Who is your favorite cookbook author, and why?

OK, I have a few, but in different categories.

The cookbook I turn to the most is "Simple Cuisine" by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, so I guess the argument could be made that he's my favorite. I also use "Simple To Spectacular" quite frequently. I absolutely worship his cuisine (and eat at his restaurants as often as I can). He's so talented, and truly transformed American cuisine (despite being a native Alsatian) back in the 80s.

Mark Bittman, who has the Minimalist food column in the New York Times. He's great at taking gourmet food and making it accessible to a home kitchen. "The Minimalist Cooks At Home," "How To Cook Everything," "Fish" and "Simple to Spectacular" are staples in both my and several of my friends' kitchens.

For general cooking, I love the Editors at Cooks Illustrated cookbooks, like "The Best Recipe." If you've never read Cook's Illustrated Magazine, it's an absolute gem. I've learned so much about cooking from reading the magazine and their various cookbooks. It's like the Consumer Reports of cooking. They don't accept advertisements and make dozens of versions of each recipe as they determine the best way to make all the basics. They carefully illustrate steps and techniques and explain not just the how but the why behind each recipe's development.

I'd highly recommend any of these.

I personally love my Better Crocker cookbook. I grew up using my Mother's and loved the recipes I used out of it. Then when I got married, I hunted down an older version B.C. cookbook at a Goodwill and use it whenever I am stuck with a recipe. I love the older ones because they tell you how to do everything and are very basic, old fashioned cooking. I love it though, hope this helps!

It isn't a specific author, but I like the Moosewood Restaurant series of cookbooks because of their wide variety, their representation of different cultures, and their healthy, vegetarian emphasis. The recipes are easy to understand and require some work to acquire the ingredients, but the result is always delicious.

If all else fails, I always turn to the standard Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. My mom had it before me, now I have it. No particular author, but it covers everything, and recipes are basic and easy to understand.

Elizabeth David - a wonderful read:

"Elizabeth David is the most important cookery writer of the past century - she revolutionised the way we, as a nation, think about food. When Mrs David published her first book in 1950, post-war rationing was still in place and olive oil was only found in chemists in bottles marked “for external use only”. British housewives were making do with Spam, dried egg and over-boiled cabbage. David changed all that. Her books, with their beautiful descriptions of mouth-watering Mediterranean cuisine, introduced the country to the previously unheard of delights of olives, apricots, avocados and basil."

Nigella Lawson - mouthwatering descriptions and great food:

http://www.nigella.com/ (very good website for stockists, conversions, etc.)

Nigel Slater - break the rules and follow your appetite!

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/microsites/nigelsla... (lovely, homey, simple and delicious.)

Rachel Ray- her recipies are easy and she is hot!

and the cookbooks published by Doring Kindersley(sp?) they have great pics and good instructions.

Ted Nugent....self-explanatory.

Elisabeth Ayrton's The Cookery of England. It's so interesting you can read it for hours.

Any of Paula Deen's books are wonderful!

I like the ladies from the Silver Palette. They have a couple of great books.