Cooking Books....

[SnoopDog]

Man, this is really weird.

Ok, promise not to laugh.
I pretty much feel like being marooned on a lonely island when I'm in the kitchen.

With my 22 years of age I still know nothing about cooking. But I recently decided to change this.
So I want to learn to cook.

Since I don't really have someone to show me and teach me stuff I'm in need of a book.

So I thought, 'Well, there must certainly be a good cooking book for beginners'. I even bought two books that sounded promising.
But, oh, was I sadly mistaken.

I mean, it does tell something about basics of cooking but in the end every book that I checked out used expression that sounded to me like they were nautical terms used by the United States Marines or something.

And why can't they give some precise measuring and not always say the clear and definite words 'some', 'a little', 'enough but not too much', 'round a bout'.

To me it seems this is some kind of conspiracy. Women must have some kind of gene for cooking by intuition. (leaves a huge question mark behind all the star-cooks being male)

Anyways, I feel like I'm just about to begin with the biggest quest in all mankind. For me to learn cooking without ending up throwing it in the trash and order a pizza. Wish me luck.

Snoopy, le chef-dog

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Man, this is really weird.

Ok, promise not to laugh.
I pretty much feel like being marooned on a lonely island when I'm in the kitchen.

With my 22 years of age I still know nothing about cooking. But I recently decided to change this.
So I want to learn to cook.

Since I don't really have someone to show me and teach me stuff I'm in need of a book.

So I thought, 'Well, there must certainly be a good cooking book for beginners'. I even bought two books that sounded promising.
But, oh, was I sadly mistaken.

I mean, it does tell something about basics of cooking but in the end every book that I checked out used expression that sounded to me like they were nautical terms used by the United States Marines or something.

And why can't they give some precise measuring and not always say the clear and definite words 'some', 'a little', 'enough but not too much', 'round a bout'.

To me it seems this is some kind of conspiracy. Women must have some kind of gene for cooking by intuition. (leaves a huge question mark behind all the star-cooks being male)

Anyways, I feel like I'm just about to begin with the biggest quest in all mankind. For me to learn cooking without ending up throwing it in the trash and order a pizza. Wish me luck.

Snoopy, le chef-dog

Snoop,

Cambells soups put out a series of cook books that are excellent. They explain what they mean by fold, beat into etc. Use precise measurements and even have pictures to help. they cover everything from snacks to dessert. I would highly reccomend them.

best of luck cooking dog

-Colly

 

[gauchecritic]

Delia Smith recently had a TV series about simple cookery, even how to boil an egg. There must be a book to accompany it.

A quick google shows me there is a series of books but not out til October.

Gauche

 

[gauchecritic]

Delia Smith recently had a TV series about simple cookery, even how to boil an egg. There must be a book to accompany it.

How to Cook is the one I think I mean.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

nothing like the old fashioned chicks in their aprons.. kind of a turn on.. *grin*..
anyway..

betty crocker.. everything you need to know

 

[Guest]

Snoop, I did not learn to cook until I was in my late thirties, out of necessity (my ex had been the cook and now I had two young boys to feed on my own). I used "Joy of Cooking" as a reference mostly, it has lots of info on terms and techniques and many simple recipes. The thing I always did was follow a recipe precisely the first time, then later I would change it to suit my tastes (e.g., more or less of, or substituting an ingredient).

I do not enjoy cooking but for a few fave dishes, but I learned that the only way is to just do it by trial and error. Don't invite any guests the first time you try a new dish (can be very embarrassing).

Good luck, Perdita

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

I thought this thread was gonna be about dodgy accountancy.

Lou

 

[CharleyH]

Snoop,

Cooking is one of the easiest things in the world. Once you have the basics, know which herbs and spices taste best with what, you can add a bit of your own creativity.

Cream sauce is the easiest, and since I never measure anything, I can only guess that a half cup will suffice for two.

