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Book you would recommend for a newbie cook to boost her confidence?

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Guest
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Do you know any book which you would recommend for someone who is not good at cooking? I wanna start from the basics actually.
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Lurker
Quote by lesbiannyc
Do you know any book which you would recommend for someone who is not good at cooking? I wanna start from the basics actually.


Yes!!!

America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Country (same company) are the easiest to follow books and are Ping proof (read dummy proof!)

They specify weights, volumes, and most importantly - times. It is cooking by science.

They have two books I highly recommend. Tell me what you are interested in cooking, and I can tell you which book I suggest you start with.
Also, they have a website with ALL of their recipes, and equipment and food reviews. I belong to that as well. Wonderful resource.

If there is something you want to cook, let me know, and I'll forward a recipe of theirs to you.

Check out my thread, Cooking With Ping to see some of the stuff I've prepared for it so far. As time goes on, others will submit more too. I know we
have some amazing cooks and chef-trained members here.
Regnadkcin
Active Ink Slinger
As Ping said, Cooks Illustrated is a good magazine for this. It explains the "why" of technique and taste, texture, moisture, etc. of cooking relative to a recipe.

As for other resources, without knowing yourskill level and experience, it is difficult to be very specific. If you have fewer skils, the Betty Crocker Cookbook is a decent starting point. If you can cook already but want to expand your skills, The Professional Chef by the Cullinary Institute of America (~1200 pages) is very valuable. It isn't recipe oriented as much as ingredient and technique oriented. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is similarly useful though it is recipe oriented.

The Television show Good Eats with Alton Brown is also very useful for learning recipes, technique, and the "whys" of food preparation.

I can suggest many more things depending upon your interests and current skill level. However, baking is not my forte. Feel free to PM or expand your interest here.
SummerLeigh
Candyland Kitten
I have a cookbook collection that is in the thousands and I still find one of my favorite series is by Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa. I love the way she writes her books as she explains how to compile a menu and how to choose foods that are in season to automatically boost flavor and texture. Her Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad is addictive. You may seriously never want to eat another salad again. That's in her How Easy Is That book. She has a garlic roasted potato that is the best recipe ever for the humble potato. Lemon Chicken Breasts are fantastic. Guacamole salad feels like a garden balanced with citrus and spice just burst into your mouth. I forget which cookbook the last two are in...but it doesn't matter. Just buy one of them or all of them and make something. Everything I've tried has a great balance of flavor. You won't regret it.
browncoffee
Coco Pop
I don't trust cookbooks unless it's for baking.
browncoffee
Coco Pop
Aren't I a fucking helpful poster? I'll recommend Mary Berry's baking book. I think it's like '100 bakes'? I don't remember the title. However, she's addicted to using both self-raising flour AND baking powder which can be catastrophic. But she's old and harmless and sweet so just follow her recipes, omitting all excess baking powder. How bad can they be?
Guest
Lurker
Thank you all for the replies. I will try to look at both recipe oriented & ingredient/ technique oriented books smile
LYFBUZ
Troublemaker
My advice would be peruse your local bookstore, take a look through a few cookbooks and buy 2 or 3 that appeal to you. If you are starting out pick something that is simple, easy to follow and has colour pictures for every recipe. Ideally you pick a subject cuisine that interests you in a way that encourages you to cook or try new things.
I love Asian food, my favourite is Thai. Lots of Thai dishes may sound complicated but they are often quite simple except some ingredients can be hard to find in smaller locales...and the amount of cutting/chopping may not be your thing. I find Thai food to be deliciously flavourful and I'm always game to try something new but pick something you like!
Unknown User
Anything and Everything by Julia Child and Martha Stewart.
trinket
Convict
Any cookbook that is used as a high school text book for home economics is great to start with. Most bookstores will tell you which ones they are. Also sometimes when schools or church/youth groups have a carnival or a fund raiser, they compile and sell a book of good old home cooking and baking recipes. These are the recipes that you can count on to work. Basic casseroles, roasts, sauces, cakes etc. recipes that are no fuss.

I am a great cook but a terrible baker because I don’t have much experience with baking. I try to stick to recipes with as few ingredients as possible. I’ve found this gives me less opportunities to fuck it up. ?
Nightbreaker011
Active Ink Slinger
the bachelor's cook book
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