I have often been asked which books are a "must have" in the kitchen.  Below you will find a list of books I have found to be of immeasurable help in my kitchen!  As you can see, I feel you can't go wrong with James Peterson.  All of these titles can be found at Amazon.com both new and used.

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Sauces; James Peterson

Peterson gives you--in close to 600 pages, of sauces. He gives the reader the kitchen science that allows sauces to work. He gives the the techniques to follow along where many a cook has already whisked up a splendid creation.

Splendid Soups;  James Peterson

Everyone loves soup, the world's most versatile dish.  Splendid Soups celebrates that with almost 300 recipes ranging from consommés to the heartiest stews, the book provides recipes tips, and serving suggestions

Fish & Shellfish;  James Peterson

There is an incredible amount of information presented here, in head notes preceding each of the more than 150 recipes and in the step-by-step photographs. The dishes represent innovative approaches to old and new cuisines as well as information on necessary equipment.

On Cooking; Sarah R. Labensky

This mighty encyclopedia covers a wealth of subjects, including nutrition, food safety, and standardizing a recipe. The book assumes a fair amount of culinary knowledge when it comes to proper textures, cooking times, and accurately judging "doneness." There are recipes for more than 700 dishes.

Professional Baking;  Wayne Gisslen

Professional Baking, he offers step-by-step instruction in making delicious bakery-and restaurant-quality pastries, cakes, desserts, and artisan breads. It also provides more than 700 recipes developed to help readers learn, then polish, their baking and pastry skills with full-color photographs and recipes sized for both the professional kitchen and the home.

Food Lover's Companion;  Sharon Tyler Herbst

Hands down, it is the ultimate accessible cooking and dining reference book. Amazingly comprehensive encyclopedia of everything you ever wondered or will need to know about culinary terms and ingredients. Not only does it define culinary terms used in cookbooks, but it also translates foreign terms and describes fruits and vegetables!