Good Beginners Cooking Books/Guides?

noel · Post by **noel** » February 23, 2004, 5:30 pm

So in the last few years, I've gone from Spaghettios and other assorted crap food, to actually breaking out cookbooks, and following recipes fairly well. I've surprised more than a few people (including myself) with breakfasts, dinners and deserts which look and taste good, and I'm finally getting the hang of making 3-4 things, and having them all ready to eat at about the same time.

My frustration however, is that I really don't know what to add when to a recipe to change the flavor, I don't know things like how to make gravies and sauces, how to properly cut/mince/dice/etc. (as an example, I know there's an ideal way to cut an onion, but I really don't know what it is). Unfortunately, my Mom doesn't really cook, so asking her is out, and I really don't have time for a cooking class at the moment, so I'm wondering if there's a book anyone knows of or can recommend which will explain a lot of the basics of cooking such as how/when to use different knives, how to do things like sautee, cut things, recommended spices to use, etc. I think if I keep going the way I am, I'll at least be decent, but I'd really like to learn a bit more... any help appreciated.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 23, 2004, 5:46 pm

Julia Childs really is that good at fundamentals...

While I haven't actually used this book in particular...It looks like she discusses rationale, the mother sauces etc as well as giving a lot of good technical tips...

Good cooking is first about knowing what tastes like what...and second knowing how to get that flavour into what you are cooking in proportion while keeping the end product presentable...

I'll PM you a good link on the Mother Sauces (the 5 fundamental sauces from which most others are derivative)...Have to find it again...

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Arundel Pajo · Post by **Arundel Pajo** » February 23, 2004, 5:55 pm

To be honest, you can learn a whole lot about technique by reading the information available at http://www.epicurious.com and http://www.foodtv.com - they even have some quicktime vids of chopping techniques and whatnot. And they're free...

For a good starter cookbook, I'd actually suggest something with a lot of pictures. It helps you if you're unsure of yourself to have some idea going in what your dish is supposed to come out looking like. I think Dorling-Kindersly (sp?) press has some good ones. Look for helpful margin notes, too. Williams-Sonoma cookbooks are actuall fairly good, though beware, because they do a good bit of photo-editing to make things look "extra" pretty.

Regarding chopping onions (just to go off topic a bit)....hell, I've heard as many methods of onion chopping as I know cooks. Seems everybody does it their own way, regardless of what they were taught. Myself, it depends on what I'm using the onion for. If I need a very precise, small dice, I cut the ends off the onion, and cut it in half crosswise. Peel, and cut each half in half lengthwise, so you have 4 peeled onion quarters. Take a quarter, and remove about a 1/8 inch slice. Lay the slice flat and, turning it slowly with your holding hand, chop into a dice. If the looks of the onion don't matter much, then I just tear into it and start chopping. I know people that half the onion, and cut down into it like a grid, stopping just short of the end, then cut it like they're slicing it - creating a dice that way. Never have liked doing that, myself, though...

Drolgin Steingrinder · February 23, 2004, 6:39 pm

For mediterranean cooking of any kind, a great place to start would be with Elizabeth David.

noel · Post by **noel** » February 23, 2004, 6:54 pm

Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely check out all of the aforementioned references.

I think what I'm getting at is the fact that though I can follow recipes for just about anything, I'm not able to just go 'whip something up', and if I am really trapped by what the recipe is. If the recipe tastes good... great! If it doesn't, I just don't use it again because I'd really have no idea what to add/subtract to change the flavor. I don't like taste something and think, I could make this better with a bit of rosemary.

Hopefully that makes some sense.

Arundel Pajo · Post by **Arundel Pajo** » February 23, 2004, 7:03 pm

Aranuil wrote:Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely check out all of the aforementioned references.

I think what I'm getting at is the fact that though I can follow recipes for just about anything, I'm not able to just go 'whip something up', and if I am really trapped by what the recipe is. If the recipe tastes good... great! If it doesn't, I just don't use it again because I'd really have no idea what to add/subtract to change the flavor. I don't like taste something and think, I could make this better with a bit of rosemary.

Hopefully that makes some sense.

That's just something that comes with experience. The more you cook, the more you learn what things taste like, and what matches well together.

Drolgin Steingrinder · February 23, 2004, 7:04 pm

Best way to go about that would be to cook more.

Tastebuds need training like any other sensory organ does, and you won't be able to just "throw something together" unless you have experience in both tasting and making the food. So...cook! cook more! and experiment while doing so.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 23, 2004, 7:53 pm

Regarding what flavour to add when...

