Best Cooking Technique Books

[weinoo]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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I like Julia's The Way to Cook, Jacques's 2 part The Art of Cooking, Madeline Kanman's Making of a Cook, Joy of Cooking, and Time Life's The Good Cook series. There's probably a bunch more, I'm sure.

[M.X.Hassett]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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Can not go wrong with "The Professional Chef" CIA, I also am alway consulting McGee, but these are but a few of many, lately I have been reading the new el Bulli book.

Edit: I just ordered the Cook's book

Edit: Julia's MFC is also great a true classic and Paula Wolferts Cooking of SW France is very interesting even in an armchair.

Edited October 7, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[inny]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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I like Bittman's How to Cook Everything as a gift for friends who don't cook, or for those who don't have a lot of variety in their repertoire. For me, Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Trang's Essentials of Asian Cuisine are 2 that I keep returning to over and over again.

Topic? The Cook's Book looks wonderful. I'm going to have to break my 'no new cookbooks until I put together the new bookcase' rule and pick up a copy. Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend

[Michael Ruhlman]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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I like Julia's The Way to Cook, Jacques's 2 part The Art of Cooking, Madeline Kanman's Making of a Cook, Joy of Cooking, and Time Life's The Good Cook series. There's probably a bunch more, I'm sure.

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There are probably a lot more out there but I bet there aren't that many that are widely used. I bet only a few are, and I'm wondering which ones they are. Does Bittman's How to Cook Everything fit the category, for instance? How about The New Best Recipe by cooks illustrated?

And MXH--which edition of New Pro Chef? My favorite is the 6th, much different from the 7th.

I may sound like thorough geek here, but I comment because cooking is all about the basics, so I'm curious where people are getting their basics.

[jackal10]

Fundamental cookbooks?

For me Escoffier "A guide to Modern Cookery" is the true answer, and the one I reach for if I need to know how something really should be done.

McGee if I want to know why.

However, I can see The Cooks hook as up there and replacing Joy of Cooking as a standard gift to young folks...who could resist learning to make pastry from Pierre Herme?

[inny]

I'll answer the Bittman question since I brought it up.

If you interpret 'fundamentals' as how to deal with basic ingredients, I think Bittman fits. But, as I noted upthread, it is likely more appropriate for the non-cook or the unadventureous cook. Certainly not the eG crowd. If you are interpreting 'fundamentals' as cooking technique, then Bittman isn't much help. After reading your last post, I suspect you meant the latter.

You should start a new thread for this - its an endlessly interesting topic (yes, I am also a geek). And, we're dangerously close to hijacking jackal10's thread

Edited October 7, 2005 by inny (log)

[Priscilla]

For a single volume, my fundamental is Madeleine Kamman's The Making of a Cook. The gigantic reissue is good, too, but I suppose I am sentimentally attached to the original.

Craig Claiborne's four-volume Favorites was as important to me; his collected NYT columns, often featuring a major chef of the day (1970s), or a stone classic preparation, (and the occasional American Southern dish), all with Pierre Franey's trustworthy chefly supervision.

I didn't appreciate until years and years later what a good combination a cooking-oriented writer and an actual chef make, for the transmission of information and inspiration.

Time-Life's The Good Cook series is fantastic, but for whatever reason did not cross my purview until maybe 10 years ago, and then it was an immediate where-have-you-been-all-my-life. So glad to have it now, however, and consult it regularly.

I think beginning cooks of today are lucky to have the likes of The Cook's Book as a fundamental. I could never get behind Joy of Cooking as an actual cookbook, although I admire its stealthily ambitious personality.

[Lesley C]

The New Joy of Cooking

The New Best Recipe

How to Cook Everything

and, yes, The Gourmet Cookbook

[Behemoth]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

←

I like Julia's The Way to Cook, Jacques's 2 part The Art of Cooking, Madeline Kanman's Making of a Cook, Joy of Cooking, and Time Life's The Good Cook series. There's probably a bunch more, I'm sure.

←

There are probably a lot more out there but I bet there aren't that many that are widely used. I bet only a few are, and I'm wondering which ones they are. Does Bittman's How to Cook Everything fit the category, for instance? How about The New Best Recipe by cooks illustrated?

And MXH--which edition of New Pro Chef? My favorite is the 6th, much different from the 7th.

I may sound like thorough geek here, but I comment because cooking is all about the basics, so I'm curious where people are getting their basics.

←

I learned my basic technique stuff from an ex-boyfriend's "La Varenne Pratique". I don't think I ever actually "cooked" anything out of it though.

[Michael Ruhlman]

The New Joy of Cooking

The New Best Recipe

How to Cook Everything

and, yes, The Gourmet Cookbook

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i admire the gourmet cookbook, but that's in a different category, isn't it? that's a compilation of recipes.

it has nothing to do with the basics of cooking except obliquely

[zilla369]

One of the few really valuable required textbooks in the culinary program I graduated from was On Cooking by Sarah Labensky, et al. I own the second edition, but the link is to the third edition.

They made us pay over $100 for that sucker at school, but I've easily gotten $1000 use out of it over the last few years.

[Lesley C]

i admire the gourmet cookbook, but that's in a different category, isn't it? that's a compilation of recipes.

it has nothing to do with the basics of cooking except obliquely

Well, there are many sidebars and full pages dedicated to technique in the book. Look at p.765 and you'll see a page on blind-baking, p.205 has tips on cooking pasta, and p.336 shows you how to clean soft-shell crabs.

Also, there's a lot to be said for a well-written recipe. You can, to a certain extent, learn to cook by following recipes. That's what we all did before mags like Cook's.

