Five best books on food and cooking

Raymond Sokolov writes the "Eating Out" column for the Wall Street Journal's weekend edition.

In 2005 he named a five best list of books about food and cooking.

One title on the list:

"Mastering the Art Of French Cooking, Vol. 1" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 1961).

This overly meticulous and slightly dated introduction to la cuisine française is still the indispensable text for the cook who has learned the basics and wants to move on to the classic dishes of the world's greatest national food repertoire. By now, "Mastering" is also a historical document, the book that launched the American food revolution. It was based in part on an even greater primer, soon to appear in English, "La Cuisine de Madame Saint-Ange." But for neophytes, nothing will replace Julia.

Reads about all five books on Sokolov's list.

--Marshal Zeringue