This (and it's companion, HTCE Vegetarian) quickly became two of my go-to cookbooks last year and helped me explore outside my usual cooking realms. I'd set HTCE (and HTCEV) aside and fallen back into a cooking rut. Last weekend I pulled HTCE back out, and was reminded again how great it is. I love the format of the basic recipe followed by adaptations that can be made to the basic one - for me, those get me thinking about other variations that might be excellent as well. Plus, HTCE *finally* helped me roast a chicken well - I'd never quite gotten it right - and it was wonderful.

I have other excellent cookbooks too, definitely. There's The Joy of Cooking and Veganomicon. HTCE and HTCEV join those as ones that never quite make it back to the cookbook shelf (or at least not for long!)