"How to cook everything" -- He's not kidding!
Written: Oct 16 '00 (Updated Oct 17 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Those "basics" paragraphs before each section.
Cons: ..I did try a brownie recipe that wasn't as fudgy as it claimed...
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| etain's Full Review: Archived Book Reviews |
"How to Cook Everything", by by Mark Bittman, has been described in a couple reviews as "a younger, hipper JOY OF COOKING"; and indeed, like that other title, it does serve as an excellent, basic, if-you-only-get-one-cookbook-let-this-be-it title.
The author opens each section with "The Basics" -- the beginning of the "grains" chapter, for example, begins with a couple paragraphs of general rules of thumb for cooking any grain at all. Then he groups the recipes together by category -- within the grains chapter, you have the cornmeal section, the bulgur section, the barley section, the rice section, the risotto section, etc. -- and he leads each of these sections off with a couple paragraphs on the particulars of each of these as well, before proceeding to the recipes. In the "poultry" chapter, you get the basics of cooking chicken, duck, turkey, or what have you, as well as the basics of how to roast, broil, grill, bake, saute, or fry a whole bird or a given cut.
Also, the author has borne in mind the more hectic paces of modern kitchens; what put me off making risotto for a long time was the warning that I would have to stand and stir the cooking risotto constantly, for up to 45 minutes. As HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING has determined, you DON'T have to do this.
The range of recipes in here is very good; everything from a very basic and easy spaghetti sauce (canned tomatoes, some chopped onion and garlic, and that's it) to osso buco, cassoulet, and pad thai.
I've given this out as a housewarming gift a couple times; it seems particularly good for someone who's moving into a first home or for a student.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
etain
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 1 member
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