If I wanted to teach myself...

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vikubz

Assistant Cook
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
4
the whys and hows of cooking, what would be a good starter reference or two?

I'm interested in how different seasonings and flavors are combined and why.

Thanks!
 
Usually, flavours are combined because the person eating them likes the way they taste.

If you want to get familiar with usual flavour combinations, just start reading cookbooks. I mean really reading them, complete recipes, methods, side notes, etc. Avoid tv celebrity cookbooks as teaching/learning tools. Find books that center on one topic, like meat, or soups, or fish. They will concentrate in specific areas instead of jumping all over the menu.
 
The older Betty Crocker cookbooks have a nice spice guide included.
It tells which spices work good with which foods. It's not complete but I did use
it a lot when I first started cooking.
 
thanks for the tips. I recently bought a new grill, so I think I'll start with meats.
 
2 Basics

#2 is right on. 2 good ones, classics really might be what you're looking for: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking and (if you are really serious & can handle comprehensive detail & prose - I have the book but fall a little short on the former :(...) Encyclopedia Larousse Gastromonique. :chef:
 
#2 is right on. 2 good ones, classics really might be what you're looking for: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking and (if you are really serious & can handle comprehensive detail & prose - I have the book but fall a little short on the former :(...) Encyclopedia Larousse Gastromonique. :chef:

IMO Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a masterful book indeed, but is not in any way a "starter" book, IMO. And Larousse is an encyclopedia. ANd a large one at that. Great book but IMO not what vikubz is looking for.

What you are looking for in terms of the whys/hows of cooking might be "Cookwise" by Shirley Corriher. It's a classic and helpful for beginner cooks as well as seasoned vets.

Amazon.com: Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed: Shirley Corriher: Books

Betty Crocker and Joy are good books as well, but they are more about recipes and less about the science/reference book.
 
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James Beard's cookbooks are wonderful reading - he has a basic cookbook that is very helpful. I also vote for The Joy of Cooking as the best basic, because it explains what all the ingredients are as well as offering recipes.
 
James Beard's cookbooks are wonderful reading - he has a basic cookbook that is very helpful. I also vote for The Joy of Cooking as the best basic, because it explains what all the ingredients are as well as offering recipes.

I agree, Karen. If I could have only one cookbook - it would be the 1975 revision of Joy of Cooking!
 
Learning to cook

When I taught myself how to cook I bought three basic cookbooks.

1. NOW YOU'RE COOKING (1994) by Elaine Corn

2. LEARNING TO COOK (1999) by Marion Cunningham

3. BETTY CROCKER'S COOKING BASICS (2000)

I also watched the various TV cooking shows for techniques and food tips. I found Giada's show Everyday Italian very good because she explained why she used various ingredients. :chef:
 
I've gotten some good info, recipes and free baking guides from a site called "The Prepared Pantry". (preparedpantry.com)

I'm not allowed to post links yet, apparently you have to how a certain number of posts to add links.

Anyway there is some very good info in the baking guides. Try it you'll like it! And of course this site has lots of great info!
 
You can't have just one cookbook, it just isn't possible to find all the information that you need in just one. Since you are into grilling I recommend "How to Grill" by Stephen Racihlen. A great cookbook for basic and detailed info is "THe New Best 1000 Recipes" by the Cooks Illustrated group. Even though it's not a cookbook per say, and the information is hard to comprehend if you don't completely understand the cooking process "The Flavor Bible" by Dorenberg and Page, is one of the most complete guides on ingredients and flavor combinations I've ever seen and is my go to book in the kitchen when I'm throwing something together on the fly. The authors interviewed hundreds of chefs around the world about ingredients and flavoring and listed what goes with what in a statistical manner based on the answers they received from the chefs and how they cook. The information will take your cooking to another level, if you understand how to use it and the context in which it was gathered.
 
One of my favorite reference books is The Spice and Herb Bible. It will tell you just about anything you would need to know about spices and herbs.

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Whenever anyone I know says they want to start cooking, but don't have a clue, I recommend the "Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook." It has been a tnt starter for years...decades, and makes an easy square one. There is even a "New" edition out, and they can be found in thrifts for a buck or two. You know you've seen it...the ubiquitous red and white tablecloth-checkered cover. It will not be your only cookbook, but makes a good first.
 
As you are discovering flavors, remember to not add too much new at once, both of any one ingredient or many ingredients, particularly the latter.Too much of one ingredient can be reduced next go round; too many new ingredients make it difficult to isolate which ingredient(s) are not jiving.
 
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