Cookbooks That Get Dinner on the Table Faster
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Photo by David Cicconi1/12Eat: The Little Book of Fast Food
"Sometimes, we just want to eat. This little book is for those times." British food writer Nigel Slater kicks off his latest book with this promise, and the 464 pages that follow fulfill it with stripped-down, simple recipes that read like telegrams, and just enough photography to keep you hungry.—Adina Steiman, Special Projects Editor
Photo by David Cicconi2/12Molto Batali
He's got other cookbooks, for sure, but don't sleep on this collection of 120 recipes. The book is broken up by month, which makes it easy to find seasonal recipes. And each month is a menu, with a soup, a salad, antipasti, and an entree. If you're looking for ways to cook fresh food in a simple, delicious manner, this is the book.—Eric Gillin, Executive Director
Photo by David Cicconi3/12An Everlasting Meal
This isn't really a cookbook—at least, not in the way you're expecting. Food writer Tamar Adler's guide to the art of home cooking isn't focused on hyped-up recipes, but on initiating the reader into the habits of a regular home cook. The first chapter alone, on boiling water and what to do with it, shocks you with how many insights it contains. When the shock wears off, you find yourself cooking simpler food, with less effort and better results.—Adina Steiman, Special Projects Editor
Photo by David Cicconi4/12The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual
The Franks, as this pair of Brooklyn-based chefs are affectionately known, aren’t about complicated food or pretentious ingredients, and neither is their cookbook, which is filled with the recipes and techniques needed to throw together super-simple Italian comfort foods.—Matt Duckor, Restaurant Editor
Photo by David Cicconi5/12Home Cooking with Jean-Georges
Maybe I'm being naive, but I hook, line and sinker believe that these are the foods JGV is cooking at home. Why is it so easy for me to imagine him making a classic chicken with vinegar once a week? Because after living with these accessible recipes for a while, I know how easy it is to do.—David Tamarkin, Editor
Photo by David Cicconi6/12The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
I am by no means a vegetarian—far from it, actually—but Deborah Madison's classic guide to the meat-free life is a must read. If you've ever received a metric ton of turnip greens from your CSA and had no idea what to do with them, Madison's got you covered. Go ahead and add chicken stock or bits of ham to your recipes—I won't tell.—Paula Forbes, Senior Editor
Photo by David Cicconi7/12Canal House Cooks Every Day
Christopher Hirsheimer and Gabrielle Hamilton channel their knack for hyper-seasonal, easy-to-execute cooking into a book chronicling a year of cooking in their New Jersey kitchen and photo studio. No matter what month you pick up the book, flip to the corresponding section and you’ll find exactly what you want to cook, all narrated by two ladies living, photographing and eating the life you want.—Matt Duckor, Restaurant Editor
Photo by David Cicconi8/12Cooking in the Moment
Organized by season and interspersed with journal entries, this book is a mini-tour of a brilliant chef's home kitchen. The recipes from Reusing do exactly what those in a seasonal cookbook should do: turn a pile of farmers' market produce from a source of confusion into a source of inspiration.—Anna Stockwell, Associate Food Editor
Photo by David Cicconi9/12The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
I've always been a big fan of the Smitten Kitchen blog, and Deb Perelman's first cookbook is no less brilliant. Whether I'm cooking a simple pantry meal or a dinner party for friends, this book puts a little Deb on my shoulder, guiding me through the process.—Sheela Prakash, Editorial Assistant
Photo by David Cicconi10/12How to Cook Without a Book
In her groundbreaking book, Pam Anderson shows you how to use ingredients you already have in your kitchen to make basic recipes. She then goes next level, teaching you how to change up those basics with a few simple variations. Use the book enough and, suddenly, you won't need it anymore. Which is exactly the point.—Gabriella Vigoreaux, Editorial Assistant
Photo by David Cicconi11/12One Good Dish
Tanis's latest book—a collection of his New York Times columns—is as much an exploration of an idea as it is a collection of recipes. And that idea is this: A modest pile of meatballs can be dinner. A bowl of beans can be lunch. And sometimes, you're going to make a meal out of some marinated feta and a baguette. Before this book, I kept my cheese-and-bread (-and-wine) dinners sporadic, and I didn't talk about them. Now I'm out and proud, and when I make an entire meal out of a few pork skewers? I brag.—David Tamarkin, Editor
Photo by David Cicconi12/12The Zuni Café Cookbook
This special cookbook from legendary SF chef Judy Rodgers teaches readers not only the hows but also the whys of cooking. Through chapters like "What to Think About Before You Start, & While You Are Cooking,” Rodgers explains the importance of carefully selecting ingredients, tasting often and salting early. This is a book that empowers every reader, because, as Rodgers says herself, "recipes do not make food taste good, people do."—Rhoda Boone, Food Editor
