Food & Wine USA - (12)December 2018

OBSESSIONS

THE ZUNI CAFE

COOKBOOK (2002)

“I first went to Zuni as an

impoverished grad student.

I ordered Judy Rodgers’

roast chicken, took one bite,

and my head essentially

exploded: It was that good.

In this book, filled with won-

derful recipes, Rodgers’ over-

arching brilliance teaches

you something on every

page. It’s as much a pleasure

to read as it is to cook from.”

—Ray Isle, wine editor

THE COOK’S

COMPANION (1996)

“Australian chef Stephanie

Alexander’s book taught

me how to become a

confident cook—and,

ironically, how to cook

confidently without

recipes. I turn to it for

classics like beef bourgui-

gnon and roast lamb with

garlic and rosemary, as

well as for more obscure

things, like how long to grill

kangaroo loin (7 minutes

on high heat!).” —Melanie

Hansche, deputy editor

THE MOOSEWOOD

COOKBOOK (1974)

“I learned to cook from my

mother, and she taught

me that recipes are just a

jumping-off point. From

the stained and noted

pages of Molly Katzen’s

groundbreaking cookbook,

we made batch after

batch of vegetable stew

and Zuccanoes (stuffed

zucchini)—each one

slightly different from the

last.” —Kelsey Youngman,

test kitchen manager

THE NEW BASICS

COOKBOOK (1989)

“Much of my time in the

F&W Test Kitchen has been

spent reinventing classic

recipes so they feel fresh

and modern. In the ’80s,

well ahead of their time,

authors Julee Rosso and

Sheila Lukins were doing

just that. This tome

(packed with 875 recipes!)

is rich with techniques and

ingredient pairings that

are unbelievably on-trend,

even today.” —Justin

Chapple, culinary director

THE TASTE OF COUNTRY

COOKING (1976)

“Edna Lewis’ loving ode to

the Virginia Piedmont farm-

ing community in which she

was raised and chronicle of

how her family cooked and

ate through the seasons

reminds us, in this age of

convenience, that the best

food comes from the fresh-

est seasonal ingredients.”

—Hunter Lewis, editor in chief

TIME-LIFE THE GOOD

COOK SERIES (1978–80)

“This series is deliciously

retro and still so relevant.

The volume Outdoor Cook-

ing is a touchstone for

cooking over fire. I also like

Beverages, Vegetables, and

Snacks. The step-by-step

instructions and technique

explanations are right on

target.” —Mary-Frances

Heck, senior food editor

TWELVE RECIPES (2014)

“Chez Panisse chef Cal

Peternell wrote this book

for his oldest son, to teach

him how to cook. And it’s

the book I reach for every

time I want inspiration for

dinner. It’s written in such

a warm tone, it makes me

feel like the chef is in my

kitchen, gently directing

my efforts. This book is for

anyone who says they

‘can’t cook,’ but there’s

also plenty for those who

know they can.”— Karen

Shimizu, executive editor

Classic

Cookbooks

Our editors

share their

favorite (and

most giftable)

books of all

time.

20 DECEMBER 2018