Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I make a broth with chicken stock, a few slices of ginger, a couple of cloves of garlic, smashed and a few shakes of hot red pepper flakes. Let it steep, and drink it hot. It helps!

I was there in 2001 or so, and remember eating at a little place on the river (to get to it, we had to walk down a very narrow stairway, single file and turned sideways to fit). We ordered the house special, which was a big platter of duck breasts, thighs and legs, and sausage, pieces of pork, sauerkraut and potatoes and came with some form of apfelstrudel for dessert. I remember it being delicious!

I have a family cookbook from 1976. It is lovely and sentimental to me, even if I do occasionally get frustrated by ingredients like "one $1.29 package of..." and "a large tub of ...." Be specific, please and remember that the recipient will use the book for years to come.

Honestly, I can' t think of a nicer gift, especially if the recipes come with comments and stories. BTW, it was spiral-bound when I got it (upon the occasion of my 21st birthday; family tradition), but I wore out the spirals and had to put the pages in acid-free sheet protectors to keep it safe and usable.

In many Southern families (including my family), this is known as the "dead spread." It's not disrespectful, just a way of injecting a little humor and ritual into a tough situation. When someone dies, the dead spread is a way to show continuity and community--in my small hometown, I know that if someone (or I) dies, then the menu will most certainly include briskets cooked in a Nesco roaster, pimento cheese (both with white bread to put it on), deviled eggs, probably a chafing dish of meatballs served with toothpicks and a huge assortment of cakes, one of which will be coconut all washed down with sweet tea. It's a comfort.

I ate many, many PB and J or tuna sandwiches (no name brands!), and spaghetti with butter and garlic. Chicken leg quarters were my go-to protein (still like them) and I ate a BUNCH of scrambled/hard-boiled/fried eggs on toast.

I hated them until I grew them myself. Now I can't eat enough of them. Raw, off the vine, still warm from the sun....

The hot dogs at Sheetz were a favorite of mine while I was in grad school. 2/$1.29, unlimited condiments (the spicy red pepper relish was my favorite), and walking distance from my office. A cheap treat!

I made vichyssoise and Salad Nicoise directly from Vol. I and both were absolute perfection. And easy!

@hungrychristal: OK with me! :)

@yayfood: I've been recommending It's All American Food to everyone, all the time. I love it, and all the recipes I've tried have been great, too!

The "hidden gem" cookbooks that I like are vintage Junior League cookbooks from anywhere there's a JL.

Honestly, it was a sandwich made with still warm homegrown tomatoes, salt and pepper, on WonderBread with mayonnaise. Eaten standing over the kitchen sink. Trashy but delicious!

Saveur.

James Beard's American Cookery is encyclopedic; some of the recipes are archaic, but it's got lots of good basic recipes. The Martha Stewart Cookbook is good, especially for appetizers.