Research Guide
Spice Up Your Next Meal: The Library Way
Scope: This guide is intended to help anyone interested in learning how to cook. It is based upon items that are owned by the Metropolitan Library System. There are many resources available to help start the research process: books, periodicals, videos, vertical files and Internet sources.. From the items listed in this pathfinder, more information can be found. To aid in your search, log on to CyberMars with your library card to reserve any titles that interest you, or ask a librarian for assistance. To return to the Research Guide page, click here.
A. Introduction

Are you tired of eating the same dull cuisine night after night? Are you disgusted by the amount of fast food you find yourself ingesting? Are you afraid to touch your own cooking utensils? Well, it's not too late to spice up your kitchen. So do yourself a favor and give your meals some flavor.
B. Subject Headings and Shelf Numbers   
 
  • Cooking
  • Cookery
  • Food
  • Recipes
 
  • Spices
  • Condiments
  • Browse Call Numbers - 641 to 642, 640.41
C. Frequently Mentioned Texts
 
  • The Healthy Kitchen - Andrew Weil and Rosie Daley
  • In The Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes - Rosie Daley
  • Joy of Cooking - Marion Rombauer Becker
  • Betty Crocker's Cookbook - Betty Crocker
 
  • Soul Food - Joyce White
  • Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Julia Child
  • Live, Love, Eat! - Wolfgang Puck
  • From Emeril's Kitchen: Favorite Recipes from Emeril's Restaurants - Emeril Lagasse
D. General References, e.g. Guides, Encyclopedia, or Dictionaries   
  • The Cook's Dictionary and Culinary Reference - Jonathan Bartlett
  • The Complete Guide to Food and Cooking
  • The New Food Lover's Companion - Sharon Tyler Herbst
  • The Dictionary of American Food and Drink - John F. Mariani
E. Magazines or Newspapers
  • Betty Crocker Recipe Magazine
  • Gourmet
  • Food and Wine
  • Cook's Illustrated
  • The Library System has a subscription to the EbscoHost database that you may use either from home or in the library to search for magazine articles about cooking. Use the following search terms:
    • Cookery
    • Recipes
    • Eating Healthy
F. Internet Resources
  • www.allrecipes.com - An amazing culinary resource with over 23,000 recipes availabe, as well a searchable database and links to several food and diet related websites.
  • www.epicurious.com - Contains recipes, menus, cooking demos, food forums, gourmet shopping, and much more.
  • www.cooksrecipes.com - A premier recipe site and cooking site in one. Whether you're looking for your favorite casserole recipe or innovative meals to feed your pet, look no further than this one stop cooking source.
  • www.vegweb.com - A great spot for the non meat eater. Includes over 5000 vegan/vegetarian recipes, a vegetarian cookbooks directory, and even a coupons section.
G. Other Media, e.g. Video, Audio
 
  • Video Cookbook, 641.59/V652v/VIDEO/RECORDING - Provides 18 simple and easy to follow cooking lessons, with ingredients list.
  • The Quick Wholesome Foods Video, 641.555/Q61q/VIDEO/RECORDING - Demonstrates how to cook fast, delicious low-fat and low-cholesterol meals.
  • The Frugal Gourmet: The Spanish Kitchen, 641.5946/F944f/VIDEO/RECORDING - Gourmet Jeff Smith explains how to cook Spanish dishes.
  United Tastes of America #1, 641.5973/UN58u/V.1/VIDEO/RECORDING - Focuses on renowned chef and food anthropologist, Dorina Hafner, and her quest to collect recipes from around the world, relaying the stories behind them as they fit into American cuisine. Looks at Italian American, Jewish American, Southwestern, and Chinese American tastes.
Prepared by R. Taylor
December 2004