Basic Cooking Techniques- "How to Cook" Book

[Kimmu-chan]

Hello

Can anybody recommend a book that teaches basic cooking techniques? I am a decent cook for everyday dinners, but I don't know how to poach an egg, what spices to use for what, or how to make a meringue. So far, Google has been my solution for kitchen crisis, but I would like to find a book that I could work through and by the end of it, feel confident in my kitchen. Can anybody help?

- K

 

[Robo410]

There are many. 2 by James Petersen "Essentials of cooking" and "Cooking" Paula Dean has one out I think Certainly Martha Stewart has a "Cooking School" book out I've seen. Then are professional books like Jacques Peppin's Fundamentals of Cooking, The American Culinary Federation Textbook, The CIA's Professional Chef etc. America's Test Kitchen has an instructional cookbook.

You are looking for a book that walks you through Saute, Roast, Braise, Poach, Steam, Fry, boil, blanche, bake, as well as gives you recipes for each and lists many others, as well as teaches methos of incorporation (stir, fold, wisk, cream,) and also covers basic knive cuts etc.

Books like the Joy of cooking also have introductory material which describes all this.

Any other suggestions out there?

 

[Selkie]

The Illustrated Kitchen Bible [ISBN 978-0-7566-3974-7]

 

[recipedirect]

Cooks Illustrated has a kitchen series "How to Cook" It looks pretty interesting and I love Cooks Illustrated. Does anyone have this series? I am thinking about buying it for my niece.

 

[GB]

How To Cook Everything - Mark Bittman

 

[julie.a.dehart]

"How to Cook"

I second Mark Bittman's "How to cook everything." It's a great book.

Also, Julia Child's "The Way to Cook." I noticed on Amazon, her DVD's that accompany this book are coming out in Dec. This is another great "how-to" book.

You can read really good reviews on most of the books mentioned in this thread on Amazon's website, and decide what meets your needs.

Good Luck!

 

[Max Sutton]

Learning To Cook books

Here are three books:

LEARNING TO COOK (1999) by Marion Cunningham

NOW YOU'RE COOKING (1994) by Elaine Corn

BETTY CROCKER'S COOKING BASICS (2000)

 

[Mark Webster]

A book that I would purchase is Wayne Gisslen's "Professional Cooking" 4th Edition that a number of Culinary schools use. It takes you through the very basics and expands on them. Great book for referrence anytime for Cooks or Chefs alike. Excellent Christmas gift for the Foodie in your life.

 

[powerplantop]

A book that I would purchase is Wayne Gisslen's "Professional Cooking" 4th Edition that a number of Culinary schools use. It takes you through the very basics and expands on them. Great book for referrence anytime for Cooks or Chefs alike. Excellent Christmas gift for the Foodie in your life.

Mark,

After reading this I ordered the 6th edition. I am quite happy that I got it.

 

[powerplantop]

There are many. 2 by James Petersen "Essentials of cooking" and "Cooking" Paula Dean has one out I think Certainly Martha Stewart has a "Cooking School" book out I've seen. Then are professional books like Jacques Peppin's Fundamentals of Cooking, The American Culinary Federation Textbook, The CIA's Professional Chef etc. America's Test Kitchen has an instructional cookbook.

You are looking for a book that walks you through Saute, Roast, Braise, Poach, Steam, Fry, boil, blanche, bake, as well as gives you recipes for each and lists many others, as well as teaches methos of incorporation (stir, fold, wisk, cream,) and also covers basic knive cuts etc.

Books like the Joy of cooking also have introductory material which describes all this.

Any other suggestions out there?

I also bought The CIA's Professional Chef and I am happy that I added it to the order.

 

[johnbit]

Mark,
After reading this I ordered the 6th edition. I am quite happy that I got it.

I would recommend Wayne Gisslen's "Professional Cooking" too. It help me get started to cook more

 

[DaveSoMD]

There are lots of books that will explaing technique, a lot of good ones are listed here, but only you will know which one is best for you and how you learn. I'd suggest checking out your local library before you buy any and give them a try.

I know for me personally I learned more watching people cook and listening to them while they were cooking, not just family, but cooking shows as well. I guess I am a strange one because I watch cooking shows a lot of the time for education and not for entertainment.

If books don't work for you, try Googling and seeing what videos are out there of cooking demonstrations and techniques, or find a cooking show that appeals to you and the type of food you like to cook/eat.