Asian Flavors, edited by Chuck Williams, recipes by Joyce Jue (San Francisco, Williams-Sonoma, Time-Life Books, 1999). The recipes (accompanied by appetizing photos) have been particularly well chosen. It is a case of quality, not quantity, and that can be an advantage when urgently looking for inspiration.

Asian Microwave Cooking, by K. Karuna (Singapore, Heinemann Asia, 1989). This is linked to promotion of a particular brand of Asian food products, but gives ideas and photos of some dishes one would not normally think of as microwavable, such as Chinese roast pork and tandoori chicken, that work.

Asian Tapas: Small bites, big flavors, by Christophe Megel and Anton Kilayko (Tokyo, Rutland and Singapore, Tuttle Publishing, 2010). Some information on ingredients and excellent photos. Recipes vary in terms of work involved.

A Book of Middle Eastern Food, by Claudia Roden (Harmonsworth, Penguin, 1970; hardcover editions – London, Thomas Nelson, 1968 and New York, Alfred A Knopf, 1972). The New Book of Middle Eastern Food (New York, Alfred A Knopf, 2005) is an expanded and updated version. Whichever edition you find, it is the real classic on Middle Eastern (especially Egyptian) food in English. A great book that explains how to cure fish roe, stuff all sorts of vegetables, and much more. It covers most of what you would need for an authentic and complete cuisine, and it is easy to follow.

The Book of Tempeh, by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi (second edition, New York, Harper Colophon Books, 1985). Though this book is not recent, it remains a guide to the myriad ways one can prepare tempeh – which is increasingly popular in view of the interest in vegetarian meals and the role of soy. Supermarkets often sell a variety of tempeh (soy, wheat and other grains may be used), and it is an easy-to-cook addition to the choices we can make. I tend to take a three-grain tempeh, cut in cubes, and quickly sauté them, add a little tamari, water and spring onions, cover briefly, and serve. That is just the simplest I thought up some years ago.

Boulevard: The cookbook, by Nancy Oakes and Pamela Mazzola (Berkeley, 10 Speed Press, 2008). This offers some of the wonderful, complex recipes of their great restaurant in San Francisco (from which you can see the Bay and bridges). Personally, I would prefer they prepare this incredible food, but the book represents a pinnacle of a great fusion-type cuisine. And superb photos, so you at least have an idea how the dishes should look. (If you go, you can also see the historic Audiffred Building in which it is housed. The soldiers and firemen who came to demolish it during the raging fire that followed the earthquake of 1906 were persuaded by the bartender to take whisky and wine if they would leave it alone - which they did.)

The Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, by Alice Waters (New York, Random House, 1982). Some guidance and classic recipes from the inimitable creator of Chez Panisse.

Chez Panisse Vegetables, by Alice Waters and the cooks of Chez Panisse (New York, William Morrow, 1996). Nice to have this more-focused book from them. Includes useful information on a range of vegetables.

China Moon Cookbook, by Barbara Tropp (New York, Workman Publishing, 1992). This is all that remains of that original San Francisco restaurant. It is a masterful guide to making and using a range of fragrant oils and other preparations that result in a delightfully subtle cuisine (essentially northern Chinese, where she lived for a while). One can ignore her preoccupation with partial precooking of most meat and still end up with delicious dishes.

Chocolate (Bath, Paragon Publishing Book, 2002). A chocolate lover’s book, offering 220 recipes, many innovative. I’ve made a version of its “Swedish chocolate cake” that turned out superbly, and a friend has successfully tried many others.

Classic Afghan Cookbook, by Mousa M Amiri (2002, available from www.afghancuisine.com or at the superb restaurant, “Shish Kebab”, in West Hartford, CT). This reveals many secrets of the authentic Afghan cooking that the restaurant offers, including recipes for its home-made tomato sauce, yoghurt, steamed dumplings, shish kebab and much more. Special pleasure to eat there and enjoy their lean cuisine, but this will help you if not in the area and curious.

The Complete Guide to Claypot Cooking, by Bridget Jones (London, Salamader Books Ltd, 1993). Cooking in a clay pot is my favorite way of cooking a Thanksgiving turkey. Really. (Get the largest pot, with the bottom half is glazed on the inside; I use the largest Schlemmertopf.) Just put some aromatics inside the bird, salt all, rub with good butter, pepper, put in the pot. A 16 lb turkey will be cooked in about 1 ½ hours, at 500°. No fuss.) I had already learned that when I came across this cookbook. Not recent, but no matter. It is a very handy way to explore the range of what a clay pot can do better than many other ways of handling roasts (I’ve cooked a pork roast with kumquats, wild duck, smoked natural ham and much else).

Cooking in the Litchfield Hills, designed by Patricia and Kermit Adler (New Milford, The Pratt Center, 1993). A superb book which, if you don’t have it at home, do by all means buy it. You can skip the (few) recipes that use processed foods like mayonnaise or salad dressing, and find some real inspiration. Many focus on local ingredients.

