So, it’s Sunday morning at around 8 am the week before Christmas. It’s pretty early for me, but I can’t sleep. I’ve been pretty ill for the last couple of days and this morning, the cold sweats woke me from a drug-induced slumber. It’s kind of a bummer, because this is my favorite time of year. I don’t really subscribe to a religious ideology, but I love the spirituality of gathering friends and family around this time of year to celebrate the company of one another. Unfortunately, due to this unfortunate ailment, I’ve had to miss out on these gatherings for the last couple of days. I guess it only makes me appreciate it more. So what does a sick person preoccupied with food do on a dreary, sick day a week before Christmas? Look at cookbooks.
I love cookbooks. I love the way they hold within them so many possibilities. Delicious entrees, savory appetizers, and luscious soups, I get a warm feeling just thinking about what to make for myself, or for family and friends. As I was perusing through my collection, I’ve decided to include a list of my opinion of the must have books in any cooks collection. Here are a few:
- The Joy of Cooking – This is the ultimate go to book for just about any recipe. Many of the contents and techniques are kind of old school, but the instructions are easy and the variety is unmatched.
- James Beard’s American Cookery – Classic recipes from the food critic of food critics. All kinds of great old recipes including great fried chicken and, one of my personal favorites, steak a la Mirabeau.
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking – Julia Child’s seminal work, along with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, set the standard for every home cook and every cookbook from that point forth. Delicious recipes accessible to everyone. Try the Coq au Vin. It is worth the time.
- Chopstix – This is a personal favorite of mine, which covers the beginning of the Asian fusion movement of the late 80s to the early 90s. Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison’s book got me to start thinking outside of the box. The Thai High Chicken is amazing.
- The Classic Italian Cookbook – This is the Italian cookbook to have. Marcella Hazan’s recipes highlight what is best about real Italian food, simplicity. The risotto is silky, the ragu is creamy, and the lamb dishes are succulent. A must have (though a bit strange, since it I’ve only found it in a novel size paperback).
- The French Laundry Cookbook - Okay, this one's not really a practical book for the home chef, but it is an amazing depiction of what food can be. Thomas Keller's restaurant in the Napa Valley is a mecca for any and all foodies, and the book does it justice. The pictures are stunning, the writing amuzing, and the recipes are so intricate, it makes you want to be a better cook.
- In the Defense of Food: an Eater’s Manifesto – Michael Pollan’s eating guidebook. Not really a cookbook. You already know how I feel about this one.
There are of course plenty more, but these cover the essentials. After looking them over, I’ve gathered ideas for Christmas Eve dinner. We are doing a seafood appetizer feast. I’ve been thinking about crab cakes, lobster bisque, and oysters. My nephew said he wants bacon-wrapped scallops, so we’ll have to do something with that. Any other suggestions?
Classes are over for the semester and they were quite a joy. Legal ended without any fanfare, but I did get an A. I did actually learn a lot in that class, though I could have done it by reading the book alone. I took the ServSafe exam and passed. The certification is good for five years and is needed by at least one cook or more in a restaurant in California, depending on the county.
My cost control class became a bit of an ordeal. Our final project involved taking a fictional business, which was not profitable, and, using cost control measures in buying, sales and labor make it a profitable one. It ended up taking quite a bit of work, and then, in my final moment of glory…I erased a large chunk of it an hour before it was due. I never freak out, and this was about as close as I’ve come to doing it. I felt as I had let the group down, but they were quite understanding. So was our professor, who allowed us to turn in the finished project by the next evening. I was able to re compile most of the info. And we filled in the blanks. We have yet to get a grade, but I’m pretty confident that it’ll be okay.
I did register for a few classes next semester. First, Financing a small business. My second class is Small business and entrepreneurship. My final class is beverage operation. I’ll keep you posted on what these entail as we get closer to the semester.
As the year and decade draw to a close, I find myself in a moment of reinvention. I am cognizant of who I am and who I’ve been in the years past, and, though I’m proud of who I am, there is always room for improvement. So, therefore I’m excited to see where the next few years take me. I want to wish you all happy holidays and hope that we all have a wonderful new year ahead.
