety of recipes. Another necessary kitchen reference. With all of the odd imported selections showing up on your grocer's shelves nowadays, it's best to know what it is and how you can use it. Spices, herbs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, meats, etc. This is the book! Certainly you don't think you can cook away without an extensive knowledge of sauces, do you? We ain't talking just BBQ sauce here! NADA! Stocks, mother sauces, daughter sauces, gravies - All of the expert techniques, why's and how's.
ISBN 0-89721-057-3 ISBN 0-89577-356-2 ISBN 0-442-23773-1
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