Top 5 Favorite food books!

I am a hardcore bookworm. I love to go to the library and just get lost in the 630-640 non-fiction section. FYI, that is the cooking/baking/nutritional section of the library. Many people do not know that your local public library supplies many cookbooks and food-related books. It is great for new cooks and foodies who want to expand their knowledge of food and recipes.

Books will supply knowledge for your food and cooking growth. Not only is it good to have cook books, but reference food books. Here are my top 5 must-have books for the kitchen:

1) Culinary Artistry By: Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page
This book talks about what flavors compliment what. A wonderful reference book for anyone who is wondering what to do with the leftover spices or food from the holiday season.

2) The Making of a Pastry Chef By: Andrew MacLauchlan
Similar to Culinary Artistry, this book has a reference for what pastry items compliment what. This is one of the most in-depth pastry books I have found on the market.

3) The Food Lover's Companion By: Sharon Tyler Herbst
This book is a "dictionary" for food terms. A great reference for anyone who is starting out and wants to know what "deglaze" or "sweat" means. Included are helpful tips, lists, and guides.

4) The Visual Food Encyclopedia: The Definitive Practical Guide to Food and Cooking By: Francis Fortin
I love this book because it has big, bright, and colorful pictures of food! Most people are visual learners and need to know what a certain food looks like before buying or cooking it. Not only does it have great pictures, it talks about the food itself and the best way to cook it.

5) ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to: Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, Getting Really Healthy
By: John La Puma
Yes, I love great food and pastries, but I also love being healthy and living a long life! This book talks about nutrition, a healthy way of living, and has helpful recipes. The author talks about which foods to eat with what to receive the max benefits of that food. This book is a bit of a "twist" from your regular nutritional books. Easy to read and enjoyable!

The more you read the more knowledge you will have! You will come across cookbooks you like, dislike and want to share with other food lovers. Go to your local library and just read a couple cookbooks, your mind will already be growing.
Happy Baking!