The Most Essential -- and Most Beloved -- All-Purpose Cookbooks

Don't forget Ken Hom and Madhur Jaffrey!

The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cooks Illustrated is a hands down winner and I'm shocked to see it omitted from this list. It's both reliable and educational and has saved me many times.

I completely agree with Julia Child's "The Way to Cook." As a Culinary Institute of America trained pastry chef, this one keeps me grounded in the savory. I can't live without it.

You can't go wrong with Shirley O. Corriher, Bakewise, and Carole Walter, Great Cookies

Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts, Julia Child The Way to Cook, Michael Field's Cooking School, and Craig Claiborne's New York Times Cookbooks are my old reliables. Of the newer books, I like many of Ina Garten's recipes (just made French chicken pot pie with puff pastry crust from her latest cookbook (using all-butter puff pastry from Trader Joe's); it was a huge success. I also like many of the recipes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods because they are simple to prepare and tasty. Right now I am most enthusiastic about Sami Ottolenghi's Jerusalem.

Anything from Jacques Pepin he is the master

My recent go-to is Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. Sensible & exotic, doable and delicious.

How can you overlook the Red Plaid from Better Homes and Gardens. This is a basic for the beginning cook and the more experienced cook. They keep up with the new food trends and still have the basic recipes we all need.

I Have SOO many baking books ! I have a kind of a middle of the night baking book purchase problem. Many of them turn out to be just for reading. When I actually go to bake something, I turn to my old favorites. Maida Heatter,(all her books) Beard on Bread, Dolores Casella's A World of Baking, and A World of Breads. The NY Times cookbooks. Carole Walter for Pies and Coffee cakes. This time of year I love Roses Christmas Cookies , ( I just had to buy a new one because my first one fell apart.) the Welllesley Cookie Exchange cookbook and the King Arthur Cookie Book. Some of these are out of print, but you might be able to find them online or in used book stores

I still prefer my "old" cookbooks to many more recent ones, although I read practically all the well-reviewed ones, and still buy new ones as budget permits:
Craig Claibornes NY Times cookbooks, also his Southern Cooking
Jacques Pepin's Everyday Cooking Also James Beard"s Fireside Cookbook for simple everyday meals
A cookbook published in 1940 I bought used is my go to for American cookery along with James Beard: The Greater American Cookbook edited by Ruth Berolzheimer, Director: Culinary Arts Institute along with a list of associate Editors for the ten principal sections, each devoted to a characteristic style of American cookery. Something you usually don't find in cookbook organization. While this book was published in 1940, used copies are available
La Cuisine de France by Mapie, the Countess de Loulouse Lautrec translated by Charlotte Turgeon which I much prefer to the more complex recipes of Julia Child.
My favorite book on French cuisine is Simple French Food by Richard Olney covers what is known as couisine bourgeoise - with beautifully written detailed descriptions for their preparation. I especially like his section on vegetables, eggs, and fish for generally easy to prepare recipes with ordinary ingredients that are not always used in our American kitchens.
Elizabeth David: English Bread and Yeast Cookery and Bernard Clayton's complete book of Breads
Most contemporary recipe writers are more aware of healthy cookery and present accordingly compared to the past. There are those who focus too much on what they consider the current politically correct "healthy food"and loose what should be all things in moderation.
I think that too many current recipe writers are overly specific in listing the type of ingredients to be used, and list ingredients that may be difficult to find in an attempt to be original, rather than enhance the dish.

I agree about Maida Heater but would also add anything by Carol Walter, Rose Levy Bernbaum or Alice Medrich. Follow these 4 women and you will be the best baker.

Any of the Maida Heater books. I have never had a recipe fail. The directions are clear and make sense.

But in the category of general cookbooks, one omission is Madeleine Kamman's opus, The (New) Making of a Cook. Weighing in at 1200+ pages and covering almost anything you can think of, though of course light on Asian cuisines (it does however include a recipe for Thai Flavored Bavarian Cream - who knew??), this is a very serious contender for best all purpose cookbook. But I have to say, and this is not a gratuitous genuflection in the direction of Food 52'ers, The Essential NYT Cookbook is the one I would have above all others, as an American with good basic skills to start with.

Any of the Maida Heatter baking cookbooks but especially the Chocolate one!

The Gourmet Cookbook as well as Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichl.

Smitten Kitchen what are you doing on this list....hmmm

Fanny Farmer Baking Book by Marian Cunningham, The Complete Book of Pastry by Bernard Clayton

Elizabeth Baird's (and Daphne Rabinovitch's) Canadian Living cookbooks are essential. Also Julian Armstrong and Ricardo for flavours of Quebec. Of course, Way to Cook. Nigel Slater's Tender has become my go-to veg book; Martha Stewart's books are underappreciated for basics and clear technique; Cake Bible for baking basics; Joy of Cooking really depends on the edition — some of the 80's editions are real stinkers.

The Cake Bible, by the inimitable Rose Levy Beranbaum. It has never, ever let me down all these years.

The Silver Palate is my go to. For baking I am a fan of The Simple Art of Baking by Flo Braker is a must have.