It may be basic, but depending on who you're shopping for, I really like the Gourmet cookbook. The only thing I don't like about it is why did they use the stupid yellow font for the names of the recipes??
It's so hard to read.
Also for someone just starting out I simply love the old Better Homes and Gardens Standard cookbook.

irisarbor wrote:It may be basic, but depending on who you're shopping for, I really like the Gourmet cookbook.

I don't consider it that "basic" -- there are some very interesting recipes, such as a beef wellington using a cilantro/walnut pesto instead of pate. It's a great book, and if I'm looking for a recipe as a base for improv, it's one of my go-tos, along with the Joy. I use their blue cheese (and others) dressing, their soups and stews, etc.
There's also a Gourmet Today volume with a green jacket. It's got more "modern" and ethnic food, but I don't find it quite as valuable. ISBN 978-0618610181, the original is 978-0618806928.

We have had The Adventures of Fat Rice now in the house for about a month and despite the fact that everything in it looks wonderful, we have not gotten around to cooking anything from it yet. The recipes in the book are very involved and time consuming and build upon one another. I would almost be willing to pay someone to cook some of these dishes for me. Oh,wait.

I was unimpressed with the Fat Rice book. I never found the restaurant particularly good despite a very intriguing menu. I was hoping with the book I could take their ideas and execute them better for my predilections. The book has some delicious sounding dishes, but like many restaurant cookbooks (Mission Chinese comes to mind) presents an overly fussy version. I suspect you could get 90% as good with a lot less effort especially since most things are clearly analogous to staple dishes of the cuisine.

My recommendations:
Latin - Gran Cocina Latina
Culinary Mexico
(Maybe an older Bayless book)

Chinese - All Under Heaven
Phoenix Claws
Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuan cookbook

Thai - David Thompson's Thai Food (all you really need)

Mediterranean - Anything by Paula Wolfert
Ottolenghi should do a greatest hits. I think his prolificity has caused inconsistency

Indian - 660 Curries

American - Real Cajun, My New Orleans

Ice Cream - Perfect Scoop. I also like Jeni's book for ideas, but not a fan of cream cheese base.

Dessert Baking - I go to Rose Levy Beranbaum, Alice Medrich and Dorie Greenspan. I also like Dianna Chang's books. I haven't found a pie book I would highly recommend.

Bread - Peter Reinhart book or Hamelman's bread

I second many of these recommendations--Kenji's book, the Ollenghetti's. I'd add World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey. It was my go to when I got strange vegetables in the CSA and also solid for new ideas on things like green beans. She usually has 5-6 variations for each vegetable and I haven't hit a bad recipe yet.

I also love the Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. She's so opinionated that the prose is occasionally laugh out loud funny. But I turn to it often have had good results.

On the Thai front, Thompson is short on street food, such as pad see-ew. It's definitely an awesome book, but I'd supplement it with Simple Thai Food by Leela Punyaratabandhu aka SheSimmers.The recipes are very approachable, nice suggestions for substitutions, but not dumbed down. And less scary in its quantities of coconut cream.

eatchicago wrote:Also, the perennial classic "The Joy of Cooking" has reference and recipes for practically everything. From mother sauces to quick breads to marshmallows to roasts, it's got a good base recipe for practically everything. It was the first cookbook I ever owned and it is well-worn today.

There's an article about the new version in today's NYTimes.

Best,
Michael

EDIT: I just realized I missed your last sentence in the original post. I kinda like the 1997 version although it was much criticized. The NYT article I linked to reviews the new version.

I am actually using my JOC from the late 80's early 90's ( copyright 1975) to make short ribs today. I actually love that they still have how to dress a possum in the book.

There’s a new ‘Joy of Cooking’ coming out in November.

I have the 1975 (6th) edition of Joy of Cooking too, and I think it's the edition most worth buying if you can find it.