The New York Times By Mark Bittman When I asked readers to tell me what cookbooks deserved to be included on an updated “50 Cookbooks I Can't Live Without” list, I anticipated a lot of input, and I got it. (And fortunately a former intern, Suzanne Lenzer, helped me sift through the comments.) Click here to see them, and the original post, too. The commenters gave me insight into how people are cooking, and what kind of books they are using for guidance, and enjoyment.

It would appear that the most prominent – and, to me, the most encouraging – trend is the role vegetarian cookbooks have assumed in today's kitchen, even for people who aren't vegetarians. Deborah Madison and Mollie Katzen both were mentioned time and time again, each for multiple books; while two vegan books, “Veganomicon” and “Dining With Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine” were also brought up frequently. read full article