I'm a pretty good cook now. However, I'm still a beginner and I would like to get more experience in making meals from scratch. Does anybody know of any cook books or guides that will assist me in making great family meals from scratch? I'm looking to make things like Turkey, Ham and Chicken meals, homemade apetizers, desserts. If there is a good cook book that I should check out, please let me know. Thank you everyone.
2006-11-24 10:16:52 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
You might want to pick up an old (pre-1965) copy of the Joy of Cooking. Solid, no-frills, midwestern recipes, with only a handful calling for ready-made ingredients.
2006-11-24 10:22:00 · answer #1 · answered by blueprairie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually take the time to read Joy of Cooking, The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Better Homes & Gardens and whatever other general cookbooks you can get your hands on.
Two more more limited books that are still great sources of information are Julia Child and Company and Julia Child and More Company - if you can find them at a used book store or even check them out from your public library.
After reading some good basic cookbooks and getting a feel for how dishes go together you should start doing some experimenting - write down what you do!
Good Cooking!
2006-11-24 11:43:02 · answer #2 · answered by old_laughin_lady 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would subscribe to the food magazines you enjoy. Clip the recipes that you're interested in, and try a new recipe every so often. Browse through the cooking section in bookstores & buy books you like. The weekly cooking section in the local newspaper has great articles & recipes. Join a computer cooking forum & ask questions. People that love to cook, love to share info. Slowly build a cookbook library. Trial and error is learning, more than watching TV or reading a How-to book.
2006-11-24 13:22:09 · answer #3 · answered by MB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many cookbooks are available in the public library. You can check out a few to see if you like the recipes and if they are the kinds of recipes that are understandable for you. Each person has a cookbook that they like and understand. For me, Joy of Cooking has a wealth of information, but I'm a picture guy. The Better Homes and Gardens has simpler recipes and lots of photos.
As your skills develop, you can often find cooking classes (sometimes for free) at cooking supply stores and some restaurants.
2006-11-24 13:43:40 · answer #4 · answered by doug k 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Bluepraire about the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook, it's like a cooking Bible and tells you just about everything you need to know. There are though many great cookbooks on the market and many good magazines and websites as well. My favorites are the magazine and website "Bon Apetit" and the website Foodtv.com. Just try them out, practice makes perfect, in no time you'll find your niche. Maybe you'll be a good baker, maybe not, maybe you'll be better at preparing gourmet foods. I would take seasons to practice, one winter it was baking, from breads to fancy cakes, another it was soups and stew. Each season offers a new opportunity to get really good at something. I know you'll do just fine, keep at it.
2006-11-24 10:53:56 · answer #5 · answered by professor grey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have found the best cookbooks to learn from are ones written by Alton Brown. Yes, Alton Brown from Food Network's Good Eats show. He explains how and why things work and/or don't work in the cooking process. Not the best for looking for creative ideas, for that I tend towards the classic better homes and gardens.... but to understand and improve, Alton is the best!
2006-11-24 10:26:34 · answer #6 · answered by unimatrix_42 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should watch the Food Network because they're always teaching you how to make these things that look gourmet but are actually really easy. They'll teach you everything you just mentioned. Oh, and some of them have cookbooks like Rachael Ray, Giada, and maybe Emeril. Plus, at Foodnetwork.com you can watch some clips to learn how to cook things. =)
2006-11-24 10:23:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I learned most of the from scratch cooking from the BH&G cookbook back in the early 1990's. A few recipes have semi-made food, like Bisquick or cream of something soup. But most of it is from scratch.
2006-11-24 10:21:52 · answer #8 · answered by chefgrille 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Joy of Cooking was mentioned and it is indeed a classic cookbook. There are also online programs like Cook's Illustrated that help to educate both new and experienced cooks.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/
2006-11-24 11:29:51 · answer #9 · answered by hopflower 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Joy of Cooking sucks...very outdated, old...yeech.
Get How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.
Every home cook should have a copy.
2006-11-24 11:59:40 · answer #10 · answered by OMO 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