San Francisco a LA Carte by Junior League of San Francisco (1979, Hardcover)

San Francisco a la Carte is the best cookbook I have. I have prepared recipes from every section of the book and each one is a keeper: delicious, generally easy to prepare, and using a small number of standard ingredients. How many times have you looked at recipes with ingredient lists that take up half a page, most of which are not in your cupboard or refrigerator? Not the case with this book. Sure, there are some recipes that will enable you to stand all day in the kitchen, but most recipes are functional for working people. As an added bonus, there are charming descriptions of San Francisco neighborhoods and restaurants. I have given away at least half a dozen copies of this book for wedding, Christmas and hostess presents. Since it is no longer in print, I am happy to send used copies although I think there may be a soft cover version. Special recommendations: Superb Spaghetti Sauce and Filet of Sole Gruyere.

One of the most used cookbooks in the kitchen. Not much to look at, a rough feel, but very good recipes and well produced. A

I collect cookbooks and this is one of my favorite. Try the Enchiladas Verde - mine from this book get rave reviews. The book has some traditional San Francisco recipes that I have not found elsewhere. Look at the Chioppino recipe and the one for Chinese Chicken salad as examples. When cooking for special events, I usually look in this book 1st for ideas, then move to my other couple of hundred cookbooks. This cookbook won the Tastemaker Award (for good reasons). Also, this is one of the junior league cookbooks that I come across more rarely than many of the others.