Cookbook Obsessed

When I was shooting pictures of my kitchen over the weekend to show you our new rugs, I caught a glimpse of one of the little parts of our kitchen that makes me so happy- the built-in shelves in our island where I keep my most-favorite cookbooks and cooking magazines.



Originally, there were three shelves and I asked our builder to change it to two, so that I could stand my cookbooks upright.  A few months ago, James was really into pulling out the books, and my husband thought we should pull them all out and put them somewhere else if I didn't want him getting into them.  But, I've stuck with repeating, "No touch. Mommy's cookbooks." and he pretty much leaves them alone now.  He's got better things to do anyway, such a busy kid.

Barefoot Contessa got me started with a fondness for cooking so, naturally, all her cookbooks take center stage.  They have beautiful photography and simple recipes with an introduction to each one.  The two white binders to the right are where I store recipes I've printed or torn from magazines- one for desserts and one for meals.

Then, I've got more cookbooks on either side.  I try not to be too picky about how they're displayed since I'm always pulling them out and returning them.  I actually love reading them and looking at the pictures.  I haven't gotten to read "20 Years Younger" and the "Family Vegetarian Cooking" is new, I've yet to try any recipes, but am anxious to soon.

I'm also a fan of The Pioneer Woman and love her show on Food Network and the way her cookbooks help tell the story of her life. 

These wire baskets from The Container Store are the perfect size for my cooking magazines.  I subscribe to Food & Wine and Whole Living, and I like to keep those within arms reach.  I also love my Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen mags, but they are underneath.  

I've been storing the lesser-used cookbooks in our pantry

and keeping some in the media cabinet shelves, see, next to the picture of James? I really do swear by that Cooks Illustrated cookbook- every recipe I've made from it has turned out really well- even the pie crusts. Part of the genius of that cookbook is in the detailed explanations of what works and why.  

So, you can see I may be a little cookbook obsessed, but I actually do read them (and reread them, even just for pleasure).  Are you cookbook obsessed?  What's your favorite?