Question of the Week: What cookbook can't you cook without?

There are a slew of new cookbooks coming out this fall and I am wild with excitement to check them out and try something new. Nothing smells like autumn to me like a loaf of bread baking in the oven and a pot of chili simmering on the stove. I don't know about you but my cooking takes a nosedive in the summer and I live off of bread salads and BLTs and grilled salmon until the temperature outside is far cooler than the temperature inside. The shift from summer to fall always inspires me to slip on an apron and flip through cookbooks until I find the perfect dish to try. My husband's cooking bible is The Joy of Cooking but I tend to lean toward new classics like Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and Kate McMillan's Soup of the Day. 

What cookbook or cookbooks can't you cook without?

I Scream for Ice Cream!

Now that summer is in full swing, my thoughts turn, naturally, to ice cream.  My family used to make a weekly trek to the local stand to partake of this frosty treat.  I am continually amazed at the new and unusual flavors I see from local makers and chain brands alike.  Some sound pretty good (salted caramel pretzel), and some hold somewhat less appeal for me (maple bacon).  I realize there are those who would build a monument to bacon, but I don't think I want it in my ice cream.  Of course, you may feel differently.

I love books about ice cream.  I pore over the recipes, imagining the way each might taste, should I ever actually take the trouble to make it.  Here are a few of my favorites... 

Everything Goes with Ice Cream by Koralee Teichroeb.  Try Pink Marshmallow Ice Cream or Red Velvet.  Along with great ice cream recipes, you'll find recipes for other treats, and even instructions for making your very own "pinny."

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton. Feeling adventurous?  Whip up a batch of Queen City Cayenne or Star Anise Ice Cream with Candied Fennel Seeds.  Yummy!

Making Artisan Gelato by Torrence Kopfer.  Gelato:  the heavenly cousin of ice cream.  I was intrigued by Roasted Peanut & Marshmallow Creme and Chocolate-Cinnamon-Basil.  This book contains recipes for both the traditionalist and the curious.

What's your favorite book about ice cream?