In honor of National Cookbook Month, we recently asked Parkhurst Dining chefs and team members to share their favorite cookbooks, and they provided a diverse list with culinary themes including Japanese desserts, bread baking, fusion cooking, smoked recipes, and more!
Read on to discover the cookbooks that inspire our team members.
Liz Canoles – Director of Retail at Loyola University Maryland
“As of July, I’m the Director of Retail at Loyola University Maryland, but for the past 20 years I’ve worked as a baker and pastry chef. Here are a few books that have had a lasting impact on me:
Japanese Patisserie by James Campbell is one of my favorites because it opened up an entirely new world of flavors and pairings for me. I was struggling to expand my knowledge of Asian desserts, and this book completely changed my perspective. One recipe that stands out is the Smoked Chocolate Pavé with Yuzu Ganache, Miso, and Peanut Butter Crunch. The combination of soy sauce, miso, white chocolate, and yuzu is both unexpected and incredibly delicious.
The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in learning the art of bread baking. Despite loving bread class in college, bread has never been my strongest area, and this book made the process approachable and easy to understand. It’s an award-winning book that breaks down techniques in a way that’s accessible to bakers at any level.
Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson is another longtime favorite. I’ve owned it for years because the San Francisco pastry scene has always inspired me. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit one of their bakeries in California, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Their lemon cream recipe alone is worth owning the book.
Lastly, don’t overlook magazines. Bake from Scratch Magazine has been a tremendous source of inspiration for me over the last several years. The recipes, techniques, and seasonal ideas consistently spark creativity, and they also publish beautiful cookbooks that are well worth exploring.”
Joe Flax – Executive Chef at Ursinus College
“So, my favorite Chef is Marcus Samuelson and I have most, if not, all of his books. I am going to suggest two books because he is that good!
New American Table by Marcus Samuelson was the first cookbook of his that I read and it was amazing. One of the best dishes I’ve created, my Smoked Crab Chili, is a variation of 2 recipes that I combined from this book.
Marcus Off Duty by Marcus Samuelson is the book I recommend to most at home cooks who are looking to try some more difficult or professional dishes. These recipes have eclectic flavor profiles, approachable techniques, and a fusion of cultural influences, making them appealing to adventurous home cooks. This book also has variations to some of the recipes for dietary restrictions and allergies. It’s a really good book!”
Brad Gambrell – Executive Chef at John Carroll University
Smoke & Spice by Cheryl Jamison and Bill Jamison. “I’ve always had a passion for smoking foods. I have a good-sized smoker at home that gets plenty of use around the holidays, at family gatherings, or anytime I feel like experimenting with a new recipe. One family favorite is my raspberry-tea-smoked butcher’s-cut turkey breast with applewood bacon. I love how different woods can completely change the character of a dish, much like fresh herbs and spices. Smoke & Spice has been a great source of inspiration for that side of my cooking.
Under Pressure by Thomas Keller. My other culinary passion is sous vide cooking, which is where Under Pressure comes in. During my restaurant-chef days, one of the challenges was consistently cooking different cuts of meat, such as rack of lamb, strip steaks, and half chickens, to the perfect temperature while handling hundreds of a la carte orders. Sous vide changed the game for me. After taking a couple of classes from a world-renowned master chef, I was hooked and never looked back.
For anyone unfamiliar with it, sous vide involves vacuum-sealing food in a pouch and cooking it at a precisely controlled temperature. It combines two things I really enjoy: great food and a little bit of science.
After all, cooking is an art, but there’s plenty of science behind the magic!”
Gery Legra – Executive Chef at Otterbein University
The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook by America’ s Test Kitchen. “I love mediterranean food and this one has a lot of good recipes and simple to execute!”
Mary Dissanayake – Executive Sous Chef at Hanover College
The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book by Alice B. Toklas. “It isn’t just a cookbook, it tells a story, it describes every detail, down to the color of decor and China set for the guests. I enjoy the following passage from Alice B. Toklas, ‘The French approach to food is characteristic; they bring to their consideration of the table the same appreciation, respect, intelligence, and lively interest that they have for the other arts.’”
We hope you find inspiration and joy from these cookbooks recommended by our talented team!
