Ma librarie

American cookbooks in English  :

When using American cookbooks, keep in mind that the butter and flour are different in France so you may have to adapt the recipe through trial and error

Joy of Cooking : this is THE classic American cookbook. Recent versions have more "modern" dishes but it also has all of the basics, tips and lots of useful information on conversion and replacement ingredients.

On Top of Spaghetti : a great cookbook from my sister's favorite restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island called Al Forno. Everything is delicious !

The New England Cookbook: Brooke Dojny's collection of recipes from all over New England is great. She provides a bit of history and delicious New England staples.

Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery : this English bakery makes some of the best cupcakes in the world. The cupcake cookbook is awesome !

500 Cupcakes : this cookbook has anything you could possibly imagine to use in muffins or cupcakes.
You have leftover bananas? over ripe carrots? no sugar? you'll find a recipe in this book !

Better Homes and Garden Ultimate Cookie Book: the title says it all...

Mrs Fields  Cookie Book: I actually stole my mother's copy because I used it so much as a teenager. It's been out of print for years, but you can find it used on amazon.

USA cookbook: lots of history and most American recipes you could imagine...Shiela Lukins provides a great guide to American food. (Also exists in French)

United States of Pies : yum, yum and yum !

American cookbooks in French :

The following books are in French and don't need to be adapted to French ingredients. 

Marc Grossman, an American living in Paris, has published a few books on American food. He also has a few restaurants in Paris. (I've never actually been but feel I should promote a man whose name is only 3 letters away from my father's name).

New York, les recettes cultes  by Marc Grossman: this pretty much covers all of the American classics. The only thing missing is soft pretzels.

Bagels Comme à New York : another book by Marc Grossman. The bagels bring me back home.
We Can Cook : try the soft pretzels !

Un gouter à New York : delicious snacks and cakes by Marc Grossman.

Petit guide d'initiation à la cuisine US pour voir ce que l'Amérique a dans le ventre : a pretty decent adaptation of American recipes by a French person. The last chapter has some strange Franco-American concoctions that I have yet to try and seem just a little too gross for me (waffles with coke...)

Yes we cook : Recette made in USA has a good pretzel recipe. But I've never tried any of the others...and I'm not really tempted to either. But still, if you're looking for basic American recipes, then it might work for you. 

La Cuisine Noire Américaine written by Monique Wells, an African American woman who's been living in Paris for a long time, really hits home. It was published in English in 2000 as Food for the Soul: A Texas Expatriate Nurtures Her Culinary Roots in Paris. I think the title says it all...

Constance Borde (Vice-Chair of Democrats Abroad) and Sheila Malovany-Chevallier (a friend's professor at science po) have teamed up on a number of books on American cooking, all published in French. Most of them are out of print, but I especially like my old version of Saveurs Américaines. It has nice pictures, some history and all the real American recipes you could ask for.