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What's a good cookbook to buy?

I

Ichigo

Platinum Member
Something that teaches me to cook like... normal things. Nothing extravagant but nothing too cheap (the food I mean). A... general cookbook I guess? I'm being vague, yeah. But if any of you have any suggestions that'd be great. I'm just looking into it as something to do, kill time and such. Western food I guess? Help me out here.
 
Originally posted by: Wapp
Watch Good Eats!
Click to expand...
Also, I would recommend buying Alton Brown's cookbook (I'm Just Here for the Food). It's not really a cookbook, per se, more of a kitchen textbook. It will teach you the basic science between cooking techniques that you can apply to your own recipes.

As for a traditional cookbook, well, you can't go wrong with the Joy of Cooking.

Between those two, you will have a good basis for cooking most anything.

Even better than cookbooks is to take cooking classes at your local Y or whatever.
 
I would just look up recipes online to try out different dishes before buying cookbooks. One reason is that cooking is messy. You don't want to pick out a nice cookbook and having to throw it away after dropping oil on it.
But that's just me. ^^
 
get alton brown's cookbook, it is perfect for what you are lookin for.

i have it and it is a great reference, really teaches you about cooking methods, and the why behind it. plus it does have good solid & simple recipes to practice with.

get the version 2.0
 
If you like grilling, Weber has an AWESOME cookbook you can pick up at Lowe's (or at least used to be there). I think it's called Ultimate Grilling. There is a ton of delicious recipes in there. My wife and I have loved everything we made from the book, and even bought one for everyone we know. 😛
 
Originally posted by: loup garou
Originally posted by: Wapp
Watch Good Eats!
Click to expand...
Also, I would recommend buying Alton Brown's cookbook (I'm Just Here for the Food). It's not really a cookbook, per se, more of a kitchen textbook. It will teach you the basic science between cooking techniques that you can apply to your own recipes.

As for a traditional cookbook, well, you can't go wrong with the Joy of Cooking.
Click to expand...

i still dont have a copy of Joy of Cooking

but IJHFTF is awesome. great info on overall technique and some great recipes. good eats is awesome and available on dvd (netflix has it, iirc)

watch some cooking shows by real chefs to learn technique. alton is good, wolfgang puck, mario batali, emeril is good if they still show Essence of Emeril (emeril live, i never cared for)

learn technique above just recipes so you can cook *anything*
 
As much as i like thumbing through a cookbook at Borders or Barnes and Noble, the best thing to do (and the cheapest) and browse the internet.
I have gotten tons of wonderful tips and recipes not only on foodnetwork.com but on all different websites... most have extraordinary recipe collections broken down by categories and ease of making.

What i then do is print the recipes on a full sheet of paper, use them then put any notes that i want to remember with that recipe. I will then store them in a binder.
After a while, you will have a great recipe collection with your own info on each one as well.
Foodnetwork (TV) is truly a wealth of info too. Just watching a few shows will keep you informed on key words, and techniques too. 🙂

Just my opinion. If you really want a good recipe book, go to your local bookstore and browse the clearance section. there is always a ton of them there for only a few buck per book!
 
I'm embarassed to admit it, but I like this Martha Stewart cookbook.

Although I enjoy foods of all cultures and cook them not infrequently, I reccomend this cookbook because it features American food with good healthy recipes, real home cooking, no margarine or crisco.
The buttermilk pancakes and Macaroni and Cheese recipes are favorites.
 
Good replies. I will definetly consider all the suggestions posted. Thanks!

Maybe I'll make another thread later to document success/failure. 😀
 
Alton Brown's "I'm just here for the food", and "I'm just here for more food", are both great books that focus more on the nuts and bolts rather than finished products, you'll really learn something. I really like his show a lot too.

My approach to cooking is that of just making things I encounter in restaurants and stores. I was at Panera Bread this weekend and noticed some good looking "spinach suffles", but way too expensive, so I ended up making a spinach fritatta that was really good.
 
Originally posted by: Ichigo
Good replies. I will definetly consider all the suggestions posted. Thanks!

Maybe I'll make another thread later to document success/failure. 😀
Click to expand...

"what i had for dinner" threads do well, especially if you provide the recipe 🙂
 
My absolute favorite cookbooks are the Better Homes & Gardens cookbooks. I love mine from 2002. 🙂

ETA - Easy enough for beginners and good enough for advanced.
 
get the alton brown book as mentioned above - it is your "general" cookbook

for THE american reference book, get James Beard's big bible... that is THE reference for american dishes

from there you can diversity into specialties... ive recently been reading my new viet cookbooks.. if you want them i can pull the titles
 
Originally posted by: LS20
get the alton brown book as mentioned above - it is your "general" cookbook

for THE american reference book, get James Beard's big bible... that is THE reference for american dishes

from there you can diversity into specialties... ive recently been reading my new viet cookbooks.. if you want them i can pull the titles
Click to expand...

also, if you ever want to bake *anything* altons other book "Im Just Here for MORE Food" is awesome. Its a great primer for all methods of baking and has some awesome recipes.
 
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