I’m absolutely devouring The Kitchen Diaries, A Year in the Kitchen with Nigel Slater, a beautifully written book that chronicles, daily, or almost-daily, Slater’s cooking life. I’ve liked him since I lived in Germany and had English satellite television. I found his recipes to be easy and natural. This book stresses “right food, right place, right time”, a principal I agree with 100%. He wrote a beautiful memoir, which Chris gave me for Christmas a few years ago, called Toast, The Story of a Boy’s Hunger. Chris was especially drawn to it and felt that Slater’s memories and experiences were somewhat in step with his own British childhood.

Some of my favorite other cookbooks and books about cooking are:

1. Anything by the late, great Laurie Colwin, whose novels are some of my favorite ever, and whose treatises on food and cooking are legendary among real foodies. I have loved her since her great and charming novel Happy All The Time, which my sister Gina and I used to quote continuously. Beautiful book. Her writings on food far eclipsed her amazing novels, in my mind. Simple, perfectly charming and written with true love, they still hold up many years after her premature death. I can’t really do justice to Laurie (and to me she is Laurie, and was my friend, even though I never met her), but here’s one nice appreciation from the Washington Post, and another from a blogger who totally voices my feelings. If you like cooking, have a generous soul and open heart, read Laurie’s books. You’ll wish you’d known her too.

2. Anything by the Barefoot Contessa. When I first came across Ina Garten, I really wanted to despise her because I was dead jealous of her, but the truth is that she’s wonderful, warm, knows that nurturing and feeding is synonymous with love and something I believe in totally. I think Ina and Laurie would have gotten on well. Plus, Ina’s recipes are wonderful, always a success and do-able.

3. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, which was used by my mom and the “new edition” edited by Marion Cunningham was given to me as a gift twenty five years ago, is falling apart and a bit dated, but I still consult it regularly.

4. Mark Bittman’s books are all great – love the Minimalist Books and How to Cook Everything and look forward to his Wednesday New York Times Column every week. Mark’s never let me down.

5. Anything by Patricia Wells, but especially Trattoria and Bistro Cooking. She’s great. Bistro Cooking has a lot of great recipes from great spots throughout France and Chris and our European friends were tickled when I replicated L’Ambassade d’Auvergne’s classic chocolate mousse for them. I actually remember one of our friends licking the bowl.

There are many books I have failed to mention and which I use and love very much, left out, but I’ll update my list as the days pass.