The Cooking of Singapore, by Chris Yeo and Joyce Jue (Emeryville, Harlow and Ratner, 1993). A guide to nonya cooking (a particular blend of Chinese and Malay). It can get boring as a steady diet but it's fun to try.

Cooking with Music: Celebrating the tastes and traditions of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Boston, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1999). This cookbook offers no hints of what music to play to accompany the food or improve your mood, but it does offer a wide-ranging, eclectic selection of enticing recipes from the culturally diverse members of the BSO. Fun book, with snippets of information on the musicians.

The Cuisine of the Sun: Classical French cooking from Nice and Provence, by Mireille Johnston (Newton, Biscuit Books, 1996). This offers exactly what its title declares. I’ve not seen, at least in English, anything comparable in its inclusiveness and accuracy. No glossy photos, just a really nice book to have around when you want to immerse yourself in that cuisine.

Dim Sum: The art of Chinese tea lunch, by Ellen Leong Blonder (New York, Clarkson Potter, 2002). This is a very clear explanation for those who would like to prepare these delicacies themselves. And it covers a wide range. I’ve found it useful, as I like to fill dim sum with natural ingredients that I prepare myself. And of course, you can prepare as vegetarian or not, according to preference. Drawings rather than photos – probably an advantage for making these dishes.

Easy Vegan: simple recipes for healthy eating (London and New York, Ryland Peters and Small, 2010). Fine recipes, covering a wide range of cuisines, and lovely photos.

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America, by Lee Allen Peterson (Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1977). This can help in deciding what to gather. It seems well planned, with drawings and photos plus some ideas for use. Some bizarre inclusions but should be helpful in avoiding poisoning.

Food in History, by Reah Tannahill (Briarcliff Manor, Stein and Day, 1973). This major (and fun) book interweaves food habits and economic history (she studied history and economics, and subsequently wrote on cannibalism and on sex in history). It is complemented, not replaced, by the Oxford Companion to Food.

Foods of the Americas: Native recipes and traditions, by Fernando and Marlene Divinia (Berkeley, 10 Speed Press, 2004). Fine overview of the cuisine, some cultural context (with the help of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian), and helpful photos.

Foods of the World (New York, Time-Life Books, 1968-70). This series (14 volumes in all) remains an amazing publication. An early and accurate introduction to authentic regional cooking across the globe, it applied a winning formula for overseeing the series (Michael Field) and depth (outstanding local figures, who were allowed to focus on their area of greatest knowledge). This resulted in offering, e.g., Santha Rama Rau on Madras, for the cooking of India, and, for New England, Jonathan Norton Leonard, who managed cranberry bogs and provides specialties using them intensively. Volumes turn up in used book stores from time to time (occasionally from Barbara Farnsworth in West Cornwall).

Gourmet Today, edited by Ruth Reichl (Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009). This is a wonderful resource for a very wide range of recipes (wider culturally, on average, than the magazine was when she was the editor, in my recollection). Drawings, no glossy images to guide you, but full of ideas when you seek inspiration. I often buy produce because it is especially fresh and appealing, and then look for unusual ways of preparing what I’ve bought (or brought home from the CSA to which I belong). Some explanations and recipes could even serve as a basic reference for an inexperienced cook. Extensive coverage. Reliable. And massive.

Great Women Chefs: Marvelous meals and innovative recipes from the stars of American cuisine, by Julie Stillman, with an introduction by Alice Waters (Atlanta, Turner Publishing, 1996). As one might expect from its pretensions, this is a collection of starring dishes (plus many desserts), with the minor accompaniments relatively neglected. Still, the range is impressive, the photos enticing. It should no longer be possible to argue that only males make great chefs, and for that reason alone it is worth a second look.

The Guilt-Free Gourmet: Indulgent recipes without sugar, wheat or dairy by Jordan and Jessica Bourke (London and New York, Ryland Peters and Small, 2012). Good, but especially helpful if, for whatever reason, you need or want to avoid these ingredients. With some inspiring photos.

Healthy Microwave Cooking: Better nutrition in half the time, by Judith Benn Hurley (Emmaus, Rodale Press, 1988). Out of print, but you can likely find a copy of this incredible cookbook on the web. Whether you use a microwave or not, it is full of great ideas for an international cuisine. Take it to the desert island that has electricity and a microwave (assuming you wouldn't carry the massive Oxford Companion to Food, though that would keep you amused longer).

Healthy 1-2-3: The ultimate three-ingredient cookbook, by Rozanne Gold (New York, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2001). A fine formula - to provide only recipes that use 3 main ingredients. It offers unusual and appetizing selections. One can carry the simplification a bit further and reduce the number of sometimes-excessive steps.

