How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

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How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

by Mark Bittman

4.25 · rating details · 4,689 ratings · 429 reviews

Great Food Made Simple

Here's the breakthrough one-stop cooking reference for today's generation of cooks Nationally known cooking authority Mark Bittman shows you how to prepare great food for all occasions using simple techniques, fresh ingredients, and basic kitchen equipment. Just as important, "How to Cook Everything" takes a relaxed, straightforward approac

...moreGreat Food Made Simple

Praise for "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman:

"In his introduction to "How to Cook Everything," Mark Bittman says, 'Anyone can cook, and most everyone should.' Now, hopefully everyone will -- this work is a rare achievement. Mark is in that pantheon of a few gifted cook/writers who make very, very good food simple and accessible. I read his recipes and my mouth waters. I read his directions and head for the kitchen. Bravo, Mark, for taking us away from take-out and back to the fun of food."
-- Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of the international public radio show "The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper"

"Mark Bittman is the best home cook I know, and "How to Cook Everything" is the best basic cookbook I've seen."
-- Jean-Georges Vongerichten, award-winning chef/owner of Jean-Georges

"Useful to the novice cook or the professional chef, "How to Cook Everything" is a tour de force cookbook by Mark Bittman. Mark lends his considerable knowledge and clear, concise writing style to explanations of techniques and quick, classic recipes. This is a complete, reliable cookbook."
-- Jacques Pepin, chef, cookbook author, and host of his own PBS television series

"Sometimes all the things that a particular person does best come together in a burst of synergy, and the result is truly marvelous. This book is just such an instance. Mark Bittman is not only the best home cook we know, he is also a born teacher, a gifted writer, and a canny kitchen tactician who combines great taste with eminent practicality. Put it all together and you have "How to Cook Everything," a cookbook that will inspire American home cooks not only today but for years to come."
-- John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger, coauthors of "License to Grill"

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Paperback, 944 pages

Published March 20th 2006 by John Wiley & Sons (first published January 1st 1998)

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Jul 10, 2007

Leslie rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: butter lovers, people who need a general reference cookbook

I first saw this cookbook in the kitchen of one of my favorite families, the Gambells, in New Haven, and the pages were falling out of the binding from extensive use - a pretty good recommendation. The reviews that say, "hm, these recipes are simple... almost minimalist" are funny... what did they expect from the author of "The Minimalist" column in the New York Times? Many friends of mine have complained about this, that the book doesn't go far enough beyond three-ingredien...more

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Jun 18, 2007

Missy rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, cookbooks

Okay, so, October is National Book Month, and there's a meme going around: what book do you want everyone to read, fiction and non-fiction. And why. So, this was my non-fiction book.

Why I want you to read this:

I know so many people who tell me they can't cook, they don't know how, it's too hard, and it's not. If I could teach all the people I know and love how easy it is to have real, good, actual food, I'd be a very happy woman. Since I can't come into your kitchens and ...moreOkay, so, October is National Book Month, and there's a meme going around: what book do you want everyone to read, fiction and non-fiction. And why. So, this was my non-fiction book.

Why I want you to read this:

I know so many people who tell me they can't cook, they don't know how, it's too hard, and it's not. If I could teach all the people I know and love how easy it is to have real, good, actual food, I'd be a very happy woman. Since I can't come into your kitchens and show you how few steps it takes to make something that tastes fifteen times better than takeout and is so much better for you and costs half as much, I'll point you to Mark Bittman, who wrote the Minimalist column for the New York Times.

One of the good things about Bittman is that he doesn't cook the way your mother cooked. (If your mother *did* cook this way? Contact me immediately; I'm not too old for adoption.) He's clear and easy to read and he explains things and he generally makes me way less crazy than the Joy of Cooking (I own four copies of three different editions of that one, because people keep buying it for me, and I never use it. I don't even pick it up and read it. Yes. I read cookbooks for fun, but that's an entirely different post.)

