I have thousands of cookery books but here is a selection of my absolute favourites.
Every Grain of Rice by Fuschia Dunlop.
The most erudite of guides to the vastness that is Chinese cusine. A fountain of knowledge that I always consult before China trips or researching Chinese recipes.
The Silver Spoon
Phaidon’s definitive guide to Italian cuisine. This has been a go-to of mine for many years.. I like it so much I have a copy in each house.
The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson.
The late Alan Davidson’s seminal work is the source of many a Wikipedia entry. I’ve been leafing through my copy for over 20 years now as a reference of food facts and history.