The Herb Book, by John Lust (New York, Bantam Books, 1974, and also editions in 1979 and 2001). The classic reference on herbs. Information is organized under ailments, and then alphabetically by herb, and in a number of ways that help one find highly useful information. Since it was reprinted recently, you should be able to find a "new" copy on the web. The frontispiece refers to it as "the natural remedy bible", and it is hard to argue with that. It is also full of serious information on nutrition and the effects of various herbs. It is not anywhere near as out of date as you might think.

Quick and Easy Korean Cooking, by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee (San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 2009). Some excellent recipes for one of my favorite cuisines (at least in its modern form, now that it is based on far more than cabbage, garlic and pork). Lots of photos also, both of the food and the culture. A particularly tasty dish is made with sweet potato noodles; excellent as a vegetarian dish (without the beef, though more traditionally, with pork). Many others are worth trying.

Larousse Gastronomique: The encyclopedia of food, wine and cookery, by Prosper Montaigne (New York, Crown Publishers, 1961). The most complete reference on classic French cooking in English, and a handy index on English and French terms. I think it is preferable to the 1988 edition (edited by Jenifer Harvey Lang), which seems less complete (in this as in many other cases, newer is not necessarily better, in this writer's opinion).

My Bread: The revolutionary no-work, no-knead method, by Jim Lahey (New York, W. W. Norton & Co, 2009). When I’ve not been near a good source of well-made bread, I’ve made my own in the traditional manner. This book is worth a try by those who want their bread of a quality they can’t find yet don’t have the time or energy for the classic steps. Might even be better, but don’t know.

Microwave Gourmet, by Barbara Kafka (New York, Avon Books, 1987). This small paperback is another handy reference. No photos, but some good ideas and recipes, which I consult when I don’t find what I am seeking in the more attractive, inclusive books.

Modern French Culinary Art, by Henri-Paul Pellaprat (New York, The World Publishing Co, 1966). A traditional classic on French cooking. It was one of the books that helped advance serious classical cooking in the US, and is still of occasional use when one wants to produce an elegant French-style meal.

The Oxford Companion to Food, by Alan Davidson (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999). Published in paperback as The Penguin Companion to Food (New York and London, Penguin Books, 2002). There is a second edition of the hardcover edition (2006) but I didn’t keep it, finding its layout inferior. It is an amazing book - a readable reference that most any cook would quickly find indispensable. Twenty years in preparation, its 892 (large) pages reflect not only the erudition and literary skill of the food-historian author but also his exposure to many cuisines during his years as a diplomat. Not a single recipe in sight. Not even a color photo. It is in a class that it created. To offer a hint, here is a sequence of topics literally chosen at random: "crumpet, crustacean, crystallize, cubed, cucumber, cucurbits, cudbear, culatello, culinary ashes". To illustrate why it can also be fun to read, an example of the style (from the conclusion of the entry for squid): "All squid are remarkable in one respect. The processes of natural selection have operated on them in a manner which suggests that fitness for being stuffed by cooks in kitchens was a criterion for their survival." Enjoy.

Salty Sweets: Delectable desserts and tempting treats with a sublime kiss of salt, by Christie Matheson (Boston, The Harvard Common Press, 2009). Not having much of a sweet tooth, appreciative of a range of exotic salts, and occasionally called upon to prepare a dessert, I was intrigued by the approach of this cookbook. Tried “lemon sugar cookies with zesty lime salt”, with amazing results, a view confirmed by the many who ate them. (Thin, crisp, they offer an intense jolt to the palate.) The idea is not to produce salty food but to add a touch of very good, clean-tasting salt (I use fleur-de-sel crystals) that excite the taste buds and satisfy without over-indulging. Good concept.

Soups: No fuss recipes for hearty soups, by Tonia George (New York, Ryland Peters and Small, 2008). Imaginative. Good if you need inspiration for preparing soups. Many fine photos.

Southeast Asian Cooking, by Barbara Hansen (Tucson, Fisher Books, 1992). No pictures, but some good and straightforward recipes.

Thai Cooking Class, by Somi Anuntra Miller and Patricia Lake (Kensington, NSW, Bay Books, n.d.). This also may be hard to find, but it makes sense and has helpful photos, so if you come across it and like the cuisine, add it to your bookshelf.

Easy Thai-Style Cookery, from the Home Library series of the Australian Women's Weekly (Sydney, 1991). Likely not easy to find, but the recipes are good and the photos very helpful.

The Wise Encyclopedia of Cookery (New York, Wm. H. Wise Co, 1954). An easy to use cookbook that is still not wholly outdated (and certainly progressive for its time) - mentioned in case you find it on a dusty shelf. (There are lots of dusty ones that should remain there.)

And, of course there are myriad books in which food features prominently. Among those that are entertaining as well as informative: The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, The Man Who Ate Everything, Kitchen Confidential, and French Lessons.