Jennifer Armentrout

Editor-in-Chief, Fine Cooking Magazine

Biography

Jennifer Armentrout is the Editor-in-Chief of Fine Cooking Magazine. She’s been with the magazine for fifteen years, and prior to becoming its chief editor, held a number of other job titles there, including Test Kitchen Manager and Senior Food Editor. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she’s also spent a few years cooking in several Washington, DC-area restaurants. Jennifer lives in Connecticut with her husband, 6-year-old son, and two rambunctious Boston Terriers.

The Joy of Cooking

Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker

My mom gave this book to me when I left home for college and kept calling her every night to ask basic questions, like “how do I roast a chicken?” Not only does it cover those basics, it’s also got instructions for oddball tasks like how to cook a squirrel or skin a beaver tail. Not that I’ve ever needed to do either, but who knows, one of these days that knowledge might come in handy.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Simone Beck , Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child

As newlyweds in the 60’s, my parents basically taught themselves how to cook by working their way through this book. If not for Julia Child and her co-authors, I would have grown up a lot less well fed.

The Moosewood Cookbook

Mollie Katzen

This was my go-to cookbook during a brief stint as a vegetarian in college. I love the hippy vibe of the recipes, and Mollie Katzen’s charming illustrations.

Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts

Maida Heatter

Because I adore lemon cake, and there are not one, but two killer lemon cake recipes in this book.

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Marcella Hazan

Marcella Hazan is to Italian cooking what Julia Child is to French cooking. Her deceptively simple looking recipes are so vibrantly flavorful.

Cookwise

Shirley Corriher

This is the first book I reach for when I need to figure out what’s going on with a recipe that’s not working. It makes food science very approachable and easy to understand for non-scientists like me.

The Pie and Pastry Bible

Rose Levy Beranbaum

I have this book to thank for quelling my irrational fear of pie dough. Now pie is my favorite kind of dessert to make.

Vegetable Literacy

Deborah Madison

The definitive reference for all plant-based foods.

The Union Square Café Cookbook

Danny Meyer and Michael Romano

Every dish I’ve cooked from this book has been spot-on delicious. That’s not always the case with restaurant cookbooks.

Flatbreads and Flavors

Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Part travel memoir, part recipe collection, this book presents a fascinating look at global cuisines through the lens of a flatbread.