I will begin with a shocking fact: I have about 1,000 cookbooks.
When I moved into my narrow, tall townhouse in downtown Toronto about a decade ago, I organized them on shelves in my third-floor office — by ethnicity, subjects and reference books.
I have collected them for more than 40 years and I try to cull them, with minor success, bit by bit. When I worked in newsrooms as a food editor for 24 years — six years at the Toronto Sun and for 18 years at the Toronto Star — publishers used to send me cookbooks. Online recipes and eBooks have mostly replaced cookbooks – but I like them. I am old-school. (See my bio.)
The number one criterion for my preferred cookbooks is reliable recipes. I test recipes every week – 50 per cent of them don’t work. I’m frustrated and angry that people – many of them are well known – publish recipes that aren’t throughly tested. They don’t feel responsible to their audience – or they don’t care.
To start the list of my favourite cookbooks, I’ll name the honourable mentions, not pictured in the photo above.
I like recipes by the late Marcella Hazan, the maven of Italian cuisine. I often refer to the book “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” especially her fabulous recipes for Ragu (Bolognese Meat Sauce) and Roast Chicken with Lemons.
I trust Jennifer Segal’s “Once Upon a Chef” cookbooks and her online recipes — her French Apple Cake is divine.
I have made many Ina Garten’s recipes — they mostly work out. I recommend her 2018 “Cook Like a Pro” — I often use “Barefoot Contessa at Home” and “Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style.” I often watch her TV shows — she is soothing and competent. See her recipe for updated Chicken Marbella below.
I’m loyal to Canadian books. I like Canadian Living, especially “Best Recipes Ever” — I like the Butter Tart Squares in it. Canadian Marcy Goldman has a baking book “A Passion for Baking.” I’ve made her Hamantaschen from “A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking.” I also like “The Baker in Me” by pastry chef Daphna Rabinovitch.
Matty Matheson is a Canadian chef and Internet personality. He is a young maverick, a Toronto restaurateur and he wrote a good book: “Matty Matheson A Cookbook.” I like his Cheeto Mac’n’Cheese and his Fluffy Pancakes – not in his book but on my website. Listen to him talking with me.
I met Nigel Slater — British cookbook author, TV food show host and food writer — twice for lunch in London. I dip into his cookbooks for ideas. He knows food and cooks well.
American cookbook author and food writer Alison Roman is controversial. She appears as a judge on food TV shows and openly criticizes high-profile people. She is a good source of recipes. I like her Hanger Steak with Dandelion, Arugula and Grana Padano and her cookie recipe Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread. Her Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric (aka #thestew) went viral online — it’s a brilliant recipe.
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Now to my favourite cookbooks pictured above. I have them in my kitchen with other assorted cookbooks. In no particular order:
The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated. The book was recently updated, revised and enlarged. I use the book mainly for reference. The recipes are tested and are reliable. Their biscuits, coleslaw and rice pudding are good.
The Way to Cook by Julia Child. She called “the heavy book” in a phone conversation with her ailing husband Paul when Julia was visiting Toronto in 1991 at my invitation. I cook the Cheese Soufflé, scrambled eggs and Caramel Custard from this book. I also refer to it to make sauces. Read Julia’s obituary by me.
My Kitchen Year by American food writer Ruth Reichl. Ruth was the former editor of Gourmet magazine and was the restaurant critic for the New York Times. She has several memoirs and a few cookbooks. I like her Easy Bolognese and I love Fannie Farmer’s Classic Yeast-Raised Waffles (see the recipe below). Listen to my podcast with Ruth when she was in town on a book tour.
Peace, Love & Fibre by Mairlyn Smith. Mairlyn is described by the TV show CityLine: ” … the only professional home economist who is also an alumnus of the Second City Comedy Troupe, making her the Funniest P.H.Ec. in the World.” She is my friend, Canadian and she has several cookbooks – I consider this the best one. I make Tuscan White Bean Soup, the Chicken and Chickpea Curry and Chocolate Fudgy Brownie Bites. I also incorporate flaxseed meal, on her advice, in my breakfast cereal. Listen to my podcast with Mairlyn.
At My Table by Nigella Lawson. I rate it best of the many books by the British cookbook author, food writer and TV food show host. I’ve made these to rave reviews: Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Curry; Chicken Barley; Queen of Puddings and No-Churn Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream (recipe below). Listen to my podcast with Nigella when she was in Toronto a few years ago.
The Gefilte Manifesto by Jeffrey Yoskowitz and Liz Alpern has redeemed gefilte fish in my eyes. The book has a luscious recipe for the usually lack-lustre dish: Baked Terrine of Gefilte Fish. It has good Jewish recipes including for brisket and Grandma Fay’s Applesauce Cake. I went to Brooklyn to chat with the authors — the result is a podcast.
Friday Night Dinners by Bonnie Stern. Bonnie is a Canadian food maven and a friend. She has many cookbooks and worked as a former intructor at her own (now closed) Toronto cooking school. You can follow on her online — she has a popular newsletter. I regularly make Friday Night Brisket and Yemenite Chicken Soup out of this book.
At Home with Lynn Crawford by a Canadian chef, cookbook author and TV food show personality. I regularly make Mince and Tatties from this book. Lynn has Scottish roots and I spent a year in Edinburgh in my student days. Cherry Lamb with Jeweled Rice and Charred Onion Cherry Relish is on my agenda. Listen to my podcast with Lynn.
Genius Recipes by Food52. Food52 is an inspired and reliable source of recipes. The foreword is by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs — a reputable pair in the U.S. food world. I like Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions, Cauliflower Steaks and Purple Plum Torte.
