Sample the CRRL Cookbook Collection

Many people enjoy using the languid pace of summer to experiment with cooking new recipes and trying new types of cuisine. CRRL offers cookbooks for almost any kind of food you may want to cook. From baking guides to Chinese food, CRRL has it all! Here are some of our recommended guides.

One popular summer cooking style is grilling, and our guide Perfect Grilled Meats will teach you the best ways to prepare any kind of meat on the grill. Or, if you prefer baking, why not try Classic German Baking? This book will teach you how to make classic German breads and pastries, such as pumpernickel, katenbrot, and stollen.  If you have special dietary requirements, you might try The Low-Carb Baking and Dessert Handbook, which is particularly useful for people who want to have desserts but have dietary restrictions or health issues related to carbohydrates. If you are diabetic or have problems with sugar, you may find Cut the Sugar, You’re Sweet Enough, which details how to create sugar-reduced recipes for many types of popular dishes, to be a good choice.


Preparing different national cuisines is a great way to experience the tastes of other cultures. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking provides recipes for a wide variety of classic Italian dishes and methods for creating variants, such as reduced-fat dishes, as well.  Cooking the Mexican Way teaches how to prepare everything from snacks to full meals according to traditional Mexican recipes. The Everything Chinese Cookbook explains how to cook traditional Chinese meals with authentic sauces and spices and how to make wonderful Chinese food in the healthiest way possible. Jerusalem: A Cookbook explains how to prepare all the amazing foods of Jerusalem from the three faith traditions that call the city home.


There are even more varieties of cookbooks available in the CRRL’s collection. Harumi’s Japanese Cooking details how to prepare both traditional Japanese recipes and more contemporary recipes inspired by other cultures. Koreatown explains how to prepare Korean-American dishes, with recipes from Koreatowns across the United States. Celebrate Cookbook presents a wide variety of recipes for any festive occasion. Julia Child’s classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking teaches how to make many classic French recipes.


CRRL has cookbooks for any kind of recipe you’d be interested in making. The books listed here are only a small sample of our collection. Why not come down to one of our branches and take a look for yourself? Our librarians will be happy to help you find a cookbook for any occasion!


CRRL sometimes holds cooking classes and demonstrations. Click here to see what's cooking for the next few months.

Below is "Cooking with Julia Child" - a short presentation from the Smithsonian that captures some of the beloved chef's verve: