Salad

I bought this a few years ago and it is probably my favorite cookbook. The salads presented here take the dish to an art form which focuses on simplicity, taste, and exquisite presentation. While some of the ingredients specified in a few recipes are for the epicurean who knows where to find edible flowers and other such ingredients, many of the dishes are simple, inspirational, and adaptable. It's like having haute cuisine accessible: without all of the labor you need for entrees or desserts. So if you want one easy-to-prepare aspect of a meal to impress your guests (or yourself), this is the easiest and the best way to get there that I've found. The authors have a great sense of aesthetics. I'm sorry to see that this book is out of print; if you like salads and you can find this book, get it if you can!

From oils to spices, vinegarettes to cheeses and artistic planning, this is the most beautiful salad book I've come across. I learned how to make basic and complex dressings and gained ideas on preparation and presentation to make my guests' mouth's salivate!