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman. I have made many of Deb’s recipes and posted them on my Facebook recipe page Sittin’ in the Kitchen. Many of them result in flavourful, inspired dishes. I bake Mom’s Apple Cake and I want to make Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake.
Bread is Gold by Massimo Bottura and Friends. Massimo is a well-known Italian chef, restaurateur and is an advocate a chef’s social responsibility. He is against food waste — on a global scale. This book contains tested recipes for Banana Bread, Ragout of Everything and Penne with Raw Tomato Sauce. I have made several of them — they were all winners. Listen to my podcast with Massimo — he is a kindred soul.
Julia’s Scrambled Eggs
From “The Way to Cook” by Julia Child, here is Julia’s famous scrambled eggs. Julia says: “Perfect scrambled eggs are tender and creamy, really a kind of broken custard. A 1-inch layer is easy to handle and a non-stick pan is certainly my choice: the 10-inch size does nicely for 6 to 8 eggs. Plain scrambled eggs are lovely for breakfast but chopped green herbs are always an attractive addition, especially parsley, chives or tarragon; add them along with the seasonings as you beat the eggs before scrambling them. The secret is to do them slowly over low heat, so that the eggs coagulate into soft curds. You don’t want the eggs too deep in the pan or they will take too long to cook, and if there is too shallow a layer they will cook too quickly.”
8 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp or more butter
1 tbsp or more whipping 35% cream (optional)
3 or 4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs: parsley, or parsley and chives, chervil, tarragon or dill (optional)
Break eggs into medium bowl, adding salt and pepper to taste; beat just to blend yolks and whites.
Set frying pan over moderately low heat; add enough butter to film bottom and sides. Pour in all but 2 tablespoons of beaten eggs. Slowly scrape bottom of pan from edges toward centre with spatula, continuing slowly as eggs gradually coagulate. It will take them a minute or so to start thickening; don’t rush them.
In 2 to 3 minutes, eggs will have thickened into a lumpy custard; cook a few seconds more if they are too soft for your taste. Fold in reserved 2 tablespoons of beaten egg. Adjust seasoning; fold in butter, whipping cream and herbs, if using.
Serve at once on warm (not hot) plates. Accompany with, for instance, bacon or sausage or ham, broiled tomatoes and buttered toast wedges.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Fannie Farmer’s Yeast-Raised Waffles
From “My Kitchen Year” by Ruth Reichl. These waffles originated in “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” famously attributed to the late food writer and cookbook author Marion Cunningham. I took the temperature of the warm water and warm milk by a fever thermometer — it was about 105F. I often sandwich the warm waffles around ice cream — yum!
1 package active dry yeast, about 2¼ tsp
½ cup warm water
2 cups warm milk
½ cup melted butter, cooled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
¼ tsp baking soda
In large bowl, sprinkle yeast on the warm water until dissolves; let sit about 10 minutes. Add warm milk, melted butter, salt, sugar and flour; stir to combine. Don’t overmix. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
The next morning, just before cooking the waffles, whisk in the eggs and the baking soda — the batter will be thin. Depending on the size of your waffle iron, pour about ⅓ to cup batter onto the hot waffle maker. Use a light hand at first and check your progress — this waffle batter expands rather impressively. Bake until golden and crisp. This batter will keep for several days in the fridge.
Makes about 8 waffles.
Chicken Marbella
This recipe is from Ina Garten’s book “Cook Like a Pro.” Ina has updated and improved a famous chicken recipe from “The Silver Palate.” Note: I halved the recipe and used skin-on, bone-in medium chicken thighs. Trim fat off the chicken before you start and I had to skim some fat off the sauce. This dish is a winner.
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the marinade. (You can also place the chicken and marinade in a 2-gallon plastic storage bag and squeeze out the air to make sure the chicken is fully covered with the marinade.) Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally to be sure the marinade is getting into all of the chicken pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place the chicken, skin side up, along with the marinade in one layer in a large (15-by-18-inch) roasting pan, sprinkle with the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; pour the wine around (not over!) the chicken. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 145F. Remove the pan from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken, prunes, and olives to a serving platter, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices.
Makes about 6 servings.
No-Churn Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream
From “At My Table” by Nigella Lawson. Nigella says: “If I don’t have a tub of this in my deep-freeze, I just don’t feel right about things. I have made many no-churn ice creams in my time, but this is the one I make (and eat) the most.” Happily, this recipe takes a whole 300-mL can of condensed milk. It’s creamy in texture. Taste it as you add the salt; I used 1 teaspoon kosher salt. This ice cream is sweetish. I serve it with roasted plums or half a baked apple and vanilla or fruit yogurt – the yogurt is a tasty touch. See Nigella’s other no-churn ice creams online, e.g. the excellent and easy No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream. Nigella wrote the recipe in her inimitable style.
1⅓ cups (300mL can) condensed milk (caramel or dulce de leche)
1¼ cups whipping (35%) cream
½ to 1 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt
1 to 3 tbsp bourbon or brandy
Chopped pecans (optional) for serving
Scrape the condensed milk into the bowl of a freestanding mixer or, if you’re using an electric hand whisk, just into a large bowl, then add the cream and salt and whisk until it thickens.
Taste to see if it’s salty enough or too salty, remembering that the saltiness will be more muted (as will the sweetness) once it’s frozen. Begin whisking slowly while gradually adding half the bourbon. Taste again to see if you want to add the rest of the bourbon. If so, pour in, whisking gently. I usually end up using all 3 tablespoons.
Give a good fold by hand, using a silicone spatula, then decant into your containers and put into the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.
This ice cream is fairly soft-serve and will be softer the more bourbon you use, so there’s no need to let it stand out of the freezer before serving, either as it is, or sprinkled with chopped pecans.
Makes about 2½ cups.