Pick something that sounds too delicious, just one thing, and make it. And then pick something else. Put a post-it note on the ones that actually do turn out to be yummy. Write in the margins. Leave yourself notes that you really can't stand capers but everything else in this recipe rocked. Don't worry if the butter splatters on the page or the tomatoes drip. Brush it off, let it dry and see how many more pages you can get dirty.

Do I still eat take-out? Oh, hell, yes. But it's usually something I love but that the rest of the family is ambivalent about--curry or sushi or pesto (THERE'S GREEN STUFF ON YOUR SPAGHETTI, MOM, WOW THAT'S NASTY.) And most of the time, when I'm dead-tired from work, it's still faster to make soup and muffins than it is to call out for delivery, or stop somewhere and get something.

And yeah, I subscribe to the Food Is Love way of life, but not in that psychotic, OMG, if you don't eat 5 helpings of everything she's slaved in the kitchen to make, you hate your mother/grandmother/crazy Aunt Sally way. It's love in the way that you're important and valuable enough to deserve something that tastes fabulous and nourishes you.

/rant
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Nov 18, 2008

Martin Earl rated it

This could go on my "reading" shelf because I'm ALWAYS reading it. It is my standard starting point for any recipe serch that I do. It is true that I don't always find everything I want (yes, we all know the title is hyperbole), but what I find is just great.

Part of what I like so much is the pedagogic stance Bittman takes. Say I've avoided...oh, say...beans for years, but now want to cook them myself; he doesn't just throw a abunch of recipes at me, he talks about how t...more

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Apr 02, 2008

Louis rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those who do not have much experience cooking but want to learn and dreams of becoming good.

There are many different types of cookbooks. The most basic type is a collection of recipes, presumably built around some theme. Another type is the picture book, filled with pages of pictures of beautiful gourmet dishes. Then there are the celebrity chefs, with books that promise something akin to what you can get from their restaurants, or results like their TV shows. I have one cookbook that is basically a travelogue, beckoning the reader to distant exotic lands. But the one that every househ...moreThere are many different types of cookbooks. The most basic type is a collection of recipes, presumably built around some theme. Another type is the picture book, filled with pages of pictures of beautiful gourmet dishes. Then there are the celebrity chefs, with books that promise something akin to what you can get from their restaurants, or results like their TV shows. I have one cookbook that is basically a travelogue, beckoning the reader to distant exotic lands. But the one that every household is supposed to have, is the big, basic cookbook. The one that has a general range and, more importantly, general instructions on cooking technique and everything that has to do with a kitchen, without assuming that the reader has learned everything at her grandmother's knee (especially the readers that are not a 'her'). This latter type includes classics like The Joy of Cooking and the Betty Crocker's Cookbook. And Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (HTCE): Simple Recipes for Great Food.

Mark Bittman opens the book with a general statement of philosophy which identifies his audience. In this case, his audience are precisely those who are starting from nothing, new households of people who did not grow up learning from their mothers and grandmothers on how to cook. Second, it is aimed at those who desire to cook, not necessarily gourmet, but food that is good, and not complicated. And because his readers are assumed to be starting from no base, Bittman takes on the role of teacher, not just a publisher. And as a professor (lit. one who professes) he has opinions that he shares, based on his philosophy that cooking can be done, and there is no value in making things harder, more complicated, more fancy, then necessary. The assumption is that people who want something like this, will also know how to find it elsewhere. The first section is basically a tour through the kitchen, equipment, basic ingredients, and basic techniques. All this with advice on what was necessary, and what was optional. No doubt there is room for disagreement. But for someone starting from nothing, the opinions given are useful. And once people learn more and gain more skills, they can form their own opinions starting from what he gives.

So, how are the recipes? There are many cookbooks that I avoid because their too complicated, many due to the shear number of ingredients required. HTCE does not have this problem. It does not go as far as a 5 ingredient list, but the ingredients are constrained to a number that someone without a full spice rack could conceivably have. Throughout the book, there are tips on how to work with various ingredients. In addition, there would be a small essay for major meat and vegetables.

