The French Laundry Cookbook
By Thomas Keller

I know Thomas Keller and I am very fond of him. He's very serious about what he does and is really quite poetic. For him, cooking is almost a religious experience. I value Keller's beautiful book, named for his Napa Valley restaurant, for its ideas about flavors and textures in a meal—but it's really about the love and joy of cooking. It's inspirational.