Finding the right cookbook fit

July 16, 2022 by
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I have been wearing the same athletic shoes for nearly 30 years – not the exact same pair of course, but the same brand and style. After trying different brands and types, I discovered that these worked best for me, providing the support and comfort I needed. The same can be said for cookbooks – not every cookbook or author works as well for everyone, but when you find the right fit it can result in a wonderful relationship that can last a lifetime.

Some authors write in a way that resonates with my cooking style, meaning that the recipe flows naturally with my own kitchen rhythm. Cooking from these books is a joy. While I can make great dishes from books that do not hew as closely to my way of cooking, it requires much more effort. When I find an author whose writing style and sensibilities mesh with mine I eagerly snap up any new works that come along, or snag any previous volumes they have published.

Only a handful of authors can speak to extremely broad audiences, either due to their writing style or the way they bring fresh ideas and flavors to the table. Most writers find their niche with a smaller audience, but that audience can be extremely dedicated. My husband gravitates toward an author whose recipes I have struggled with, but with which he has found tremendous success. It amazes me how the same set of measurements and instructions can result in such disparate outcomes based solely on who is interpreting them. After all, my husband and I use the same equipment, the same ingredients, and cook in the same kitchen, yet we often have quite different results even when using the same recipe.

A wonderful virtue about cookbooks is the sheer volume available for experimentation. Whether you want to cook or bake, for almost every ethnicity, dietary restriction, or culinary niche you can think of, there are boundless quality books to sample. Given the high number of releases, odds are good that you will find something new to love with every passing month. When I first started buying cookbooks I never thought that I would amass a library as large as I have now (small potatoes compared to many of our Members), nor that I would still find new inspiration so many years later. Yet each month I am pleasantly surprised to discover another ‘must-have’ volume for my bookshelves, and every year I add more authors to my list of trusted sources. The only downside is that the list of recipes on my ‘I want to make this’ bookmark is getting too long to wade through.

Category: Antipasto

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7 Comments

  • angrygreycat  on  July 17, 2022

    I think this is so true. I know I have some cookbooks that are very popular but I struggle to be happy with anything I make from them. I really connect with Tieghan Gerard’s books, I have been very happy with everything I have made from them and it is as if the recipes flow in an intuitive manner for me.

  • Larkspur  on  July 17, 2022

    I’ve found this true for me as well. As much as possible I try new cookbooks out by borrowing them from the library and if a cookbook I borrow really is a good fit, I will then buy the book.

  • averythingcooks  on  July 17, 2022

    Another agreement here. I just know now that no matter how tempting the purchase is and how raving the recipe reviews, some very popular books/authors don’t really work for me. It embarrasses me a bit (a lot actually) to admit that I struggle with both Nigella Lawson and Diana Henry…I can sit and read their books clover to cover repeatedly but I don’t often reach for them to cook. However, in addition to so many old favourites (eg Ina, Dorie and a long list of Canadian authors) I am also currently LOVING Tieghan Gerard’s newest Half Baked Harvest book (and that has sent me back into the 1st two sitting on my shelves) and both of Jenn Segal’s (Once Upon a Chef) titles. So many authors, so many styles, so many home cooks – it seems to work.

  • matag  on  July 17, 2022

    Although I have many bookshelves full of great cookbooks, there is a spot in my kitchen where I have my “most used”. Not surprised to find all of the Milk Street books have found their way to that elite shelf.

  • Jane  on  July 17, 2022

    I’m obviously not very analytical about my own cookbook preferences as it was only on reading averythingcooks comment that I realized that is very much true of my own “favorites” section of my many cookbook shelves. There are the authors I click with, so have every one of their books, and cook/bake from often (Dorie, Ottolenghi, Nigella, Tieghan Gerard, Melissa Clark, Diana Henry) and then there is every cookbook published by Nigel Slater who I love reading but can’t really gel with on his recipe style. I mean I have had successes with his recipes but my instinct when there is a choice is to choose a recipe from one of the others. Now I know why!

  • Rinshin  on  July 21, 2022

    For me it is not so much about cookbook authors. I am amazed at how much more I have to learn new skill sets at my age and still find joy learning and using new equipments. For the last year, I am trying to master pizzas using Ooni and smoking meats, fish and vegetables using Traeger smoker both received as gifts during the covid lockdown. Not close to 100% satisfied in all aspects, but the latest smoked brisket had the most perfect taste albeit a little too softness. And my skill in stretching 3 successive Neapolitan pizzas are getting faster and with any misstep.

  • TeresaRenee  on  July 25, 2022

    I am fascinated that you and your husband can cook the same recipes with different results.

    I have tried a few Martha Stewart recipes in the past and they never work for me. I’m always disappointed because they look beautiful and delicious. She’s been publishing recipes for decades so they must work for everyone but me… Maybe the secret is that I have to get my husband to make them!

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