Larousse Gastronomique

[Fathom Zero]

Does anybody have a copy? Kitsa? Is it worth owning?

[Kitsa]

I used to. I didn't use it a lot, I just had it around.

[Fathom Zero]

I looked into it and it looks it's more about cooking method than cooking science. Like, hardly any measurements in recipes, but it'll tell you how to mix things and such. I want to turn cooking into a career, so reading up on the history and things included in the book would help me, I imagine.

[Kitsa]

When I went to Michael Ruhlman's book signing a couple of years ago, he mentioned that he was working on a new book that boiled everything down to the ratios of cooking. It sounded interesting, but I don't know if it's out yet. I have all of his other books; I'd recommend those.

From what I remember of my Larousse, it was mainly big and cumbersome and I didn't consult it as much as I thought I would.

[Kitsa]

Oh, duh, here it is. Apparently he did finish it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ratio-Simple-Behind-Everyday-Cooking/dp/1416566112/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257951311&sr=1-1

He writes well.

Edit: actually, I'd recommend Amazon's deal of Elements of Cooking/Ratio purchased together, I have both and can vouch for them.

[Fathom Zero]

They look good as well. I'm also a sucker for old books, though, so it's more than enough to justify the Gastronomique purchase.

I have these TOP SECRET RECIPE books that show you how to make Oreos and Mars bars and Super Pretzels and Reeses and all sorts of things.

http://www.amazon.com/Top-Secret-Recipes-Creating-Brand-Name/dp/0452269954

It's a very fun book, and the sequel is more of the same.

[Kitsa]

er, meant to say, I have the first and can vouch for it. Sry, brain not working today.

I totally understand book-love. I just got in a position where I had way too many books...definitely over a thousand, maybe almost two thousand. The whole house was bookshelves, including the hallways, and I actually had a couple of cave-ins. I can't lift the books myself, so it became a pain in the ass for those around me and it wasn't fair. So I had to severely cull my collection. I'd say I have fewer than 500 now. Larousse Gastronomique was one of those that I evaluated for size vs use vs potential, and it had to go :(

I kept my Ruhlman books, a Bourdain book (because it was entertaining) and several regional cookbooks that I use a lot.

[Fathom Zero]

Rough, pulpy paper from the 40's - 60's gives me a boner. Maybe it's just because I'm a bibliophile.

Cookbooks of all ages, though, will always be relevant. Recipes never change. There might be new variations, but you can still make anything that you find in cookbooks hundreds of years old.

[captain516]

Not necessarily, there must be a few ingredients that you can't get as easily anymore. Or is that what you mean by "variations"?

[Fathom Zero]

New ways to make old food. You know, constant reinvention, evolution, the reason humanity exists?

[kahljorn]

I ALWAYS KNEW WE EXISTED TO WIN THE UNIVERSAL CHILLI COOK OFF

[Kitsa]

One reason that the Ruhlman books are so good is that he originally viewed his CIA placement as a writing assignment, then sort of stepped into the cooking role. The anecdotes about the CIA alone are enough to make the book worthwhile...they're not a hands-on education for you, but it's excellent information.