Cooking is eternal. From parents cooking for their families to renowned chefs worldwide, preparing and sharing food brings people together. It's no wonder so many have published cookbooks to impart their cuisine beyond their communities.
In fact, so many cookbooks have flooded the markets in the last fifty years it can be difficult to know where to start. I perused the "top" cookbook lists from numerous authorities (Food & Wine Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and more) to compile a list of the best cookbooks ever.
The Overall Winner...And A Solid Runner-Up
One book quickly emerged as the overall winner. First published in 1931, the Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer is one of the most published cookbooks in United States History. We've actually already mentioned it once in our feature about successful self-published books.
Rombauer was a German-American from St. Louis. She began compiling recipes into this book to cope with her husband's suicide, initially having only 3000 copies published. Her book was intentionally accessible and designed for middle-class home cooks. People loved it so much that it eventually became one of the most popular cookbooks ever, influencing countless significant chefs over the next 90 years.
The clear runner-up cookbook is Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. This cookbook has influenced chefs in the basics of cooking since its publication in 1961 and appeared on nearly every "top" list out there.
Find the Books
Follow the links below to grab these classics for yourself:
Honorable Mentions
Along with the two powerhouse books mentioned above, quite a few others stood out as extremely significant in American Cooking. Here are the next top ten, with a quick note about their focus and influence in the culinary world.
Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan: A book on baking
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi: A British cookbook that broke ground in the United States by teaching how to incorporate more veggies into every meal
The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America: An Encyclopedia of cooking techniques created by the CIA
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan: A collection of classic Italian techniques and recipes
The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African-American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin: A breakthrough compilation of Black cooking
The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters: Simple yet delicious recipes approachable enough for any cook
Larousse Gastronomique by Librairie Larousse: An encyclopedia of recipes, techniques, and culinary history
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat: An easy-to-understand introduction to the basics of good cooking
The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosse: A classic cookbook for any home
The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne: A classic cookbook for gourmet home cooks
On a personal note, I keep Marcella Hazan's The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and Samin Nosrat's Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat in my kitchen. I rely on them heavily for tips on technique and reliably good recipes as I cook daily for my family.
Suggestions for Further Reading
Interested in more info? Check out the following links:
30 Best Cookbooks of All Time, According to Our Test Kitchen (goodhousekeeping.com)
The Most Popular Cookbook from Every Decade (tasteofhome.com)
27 Best Cookbooks of All Time, According to Goodreads (businessinsider.com)
40 Best Cookbooks Of All Time, According To Chefs (kitchenauthority.net)
28 Influential Food Books, According to Serious Eats Editors
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