I received a cookbook from P this Christmas. The book is from the late Elizabeth David. She was a British food writer and "strongly influenced the revitalization of home cooking" in the mid 20th century. (Wikipedia)
I love reading cookbooks and often read more than I cook. At Elizabeth David's Table is a cookbook that talks you through a recipe - limited ingredient list and limited measurements. Frequently I find myself wondering what temperature a "moderate oven" is or exactly how much is "a good lump of butter." Any french chef will tell you there is never too much butter. This book unlike previous Elizabeth David cookbooks is full of pictures and illustrations. This evening I made Maccheroni Alla Carbonara. This dish is very simple and delicious when well executed. My dish did not look as elegant as the book's pictures, but I was very happy with the results.
This book has opened me up to The Splendid Table. The website is wonderful and has tons of information on everything cooking. If you can get past the "SNL" type commentary, the radio program has wonderful information about how to cook many different types cuisine and how to work with ingredients you may not have worked with before in your kitchen.
