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I grew up in Oklahoma and think that we often get overlooked in regionaist culinary scene. BBQ is a perfect example. I know of no other place where you can get equally good pork and beef barbeque or ANY place that does beef ribs as well. When I lived in North Carolina I had a hard time convincing anyone that it was even possibe to barbeque a beef rib. I still remember Elliots Original on Brookside. Best beef ribs ever. Hickory sauce came warm on the side in one of those diner style metal creamers. And what about bologna? I love bbq'd bologna (as do a lot of folks in Oklahoma) but I've never seen it available outside of the Sooner State.

I really like having Joy around becuase it's just so reliable. Just about everything you might need is in there.

Yum, yum and more yum. Can't wait to make this ome!

I gotta agree with posters who say On Food and Cooking, the Science and Lore of the Kitchen by H. McGee. Read it through at least twice and refer to it often. For big assed books packed with knowledge and recipes, Le Guide Culinaire, A. Escoffier. MA GASTRONOMIE, by Fernand Point. CIA PRO Chef 8th edition., and Larousse Gastronomique. The latter being most used and referred to besides On Food and Cooking.

GO OUT AND GET THEM........DO IT, DO IT NOW!

I have an old beat up copy of Better Homes and Gardens that I probably open more often than any other. Mostly, though, I'm looking at it for approximate cooking times for different cuts of meat. I like the way the chart is laid out, and it's always fairly close to reality. There are also some cookie recipes that I've made for years from that book.

But I don't know if I would call it my favorite. I've probably cooked more recipes from other individual books.

My favorite tends to change depending on my whims of the moment. Sometimes I want a comprehensive book, and sometimes I want something with a narrow focus, like a particular ethnic cuisine or a particular technique or ingredient.

Sometimes I'll go to one of the standard books (BH&G, Joy, etc.) to see what the basic version of a recipe might look like, and then I go to the ethnic/regional books to see what flourishes might be added. Or, if I think a recipe I found online looks wacky as far as quantities/proportions of ingredients, checking one of the standards tells me whether the 1 cup of butter is a typo or not.

Since you already have Joy of Cooking, browse through How to Cook Everything, and then check out Alton Brown's books as well. And although I don't have it, Cooking by James Peterson also looks like a good choice. If you want something more instructive, On Cooking is a book that's used in some culinary programs, so you get a lot of education and technique along with the recipes. The CIA books offer the same style of instruction, as well.

If you browse through those books, you'll probably find that you're drawn more to one style of book than the others.

Don't discount the idea of getting used cookbooks, particularly for the ones you're going to use and maybe get dirty. In that case, a creased book jacket isn't going to make much difference.

I always browse cookbooks at antique and thrift stores, and there are a couple used bookstores nearby that I check out as well. Now and then there are some real gems.

And of course, if you are looking for specific used cookbooks, Amazon has some, and I always check out Alibris.com as well. Prices vary, depending on the booksellers and the condition of the book, but you might be able to get 2, 3, or 4 used cookbooks for what you'd pay for a new copy at a bookstore.

I really like Julia's the Way to Cook. It is very instructive and has lots of recipes that are basic and then built upon to be more complicated. So you can learn basics very well.

I bought CIA's professional chef and almost never use it; for one thing the recipes are for 10 portions each and you have to have your calculator nearby for conversion for a family meal.

@foodieteen-- all of the above suggestions are great. Particularly Heart's suggestion of hitting the library first and then building your collection. At your age it's often hard for grandparents/parents to figure out what to buy for birthday and holiday gifts. By checking them out from the library you can figure out what you might like to put on your wish list.
My faves, How to Cook Everything by Bittman, and if you want recipes plus illustrated techniques try Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques. Pepin's book shows and guides you through many different basic and more complicated cooking preps.

Dang it! foodieteen, please forgive me. I can't believe I did that. You know what the first three letters of the word "assume" are? ME!

I am so sorry -- of all people, I should have known better. One of my six sons cooks for 100-150 people at an assisted living facility; another of my sons was a hospital cook for years and does all the cooking and grocery shopping at home -- his wife and daughters always thank me for teaching him to cook, and now he teaches them. Come to think of it, he hasn't returned the last few cookbooks he's borrowed. I should call him and tell him that his mother's such an idiot.

I was at amazon.com looking up Shirley Corriher, whose books I don't own--I'd seen her on "Good Eats" and kept meaning to look her up but never did. Thanks for the gentle nudge, @annet and @MMinNYC.

I'm with @HeartofGlass: Go check out said cookbooks from a local library and give them a test run before you buy. I renewed Julia Child's The Way to Cook so much I kept it for the better part of a summer. When I was looking for vegetarian cookbooks, I checked out Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and renewed as much as possible, which was a sign to me that if I was using it that much, it was worth the money to buy.

Any cookbook I've bought without test driving it from the library or a friend first ended up not getting used - including The Joy of Cooking.

I've found both "Everything" and "Joy" to be indispensable. I use "Everything" more for entrees, appetizers and sides than "Joy," which I prefer for baking, breakfast/brunch.

I second the recommendations for Shirley Corriher's Bakewise and Cookwise, as well as for Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours. Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook & Cookie books are also great.

Another favorite is Craig Claiborne's original New York Times Cookbook (the blue cover) - you might be able to get an old copy on eBay or Amazon. It's loaded with classic recipes and very comprehensive.

@betteirene haha its funny because i'm a 16 year-old boy (not that you would have any way of knowing that)

I vote for the All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook - out of print the last I knew, but available on ebay and other sites.

Lots of good information besides recipes, and lots of full color pictures, which I'm a sucker for. I have a lot of cookbooks, but if I had to be reduced to one this is it, and I give it for wedding gifts.

This has the classics in several versions, and new classics in various ethnic cuisines. The food you eat every day is in here, and you would never run out of good food if you cooked only from this book.

But I second Heart's suggestion to check out the library.