Joy of Cooking, sometimes known as "The Joy of Cooking," is one of the most popular cookbooks in the United States. It has been in continuous publication since 1936 and has sold over 20 million copies. It was privately published in 1931 by Irma S. Rombauer (1877–1962), a housewife in St. Louis, Missouri, following the suicide of her husband the previous year. A.C. Clayton, a business that has created labels for upscale St. Louis shoe companies and Listerine mouthwash, but never a book, made 3,000 copies for Rombauer. The book was first published in 1936 by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, a commercial publishing business. The Joy of Cooking is the most popular American cookbook, with nine editions.

This 2006 edition is an updated version of the Rombauer family-approved 1975 book, and it retains much of the voice lost in the 1997 edition. For further information on the discrepancies between versions, see The New York Times article from 2006, but for the sake of the canon, simply know that the 2006 version is Epi-approved.

Link to read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43822015

It's difficult to overestimate the influence Mastering the Art of French Cooking had on home cooking when it was originally published in 1961. It not only introduced the world to the late national treasure Julia Child, but it also introduced Americans to true French food and generated a national passion for gourmet cookery. Prior to the publication of this book, French cuisine was only available in upscale (read: costly) restaurants and, well, in France. After the publication of this book, everyone was eager to serve boeuf Bourguignon at their next dinner gathering.

The book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is notorious for its difficult recipes; the narrative of the 2009 film Julie and Julia is based on this fact. But, if you've been too afraid to tackle Child's masterpiece, realize that not every dish necessitates the slaughter of live lobsters or the preparation of complex terrines. Check out the section on basic asparagus preparations, or create a Filet de Poisson Poché au Vin Blanc—a super-simple poached fish in white wine—since it's spring.

Link to read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129650

What is it about Yotam Ottolenghi that appeals to you? Every year, scores of British cookbooks are released in the United States, but they rarely make a big impression. Nonetheless, when the Israel-born London chef's cookbook Plenty was released in the United States, it caused quite a stir. Who thought that a book on veggies would be so popular in the United States?

They did, however, go insane. Perhaps it's Plenty's Mediterranean approach to fresh food. Perhaps it's a welcome splash of color in the pantheon of vegetarian cookbooks. Whatever it was, it was enough to make Ottolenghi's second book, Jerusalem, runaway success and inspire a sequel to the first book, Plenty More. Suddenly, American home cooks were liberally adding fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds to their cuisine, and you couldn't throw a rock without striking a restaurant serving shakshuka, an egg dish included in several Ottolenghi volumes.

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Plenty-Vibrant-Vegetable-Recipes-Ottolenghi/dp/1452101248

Okay, really this is two volumes in one: The Classic Italian Cookbook and More Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. On the other hand, readers can't get enough of Hazan. Prior to Hazan, Italian food in America consisted mostly of red sauce and meatballs the size of your fist. Hazan was the one who introduced Americans to the notion of matching pasta shapes with sauces, pushed the use of seasonal food in Italian cuisine, and created the balsamic vinegar obsession.

One of the finest textbooks of all time, The Essentials of Italian Cookery, taught Americans the principles of Italian cooking. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, published in 1992, is a compilation of two older publications by Hazan from the 1970s that have been revised and integrated into one volume. The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is an invaluable addition to any kitchen, with hundreds of recipes ranging from soups, pasta, and risottos to delectable meat and veggie entrees.

Link to read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19552

The book chronicles the story of Chang's successful New York City restaurants of the same name, as well as detailing distinctive Asian-American cuisine focused on ramen noodles. Gabriele Stabile, a photojournalist, illustrated the book with photos of the food as well as scenes of the chef and personnel at the restaurants.

The book is divided into three parts, one for each of Momofuku's New York City restaurants: Noodle Bar, Ssam Bar, and Ko, with recipes and anecdotes based on each. When writing about the recipes, Chang gives thanks to the team of people who created them. In other words, Momofuku is the ideal chef book: superb writing about a phenomenally accomplished and renowned chef, as well as recipes for cooks of all ability levels. It's a great piece of work.

Link to buy: https://amzn.to/3ox410Y