1/2 cup 35% whipping cream (not the whipped stuff in a can, it's the liquid stuff in the carton) The nature of whipping cream is that the longer it cooks on high, the more it thickens and reduces, and you need to watch it. Here are a few variations you can experiment with:

-sautee 1/4 of a small onion, pour in about 1/4 ounce brandy, let it cook for a second or two to reduce, pour in the cream, and stir in approximately 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Pour over breast of chicken or pork tenderloin.

- cream plus tablespoon pesto over a delicate, white, fish.

- cream plus orange juice concentrate, zest of one orange, and 1/2 ounce grand marnier. Add tarragon or basil to give a bit of extra flavour. Add a few mandarin segments, slivers of calamata olives over chicken breast is nice.

Best cook books I have ever come across: Good Housekeeping, and the Silver Palette cookbooks (two I know of, one white, and one red, written by 2 women out of New York City) They also give background info. on varieties of wines, apples etc. in their books.

And like others, watching the Food Network is an amazing resource.

 

[CharleyH]

Also needed to mention:

Fish will be cooked within 10- 15 minutes in an oven at 450F or about 200C depending on thickness. I'd check at 10 in any case because you don't want to overcook.

Chicken should be cooked through . . . approx. 15 mins, but I always check.

BBQ is a whole different thing. Close lid for anything but steak. If you close the lid with steak, it will roast, and you will never be able to acquire a steak rare or medium.

RARE = the feel of your cheek
MEDIUM = the feel of your chin
WELL DONE = the feel of the tip of your nose.

Always remember that whatever you cook will continue to cook after you remove it from oven or BBQ, so if it is steak, I'd always remove it a bit early - better to undercook it than overcook it.

Also, good vegetarian book is The Moosewood Cookbook. If you are into that kind of stuff.

OK, enough from me.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Also needed to mention:

Fish will be cooked within 10- 15 minutes in an oven at 450F or about 200C depending on thickness. I'd check at 10 in any case because you don't want to overcook.

Chicken should be cooked through . . . approx. 15 mins, but I always check.

BBQ is a whole different thing. Close lid for anything but steak. If you close the lid with steak, it will roast, and you will never be able to acquire a steak rare or medium.

RARE = the feel of your cheek
MEDIUM = the feel of your chin
WELL DONE = the feel of the tip of your nose.

Always remember that whatever you cook will continue to cook after you remove it from oven or BBQ, so if it is steak, I'd always remove it a bit early - better to undercook it than overcook it.

Also, good vegetarian book is The Moosewood Cookbook. If you are into that kind of stuff.

OK, enough from me.

What? No desserts?

 

[Guest]

 

[CharleyH]

What? No desserts?

LOL - the desserts I know off the top of my head are too complicated for a beginner.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Only if you're on the menu.

Lime

I'm high carb...lol.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

LOL - the desserts I know off the top of my head are too complicated for a beginner.

I can make instant pudding.

 

[Guest]

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I was always suspicious of that Atkins diet...

Lime

Me too.

 

[Guest]

 

[ABSTRUSE]

So when you gonna write the Abstruse diet?

Lime

Just find the old Anna Nicole Smith diet, cross out her name and write in" Abs Who give a damn, I like to eat" diet.
Read it while eating ice cream.

 

[Guest]

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Hmmm...I know someone near and dear who considers a bowl of ice cream as foreplay...have you been comparing notes?

Lime

Any one I know?

 

[Guest]

 

[ABSTRUSE]

We have the same phone number.

Does your wife know your setting her up?

 

[Guest]

 

[DirtyJJ]

I must need my eyes examined because when I first clicked on this thread I thought it said "coloring books," and I thought I had finally found another adult who likes to color in coloring books like I do sometimes!

Anyway...... I love the topic of cookbooks too. I have many, and while I haven't even tried a recipe from all of them yet, I enjoy just reading them and I am always tempted to buy more.

One that I turn to often for very basic cooking info is the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. It is not fancy or trendy by any means, but it has a LOT of basic information in there for the beginner.

Have fun with it!
DJJ