10 Essential Cookbooks

I was just reading the LA Times’ S. Irene Virbila’s recent post on how a friend of hers decided to get rid of all her cookbooks except an essential 10. If a new one arrives then an old one has to leave. I don’t know if I could do it. What about you? What would your Essential 10 Cookbooks be?

It actually wasn’t that hard to do. OK, that’s a lie. The truth is if I do this exercise next week the list of books might be different. I had to think not only what recipes aren’t already in my brain/hands, but whose writing about food I love and find inspirational. Here’s the list in no particular order.

Food of Life by Najmieh Batmanglij

The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterannean by Paula Wolfert

Savoring the Spice Coast of India by Maya Kaimal

Ratio by Michael Ruhlman

A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs by Clifford Wright

Le Ricette Regionali Italiane by Anna Gosetti della Salda

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

The Complete Book of Home Preserving, Ball

Desserts by the Yard by Sherry Yard

OK, so there are only 9. I can’t make the last decision