Eat Your Heart Out: Cookbooks to make you drool!

I openly admit it: I'm addicted to cookbooks. I like to gaze lovingly at their rich covers, leaf slowly through their glossy pages, and, of course, silently promise myself that I'll try each and every mouth-watering recipe I stumble across. The truth is, however, I rarely end up actually making anything (and let's face it, you probably fall in that category too!)

Every once in a while, though, I do actually try something out. It becomes immediately clear that I have a few preferences of any cookbooks I pick up with intentions of actual cooking -

1. Simplicity is key. I can't stand instructions that begin with something like: "Now drizzle the sauce over the..." and then goes on to tell you how you should have prepared this sauce two days ago. Sigh. I don't mind a challenging recipe once in a while, but I don't generally start planning a dish days in advance.

Colourful and delicious!

2. I need photos. And lots of them. In high-def colour, please. A cookbook without pictures is a sad, sad thing.

3. Give me options! I'm usually pretty relaxed when cooking, and I actually rarely use recipes. My mother taught me to cook as a kid, and her idea of measurement was more along the line of: "Here, take some cumin and throw it in until it starts to smell amazing." At the same time, when I'm trying out a new recipe that involves flavours or ingredients I'm not very familiar with, it can be difficult to make my own substitutions or variations.

A cookbook that works in some variable ingredients is great, especially for a less experienced cook.

With BBQ season in full-effect, I've been going a little crazy with the grilling guides, but I'm always dipping into all cuisines. Here are a couple of books that are sure to get you inspired (or at least drooling)!

The New Steak: Recipes for a range of cuts and savoury sides
by Cree LeFavour
Place a hold on this book.

Don't be alarmed by some of the fancy sounding ideas in here: a lot of them are pretty easy. Check out the super simple roasted tomatoes (p. 40) or purple slaw (p. 69) as side dishes. I've yet to try out a steak recipe (I know; strange!) but so far, the ingredients listed for most of the recipes sound manageable, and the amount of time needed in the kitchen is reasonable.I like that there's a decent mix of meat and veggie-friendly recipes, so if you're cooking for a mixed crowd, you have a few items to choose from.

 

Rasoi: New Indian kitchen
by Vineet Bhatia
Place a hold on this book.

This is a beautiful book: the photos are stunning, and Indian food takes on a glam that I never quite expected, despite having grown up cooking it! Most of the recipes come with a somewhat intimidating ingredients list, even if you have a well-stocked Indian spice cupboard. Try the simpler stir-fried rice varieties (p. 206), where you can easily toss in leftover odds and ends to suit your style. Bhatia actually even mentions that these dishes are "LOVE" dishes that consist of "Left Over Vegetables, Etc." For the most part, this was more of a book I'd consider for its visual appeal, although there are some great ideas.

The too many tomatoes cookbook:
classic and exotic recipes from around the world
by Brian Yarvin
Place a hold on this book.

This is one of those books that really is great when you have too many tomatoes. There is a good blend of recipes, as the title promises, and most require ingredients you probably already have. Yarvin almost mentions that a good number of the recipes call for "fresh, chopped tomatoes" and the kind of tomato really depends on you - so you can use whatever you have and still end up with a tasty dish. I personally love tomatoes, so I've made a few of the recipes in this book with satisying results. Try the Tomato-Brown Rice Pilaf (p. 131) which has only 2 main steps and less than 10 common ingredients! The Salsa recipe (p. 203) is also really easy and delicious, although I adjusted it a bit here and there.

Have a favourite cookbook? Or a cookbook you loved to look at (but avoided trying out...)? Share with us in the comments!