Why Should You Read Cookbooks?

A lot of people wonder why should you read cookbooks? They think is there really anything new that can be in a cookbook? Will I learn anything from a new cookbook?

I have always found so many benefits from cookbooks. After college I realized I only knew how to cook a few savory items so I began collecting cookbooks. Through my cookbooks I have taught myself have to be a great home cook. They have provided me with a wealth of knowledge and entertainment over the years.

Travel Through Cookbooks

Cookbooks allow you to explore the incredibly extensive world of cooking. You are able to travel from country to country with different cookbooks. They offer you a glimpse into what life is like in a different part of the world, the flavors, the cuisine and the culture. As someone who loves to travel when I can’t travel I love to pick up a cookbook that takes me to a new place.

Some of my favorite cookbooks to travel through are: The Kitchen Without Borders, Les Marches Francais, and Giada’s Italy.

Inspiration From Cookbooks

Every time I pick up a new cookbook I look forward to finding what this author has to show me. In each cookbook I always find something that inspires me in making a new dish. Sometimes it is a well known recipe that has a simple twist or trick that makes the new recipe sing.

Recently I have found inspiration in so many cookbooks but my favorite has been The Saltwater Table.

Learning From Cookbooks

I have yet to find a cookbook that I didn’t learn something from even if it is just that I don’t love an ingredient, such a pomegranate. There are so many cooking techniques that I have learned from cookbooks such as poaching, stir-frying and deep frying.

Recently I even gave barbecuing a try using Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ cookbook. His cookbook has some of the best directions and explanations I have ever seen in a cookbook. He makes even a novice feel confident in front of the grill.

Without cookbooks I would be lost. They have guided me through so many times in my life. I have cooked some of the most special meals of my life using one of my cookbooks. Reading cookbooks allows you to learn, gain inspiration and travel in your own kitchen.

Why do you read cookbooks? What is the one thing you have learned from your cookbooks and which one is your favorite?