I grew up cooking from Gourmet magazine, and by the time I got to cooking school I knew a ton just by reproducing all those Gourmet centerfolds.

[Mallet]

There are probably a lot more out there but I bet there aren't that many that are widely used. I bet only a few are, and I'm wondering which ones they are. Does Bittman's How to Cook Everything fit the category, for instance? How about The New Best Recipe by cooks illustrated?

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I found Jacques Pépin's Complete Techniques really useful for the basics

The New Best Recipe from Cook's Illustrated as a general guide to good ingredients, and basic recipes

and various other 'specialist' cookbooks for specific (e.g: Pie and Pastry Bible, Bouchon, Les Halles)

If I had to give a basic cookbook to someone who didn't cook as a gift, it would probably be Pépin's "Fast Food my Way".

[rgruby]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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I don't think anybody has mentioned James Peterson's the Essentials of Cooking yet. I also owned a book from the UK, possibly by Prue Leith (?) that dealt with fundamentals. It had a grid-like design on the cover. I hope it has found a good home.

I guess I'd also consider the science-related books by McGee, Corriher, Parsons, Wolk and Herve This. Not good for basic knife skills or how to truss a turkey perhaps, but invaluable for trying to figure out the whys of cooking. In my view, the kind of knowledge contained in these books should be considered, uh, fundamental to a solid understanding of the basic techniques of cooking. I don't know how often they are referenced in our culinary academies or even restaurant kitchens, but I hope their use becomes more widespread in the future. I'm not sure these meet your criteria for a basic fundamentals cookbook. Perhaps there's room for one that addresses the practical hands on stuff (knife skills etc.) along with cooking techniques and the science of why that technique is the best.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Michael Ruhlman]

i admire the gourmet cookbook, but that's in a different category, isn't it? that's a compilation of recipes.

it has nothing to do with the basics of cooking except obliquely

Well, there are many sidebars and full pages dedicated to technique in the book. Look at p.765 and you'll see a page on blind-baking, p.205 has tips on cooking pasta, and p.336 shows you how to clean soft-shell crabs.

Also, there's a lot to be said for a well-written recipe. You can, to a certain extent, learn to cook by following recipes. That's what we all did before mags like Cook's.

I grew up cooking from Gourmet magazine, and by the time I got to cooking school I knew a ton just by reproducing all those Gourmet centerfolds.

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I wasn't putting down the gourmet book in any way or putting recipes down. but it seems to me there are two ways for someone learning to cook to approach it: starting with the basics and working up, which is methodical and effective in the long run, or doing a series of intriguing recipes which may be more gratifying but gives a rather more haphazard self-education.

[Michael Ruhlman]

And how about chefs out there, especially those teaching. What are the main teaching books. Can any non-CIA chef instructor note the books he or she uses? Why? And what makes them effective?

Edited October 11, 2005 by Michael Ruhlman (log)

[PassionateChefsDie]

Here in the UK the Main stay of most chefs during training are: Practical Cookery and The Theory of Cookery by Ceserani & Kinton(Also seen another similar book, can't remember the title) A Manual of Food Hygiene and Nutrition a gov book. Between these 3 books most is covered believe the latest version of Pratical Cookery has the science and the basics covered. Dealt with the science less when I was at college it was more about nutrition and hygiene. In 2 years we can't expect people to grasp the science behind dishes, but we can stop them poisoning people and get them creating a semi-balanced dish.

It took me about 7 years to understand the relationship that eggs, flour, sugar and butter have. Still facinates me, 4 ingredients yet a multitude of textures and dishes!

When I did my course before NVQ we had the Le Repertoire de La Cuisine not sure they use this any more, seem to teach a multitude of cuisnes rather than 1 good basic one(My own gripe with NVQ but thats a thread on its own.)

For the next level if specialising in Larder it use to be the Larder Chef by Leto I'd imagine its the same not seen anything like it. As for pastry not sure but reckon its The Proffesional Pastry chef by Friberg.

Over the years the Rep has become the main stay, mainly to correct the know it all chefs, prefer the Herrings as it has more countries cuisines. But the true star has to be the Larrouse nearly always anwsers that ?

On a final note have to say you can have all the books in the world yet if you dont understand finesse or can't taste it doesn't matter what books you have or don't have, we have to taste things we dont like, to make them perfect.

[zilla369]

And how about chefs out there, especially those teaching.  What are the main teaching books.  Can any non-CIA chef instructor note the books he or she uses?  Why?  And what makes them effective?

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I mentioned "On Cooking" upthread. One cool thing is that it comes with a CD-ROM which has short videos illustrating basic techniques.

[Woods]

I graduated in Baking and Pastry from L'Acadamie de Cuisine and we used Labensky's ON BAKING. I find it a great reference and have tended to go to it over the CIA's book.

[Lesley C]

Another vote for Pepin's La Technique tome. The pictures are what make this oeuvre so educational.

[Angela Alaimo]

How about Tom Colicchio's Think Like A Chef?

Angela

[Shinboners]

What are the best basic fundamentals cookbooks out there?

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In Australia, Stephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion" is the Bible. I'm always referring to it for information on ingredients, techniques, and recipes.

I'd also nominate Anne Willan's "La Varenne Pratique" as a great reference for cooking techniques and information on food.

[ned]

I like FL Cookboock for stocks and general over the top getting it the rightest way you can kind of ethos. Sonnenschmidt Garde Manger. Sometimes go to Peterson for sauces. Went to Joy of Cooking the other day for, something straight American from decades ago but can't remember what. Used the new Meat book by that English fellow for fabricating a smallish pig last week. Needed more detail but managed to get through anyway.

Funnily enough, for drinks mixing I think the drinks page here at the gullet can't be beat.