Design is a key element in making a great book, but for most part, it's the contents that separate the wheat from the shreds. The person who wrote a fantastic cookbook has a lot of passion, and a vast fund of knowledge. This is evident in the specifics, no matter how the book is scientific, technical or historical.

Fantastic headnotes

Head notes are the reason that makes me love a cookbook. They provide us with the reason why the author loves the book and what it can do. Head notes are a source of information and stories as well as helpful suggestions ("if you can't find banana chilesin the market, serranos will work"). The headnotes in a cookbook aren't just for show; they can give you vital clues. Notes can be helpful in identifying key elements and hint. For example, if the author remembers when she first became attracted by the aroma of caramelized onions emitted through a glass and gives you an idea of what to search for when cooking.

"Instant classics."

It's disappointing to buy an entire cookbook only to discover it's packed with recipes for dishes you already know how to cook, such as meatloaf.

It is always disappointing to discover a cookbook with recipes that you are able to prepare. I'm always looking for "instant classics" dishes that aren't terribly well-known however are delicious and straightforward enough to adapt to become a standard for the family. Two Dudes, One Pan's baked penne frittata and Dorie Greenspan's Chicken Tagine with Dried Apricots are two examples.

What to look for.

This is perhaps the clearest sign of a chef who is a master and, more important, a good teacher. A half-hearted cookbook author might simply state "Fry for five minutes on high heat," or add an jokey "until the golden." However, the gas and electric burners are variable and the time of cooking varies. Tell us what the aroma of the spices will be when they're toasting as well as how big the bubbles in the sauce must be when simmering properly and how salty your curry paste ought to be. There's nothing wrong with a lengthy recipe, it just shows that someone is interested. Once you are looking to discover extra information on cookbook, you must sneak a peek here at Cookbook how to use site.

Sidebars, glossaries, indexes

Although we don't use them when we cook they are the tools that make a difference between the cookbooks that remain on your shelves for years in comparison to the one that you give away at the end of the season. It's not just the useful information like how to shop for Japanese grocery items or the equipment you need to make your own pasta. The quotes from other cooks, the tale about Nana and the fishmonger, the lore that distinguishes your book from anyone else's.

Art

A good design is crucial; good art will make the buyer feel awed by your cookbook right there in the aisle. Don't let your stylist get so obsessed with the picture that it's not in keeping with what a home cook can afford to cook. It's frustrating to observe perfectly browned grill marks on your meat after being instructed to cook it under broilers. Or beautiful little heirloom cherry tomato blossoms which aren't in the recipe adorning a beige rice.

Honest photographs with the recipe pages in the center, are excellent. Drawings, no matter how whimsical or realistic are equally effective. (And typing can be equally powerful as art. I like the mixed-typeface designs that you see increasing in popularity these days. They add a punch to a page and often help me parse a recipe at speed.)

These are my opinions. They might be subjective to a degree, but I've heard them echoed by cooks across the world. Naturally, the most frequent refrain from cooks is "I already have too many cookbooks!" However, superior content, enthralling design, and thoughtful editing will overcome that lament every time.