Go to a good spice/herb store...buy small grinder or mortar and pestle...

and buy a bit of everything...you probably don't need to buy table salt, black pepper or sugar...but buy a nutmeg (be sure your box grater has a nutmeg size) , cinnamon bark, star anise, some cloves, cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander seed, mustard seed, sesame seed, cardamom, curry powder, mace, saffron threads (bloody expensive stuff), turmeric seed, celery seed, paprika, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, buy some fresh ginger, fresh sage, true greek oregano, tarragon, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, savory, horseradish, licorice root, basil, chervil, cilantro, dill oh and get some sea salt and maybe kosher salt and some pure vanilla extract

Don't buy mixes like seasoned salt, lemon salt etc...

Buy a box of tablewater crackers and a bottle of carbonated water...

Finely grind a small amount of each spice (you will have to grate the nutmeg a bit)...The fresh herbs you can basically just crush the leaves..the roots you will want to chop off a bit then dice finely...

Now make a bit of time and smell each spice or herb...then taste it (just a tiny bit...after each herb/spice thoroughly eat a cracker and drink some carbonated water...this essentially clears the palate which actually is quite involved in the smell process...

The flavour of each herb or spice is a result of the natural oils and alkaloids inherent in the plant...the different salt flavours are the results of different mineralological contaminants...

Just for reference the flavours that are oil based will be much more cloying that is, they will tend to remain longer on the tongue so you may have to swish the soda water around a bit...they also tend to be very dominant in foods cooked with them because of this...

Each spice or herb will have a number of qualities...sweet, sour, bitter, fullness, heat (hence the very small amount...

)

You will be amazed at how little you knew about which spice tasted/smelled like what...

Once you have done this try to notice in foods you eat what spices/herbs are there...

When I am cooking oddly enough I cook as much to smell as to taste...I will almost always ask myself what smell I want in the dish because the two senses are so closely related...

As to how much of each spice or herb to add...well thats tougher...You could and will of course experiment...and the experiments will go horribly wrong at times...

ask any good cook...

Look at a lot of recipes and see how much of a given spice or herb is called for...or do like I did today and ask if anyone has used the spice can recommend a base quantity then start with less than that and gradually add more until it suits you...remember you can always add more of a given flavour...it can be damn near impossible to remove too much of that flavour...

PS: a caveat dont sniff too hard...snorting up a bunch of Wasabi can be hazardous to your health...

By the way you can also begin to learn a lot about plants doing this...a lot of plant families have characteristic volatiles...

...

noel · Post by **noel** » February 23, 2004, 9:08 pm

Cool thanks guys!

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » February 23, 2004, 9:40 pm

http://www.menusandmusic.com/Merchant2/ ... usAndMusic
Yes I put that one in cause I am in it

laneela · Post by **laneela** » February 23, 2004, 10:40 pm

When I started cooking, I found The Joy of Cooking most useful. In fact, I'll still look in it now and then. It has the most basic recipes and shows you how to expand on them.

As far as throwing something together, as was mentioned before, that comes with experience.

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » February 23, 2004, 11:11 pm

3 others that I am not in

Cooking with Julia and Jaques
The Tra Vigne Seasons cookbook (ok I am in that but not my food just a chest down shot of me cooking when I worked there)
The Patrick Clark Cookbook

I use these 3 for inspiration all the time

Edit because my new keyboard sucks

Siji · Post by **Siji** » February 24, 2004, 10:44 am

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 2574&itm=1

The Professional Chef, 7th Edition

Just ordered a copy myself.. have heard nothing but good stuff about it.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » March 17, 2004, 11:28 am

The cookbook that taught some of the basics you're referring to to me was The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook. There's reference guides in the beginning to tell you approx cooking time for all types of meats , poultries and fishes. Each section leads off with a very thorough description of the food type ie. not just poultry but general overviews and expectations whether it's grilled, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, etc etc.

As far as tasting and experimenting goes, Arb gave excellent advice. But, most importantly, you'll see re-occuring themes in specific types of dishes, like rosemary is a staple for roasted lamb or why cilantro is used instead of parsley or knowing the dish is a going to be a keeper when it calls for saffron. Mostly, it's just practice and familiarity once you get the basics down and also to not be afraid to take chances, regardless of how small they seem. A simple instance, I was making a small portion of mash potatoes as a side last night, after boiling them and flash chilling, I let the leftover steamcome off for a couple of minutes. They mashed much better with only 2/3rds the butter I normally used and for the heck of it, minced a clove of garlic and chopped some chives as a center garnish. They were better than we've had in a long time and my wife actually asked me what I did. It was so elementary, but it made a big difference

Akanae · Post by **Akanae** » March 19, 2004, 10:53 pm

I consider my copy of the Joy of Cooking somewhat of a kitchen "bible" for basic recipies and information on ingredients. Its a very comprehensive book, my moms old copy of it (circa 1960something) had information on how to cook and prepare squirrels and rabbits.

The Joy of Cooking was one of the first things I purchased for my kitchen when I moved out.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... 2?v=glance

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » March 20, 2004, 12:07 am

PA sigs 4 life!