[geargrrl]

I grew up with Joy of Cooking and use it all the time, but my teen son is asking for one on the basics that's more user friendly... I mean, who makes duchess potatoes and aspic as everyday stuff?

So, any recommendations?

 

[Silver]

I'm Just Here for the Food by Alton Brown.

Not many recipies, but it covers the hows and whys that a beginner needs to know. It's a good one to build off of.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Every Day Italian.

 

[Nobody]

Okay, there are really good picture-centric books that motivate people to cook from DK publishing. I kid you not - the pictures usually show you what your ingredients need to look like - which is a big help, btw.

Here's the first one I bought, early 90's somewhere in SoCal....

Classic Pasta Cookbook/Hazan

Now, the best book for understanding WHY foods cook or don't cook, is the Cooks Bible, Christopher Kimball.

Cook's Bible/Kimball

I strongly recommend browsing some of these at a bookstore to get a feel for them.

I once owned about 70 cookbooks and several encyclopedias. I admit, i was a freak. I'm down to about an even dozen.

I'd say, of the great cuisines out there, Italian is the easiest to start with... so long as your ingredients are fresh, you're golden.

(although, being a weirdo, I started with Cajun and Creole cooking back in the day...)

 

[Nobody]

oh, yeah, and mine, when i get it ready for publishing...

 

[I Are Baboon]

I highly recommend this one by Better Homes and Gardens. Lots of good, basic recipes in there. I've used my copy so much that some of the pages have fallen out.

 

[Mackie]

I grew up with Joy of Cooking and use it all the time, but my teen son is asking for one on the basics that's more user friendly... I mean, who makes duchess potatoes and aspic as everyday stuff?

So, any recommendations?

Yup. Bittman.

One review (quoted on the cover) says "Think of it as a more hip Joy of Cooking". Great resource. He also has a "Simple Recipies" version.

 

[Changleen]

oh, yeah, and mine, when i get it ready for publishing...

Cool.

 

[OGRipper]

Bittman is good.

And although he's kind of a wanker, the first couple of Naked Chef books have lots of fairly straightforward recipes, good tips on technique, and zero stuffiness.

 

[N8 v2.0]

 

[McGRP01]

The std. by which I judge all other cookbooks.

And for this time of year....

 

[OGRipper]

If you want a grill book, get "Thrill of the Grill" by Chris Schlesinger and someone else from East Coast Grill.

 

[TreeSaw]

I highly recommend this one by Better Homes and Gardens. Lots of good, basic recipes in there. I've used my copy so much that some of the pages have fallen out.

Yup! I have a spiral bound one but they have a new 3 ring binder one that's nice too.

 

[DaveW]

The classic one down here is the Edmonds cook book it's been around for something like 90 years and has sold over 3 million copys. Really good basic cook book for beginers.

 

[geargrrl]

Yup! I have a spiral bound one but they have a new 3 ring binder one that's nice too.

I think this is kind of what I'm looking for, for him. I've ordered this and a few others ( just here for the good) from the library to review, and then I'll probably by one.

thanks for the suggestions, all.

gg

 

[geargrrl]

follow up - I just got a MINT condition BHG on the 3-ring binder, new edition, for a buck at a yard sale yesterday. That works for me.


gg

 

[narlus]

Yup. Bittman.

One review (quoted on the cover) says "Think of it as a more hip Joy of Cooking". Great resource. He also has a "Simple Recipies" version.

i highly recommend this one, as well as the two Nobody mentioned (the Hazan pasta book, and Cooks Illustrated, edited by Christopher Kimball).

 

[BadDNA]

Yup. Bittman.

One review (quoted on the cover) says "Think of it as a more hip Joy of Cooking". Great resource. He also has a "Simple Recipies" version.

Bittman gets my vote as well. My wife who has never cooked in her life is learning from that book and it's a great reference to me when I have a brain fart on something.

 

[TN]

Bittman gets my vote as well. My wife who has never cooked in her life is learning from that book and it's a great reference to me when I have a brain fart on something.

I gotta jump on the bandwagon...this book covers ALOT but not everything & makes things like butchering a whole chicken for the first time very easy.