My husband and I love to cook together, especially on Saturday's in the fall. Sometimes we even theme our football games. For example, We smoked a pork shoulder this last weekend and the kids wanted me to make my hot boiled peanuts, as they are a tradition on our road trips through the South. This coming Saturday we will make a big pot of gumbo. With football in gear and the holiday upon us, it got me thinking about all the recipes we like to cook. We discovered a chef on one of our New Orlean's trips about five years ago. His name is Donald Link and his restaurants are amazing. We picked up both of his cookbooks and cook out of them all the time. In fact, they are starting to fall apart from use.

If you love to cook, you need to order Donald Link's Down South and Donald Link's Real Cajun.

Anyone have any go to cookbooks that you can't live without?

We've gotten a lot of use out of Modernist Cuisine at home, Flour Water Salt Yeast, and Ad Hoc. I got the husband a book called Buck Buck Goose last year, and we've used it a bit since he's started hunting more.

If anyone is interested in baking cook books, I've got a ton of recommendations for those.

food lab - kenji
meathead - meathead goldywn
brave tart - stella parks
America's test kitchen tv cookbook (updated annually, i'll get a new version every 3 years or so)
cook's country tv cookbook (same as above)
charcuterie - ruhlman and polcyn

also: the elements of pizza by forkish

schmendeler said:

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food lab - kenji
meathead - meathead goldywn
brave tart - stella parks
America's test kitchen tv cookbook (updated annually, i'll get a new version every 3 years or so)
cook's country tv cookbook (same as above)
charcuterie - ruhlman and polcyn

also: the elements of pizza by forkish

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I've been kind of so-so on Bravetart so far. Right now I'm kind of obsessed with The Artful Baker. I also really like Layered for cakes. The Fearless Baker has some really good, easy and accessible recipes for people that may not be experts in the kitchen.

aggiespartan said:

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schmendeler said:

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food lab - kenji
meathead - meathead goldywn
brave tart - stella parks
America's test kitchen tv cookbook (updated annually, i'll get a new version every 3 years or so)
cook's country tv cookbook (same as above)
charcuterie - ruhlman and polcyn

also: the elements of pizza by forkish

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I've been kind of so-so on Bravetart so far. Right now I'm kind of obsessed with The Artful Baker. I also really like Layered for cakes. The Fearless Baker has some really good, easy and accessible recipes for people that may not be experts in the kitchen.

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nice. you know your stuff, so i'm sure those recs are more than solid.

I'm going to order the Food Lab, especially since others recommend it as well!

ORAggieFan said:

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aTm_bomb said:

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Not completely a cookbook as it has lots of science and techniques also but J Kenji Lope Alt "The Food Lab" has been a game changer for me and taught me a lot. I recommend to anyone that will listen.

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Yep, this is the best book I have.

Franklin's BBQ is a great reference as well.

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We love Franklin's BBQ cookbook as well! My husband used to spend so much time prepping brisket but it's amazing how just salt and pepper does the trick!

Get a French one that teaches basic French cuisine. Great launching point for any type of food worldwide.

Franklins BBQ is great and so is Modernist Cuisine. However, the on that gets used most frequently in the kitchen for recipes is the Magnolia cookbook. The recipes aren't complicated or have an ingredient you'll use once and then sit on the shelf until you make the same dish again. And they're all really good (at least what we've made).

Got to have the traditional Better Homes red book along with your local SPJST cookbook.

The Food Lab is a must have cookbook. Period. The end. Drop the mic.

One of my more recent favorites has been Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables

Ratio and the Flavor Bible are great for theory

nai06 said:

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One of my more recent favorites has been Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables

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I've heard good things about this book. It was a monthly book in one of my cookbook groups and people made some great looking dishes from it.

Yep, that is what led me to the book. Some good illustrations of the various "holy trinities" of different cultures.

Real Cajun by Donald Link. Everything I have made from there is amazing. The fact that the crawfish etouffee recipe starts with "(1) Have a Crawfish Boil" is incredible.

Donald Link is the owner of Cochon in NOLA among others.

Real Cajun

Phrasing said:

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Real Cajun by Donald Link. Everything I have made from there is amazing. The fact that the crawfish etouffee recipe starts with "(1) Have a Crawfish Boil" is incredible.

Donald Link is the owner of Cochon in NOLA among others.

Real Cajun

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Real Cajun is one that I listed in my original post, along with Down South. Both are amazing. Love Cochon. One of our favorite restaurants in Nola as well as Peche, which is one of his other restaurants.

Holy crap, I'm embarrassed! I just saw the thread title and scanned the responses. Sorry for repeating the rec, but glad you enjoy the book too!

The recipe for Absinthe Cocktail is hilarious as well, "one is good, two is better and three is a really really bad idea".

Stop and Smell the Rosemary by the Houston Junior League

SEC Tailgate Cookbook is one you'd enjoy!

Very cool that you brought this up. I'm pretty sure it's the one we bought signed at Florabama on our trip to the Florida Panhandle.

I picked up Real Cajun after seeing the reviews on here, looks great, I need to get to work.

French Laundry Cookbook

Also The Great Canadian Chef From France by Pierre Dubrulle taught me how to make an excellent Veal stock, which is the base for many great sauces.

His recipes are tedious, but they work.

Tumble Weed said:

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French Laundry Cookbook

Also The Great Canadian Chef From France by Pierre Dubrulle taught me how to make an excellent Veal stock, which is the base for many great sauces.

His recipes are tedious, but they work.

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Great recs! I know one poster mentioned it, but another great book by Thomas Keller is Ad Hoc at Home.

Ad Hoc