ISO a good cooking book to begin with

[GregoryHarper]

I've just started to grow an interest in serious cooking!

Anybody has a good cooking book to start with?

Thank you!

 

[Selkie]

The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook has always been a gift to new cooks in my family. It's not fancy, but serves as a basic go-to for everyone that I know.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I am a big fan of Marion Cunningham for American home style cooking. Her book learning to cook with Marion is a good basic book. She also edited the Fanny Farmer cookbook which is great as an everyday reference, mine is a paperback that is held together with rubber bands and tape because it has been used so much. She has written many others and they are all cozy comfort food type cookbooks. Check online I am sure you can find them used for a small price.

 

[jennyema]

Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"

 

[Robo410]

Joy of cooking

Essentials of Cooking (Petersen)

Ruhlman's Twenty

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Joy of Cooking was also my first cookbook. I found the recipes not only accurate, but informative. I learned a lot from that book. It's literally falling apart as it's quite old now.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

The Fanny Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook. Every standard American meal you've ever wanted to make is in there!

 

[Zhizara]

I started with Betty Crocker. Easy to follow recipes.

I made my first Thanksgiving dinner using these recipes and everything came out perfect.

 

[Dawgluver]

All of the above. Also, any church or organization cookbook.

 

[DaveSoMD]

The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook has always been a gift to new cooks in my family. It's not fancy, but serves as a basic go-to for everyone that I know.

I agree. It was one of the first one's I owned and I still go back to it for recipes.

If you can find it their Cookie Book is a great one too.

 

[letscook]

Betty crocker for me.
I was given a childrens betty crocker cookbook and cooked everything, on my 12th birthday I was given the big book - I was so excited I have gotten 2 new ones thru the years. I still have all of them.
I have an uncle that bless his heart, I used him for my taster. I told him to be honest and he was, we laugh at some of those recipes, now at 57 yrs old I still included him in my new and old recipes. He always tells me whats next and what I should make next, stating his tastebuds need to revisit some food.
I also have the cookie book, He really loved that one, I made everyone off them. lol

The memories past and present !!!

 

[danbuter]

I also recommend Bittman's "How to Cook Everything". He uses simple ingredients, and the food is good.

 

[Snip 13]

South African Cookbook- Heritage Publishing
It's not only South African Recipes it's cuisine from many countries. There is not much that this book doesn't teach you.
It includes cooking techniques and everything else you need as a beginner and it was pretty cheap!
I was just a bit bummed since I bought it for the traditional SA recipes only to find out it's full of European cuisine too.
It was like buying an apple only to get home and find out it's an orange! Even though the orange might be really tasty it's still not an apple lol!

 

[Max Sutton]

Now You're Cooking

I used NOW YOU'RE COOKING (1994) by Elaine Corn. It was like having the author right there helping me in my apartment kitchen.

I also picked up a lot of cooking tips watching Giada De Laurentiis on her "Everyday Italian" TV cooking show. She explains why she does various things while she cooks.

Remember to always have fun while you are cooking.

 

[niquejim]

Tom Colicchio's "Think Like a Chef"

Tom Colicchio's "Think Like a Chef": DCFoodies.com

After reading this book I started planning meals at the store once I saw what was good

 

[NotActuallyaHero]

It's almost embarrassing for some reason. When I was 11 or 12 I was a pretty fat little kid and I could barely put together a bowl of cereal without setting the kitchen on fire.

My mom gave me the "Better Homes and Gardens: Chocolate" cookbook from like 1980 and managed to barely make a cake. It was falling apart and was by far the saddest looking cake in the world but I was seriously proud of it. I've been cooking like crazy ever since.

My current favourite cookbook is actually "The Gallery of Regrettable Food" but the difference is I love it because it's hilarious and not because I'm a fat little kid. Seriously, there's a lot of marshmallows in this thing.

 

[CookNow]

My wife swears by "The Joy of Cooking," and I started out with the ubiquitous "Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook." "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook" is another one that I've heard a lot of good things about.

 

[babetoo]

betty crocker was for me. now mostly i just cook without a cook book. not baking, mind you but cooking.

 

[Julio]

Last year I purchased my first cookbook betty crocker's picture cook book. I like the way it tells you what kitchen items you need to use the book. It shows you how to measure things and also gives you a measuring table...

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Whatever cookbook you choose, remember, recipes are a starting point, not the goal. Learn the techniques, and how to use the tools of cooking from the books. Real cooking comes when you start experimenting with flavors and techniques to create your own masterpieces.

It is absolutely true that the first time I roasted a chicken on my Webber Grill, I followed a recipe. It gave me technique. I was able to take what I learned from grilling that chicken, and transfer it to roasting turkeys both in the oven, and on the grill. They come out perfect because I was able to learn how meat reacts to heat, and to different kinds of heat. That's what you use your cookbook for. It is a teaching tool.

And don't be afraid to alter the recipes. You will get the hang of it in no time. That's the lesson I try to teach in my blog.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North