Cookbooks have recently become an obsession. The only problem I find with them is that they are expensive to buy and if you really only want a couple recipes out of them then you are stuck with a whole book you won’t use. I like the idea of checking the books out because if I don’t end up liking them then it hasn’t cost me anything.
Recently Sean and I have started walking to our local library, mostly for the walk but also to browse. Having never really used the library in the past I was surprised to find the cookbook section on a recent trip. Although this might not be anything new to most people I was overjoyed at the sight of a huge row of every kind of cookbook I could imagine.
I started looking through the sections trying to narrow down which ones to take home with me that day. Do I take a baking one since those are the recipes I have most recently been working on? Or do I try and find the mexican cookbook some friends talked about that has a great mole recipe? I am left with the plan to just start looking through the ones that catch my eye.
After a few minutes I have amassed a pile of books, probably too many to be taking home with me that day. Sean finds me engrossed with the cookbooks and decides to set a limit on the number to take home that day, 3, one of which has to be the book he picked. How in the world am I going to pick just two books to take home with me?
My first pick was The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz which I had just seen on a blog earlier that day and was going to go buy next time I was in the states. Since I am not only trying to perfect my wasabi ice cream but also expand my collection of ice cream recipes I knew this one would get used.
The other book I had to take home with me that day was Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen. I have been obsessed with mole sauce for quite a few years, trying any recipe I can find, but they never seem to be just what I am looking for. I am hoping this book can finally give me a recipe to add to my permanant file.
Sean’s pick from the library was The British Columbia Seasonal Cookbook which looks like a fun cookbook of ideas for more seasonal cooking here in Vancouver.
I couldn’t resist getting more cookbooks and have already gone back to get Baking Illustrated which was recommended by my older sister. I am excited to start working my way through that huge book.
I have yet to use all of them but hope to start trying out the recipes very soon. I look forward to more trips to the library and all the fun recipes to be created.
The cream scone recipe in baking illustrated is GREAT. I also make their cinnamon roll recipe and it is yummy,.