Michael:
1. Climbing the Mango Trees - A Memoir of a Childhood In India by Madhur Jaffrey - Jaffrey's World of The East Vegetarian Cookbook was one of my first, 20+ years ago and still useful today; her autobiography gives an amazing glimpse into the world and food of an upper class Indian family around the time of Partition.
2. Best Food Writing 2009 - edited by Holly Hughes - I read this annual compendium every year; it is one of the best ways to get an overview of all the great things happening in the culinary world, and the writing is often terrific.
3. Bakewise - by Shirley O. Corriher - Corriher does a good, popular job of explaining baking science and applying it with recipes that have been turning out mostly great for me.
Thank you for participating, Michael! Check back to see who answers the question next time and what other books are recommended.
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