So far, I've probably done a couple dozen recipes over the past couple years. Some for myself, some just me and my fiancee, some for a group. I have found the recipes to be complex enough to be interesting and worthy of something nice, but easy enough so I can gauge difficulty and effort from reading alone, (I only have limited background in cooking). In contrast, I find most cookbooks on the market to be way to simple (and just a list of recipes) or overly complicated and impractical (especially for someone who lives alone and would end up throwing out most of the purchased ingredients as they spoiled.)

I think HTCE a very good baseline cookbook. For the starter, Bittman teaches without intimidation, the recipes are complex enough to impress (if that is the goal), but basic enough to be achievable. The advice and options given are enough that the reader can understand how to adapt and experiment, and thus learn how to cook to a level that should satisfy anyone, and a jumping off point to learn in the future.(less)

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Feb 01, 2009

Rebecca rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: food

I went to the used book store the other day with some cast-off hard-backs to trade in. I shoved several lounging cats aside, and found all 944 pages of this tome. The shiny "Julia Child Cookbook Award" and "James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award Winner" stickers intrigued me. So did the Washington Post quote, "Think of it as a more hip Joy of Cooking"
Them's fightin' words. I'm a Joy devotee. But flipping through, I was intrigued. I like the illustrations, the l...more

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Oct 06, 2011

Merinda rated it

· review of another edition

This book is amazing. I borrowed it from the library, and after having it in my home for less than a week I decided we needed to own it.

Nearly everything I can think of to cook I can find here. Everything. And every recipe is simple and teaches basic concepts of cooking and variations that you can take and run with. Some of my favorites so far are fried rice with pork and shrimp, biscuits made with yogurt (better than our old family recipe), gazpacho and olive oil salt bread (so fast!)...moreThis book is amazing. I borrowed it from the library, and after having it in my home for less than a week I decided we needed to own it.

Nearly everything I can think of to cook I can find here. Everything. And every recipe is simple and teaches basic concepts of cooking and variations that you can take and run with. Some of my favorites so far are fried rice with pork and shrimp, biscuits made with yogurt (better than our old family recipe), gazpacho and olive oil salt bread (so fast!). He does have a conspicuous lack of good Mexican recipes (the fajita recipe is just plain wrong!), but he more than makes up for it in a bounty of great Asian and Mediterranean recipes, breads, bean and salad recipes. He even tells you how to cook a duck simply!

When I got married 12 years ago, my husband brought "The Joy of Cooking" to the marriage and referred to it often. We recently got rid of that book because everything in it was so stuffy and complicated, so useless for a busy family. This book provides what we hoped "The Joy of Cooking" would provide us, showing us how joyful cooking can be when you keep it simple.

I think his mantra he writes about in the NY Times and elsewhere—the idea that our culture has gotten away from cooking simply because we complicate it—is spot on. In this book he practices what he preaches, giving every person the know-how to make pretty much everything they can think of, simply.

My favorite quotes from the introduction:

"Everyday cooking is not about striving for brilliance but about preparing good, wholesome, tasty, varied meals for the ones you love. This is a fundamentally satisfying pleasure. Your results need not be perfect to give you this gift, to which all humans are entitled."

"Convenience foods supposedly attest to how busy we are: 'I don't have time to cook.' My job, my quest, is to demonstrate the opposite: that you DO have time to cook and that the rewards are so great that you'll never regret the time spent doing it. Though we may gain marginal amounts of time by buying and eating prepared and take-out foods, we lose the delights of working in the kitchen, the wonders of creating, the pleasures of time spent in the honest pursuit of tradition and the nourishment of our bodies and those of our family."

Well done, Mr. Bittman. Here's to hoping your book will change our world.(less)

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Oct 31, 2009

Jennifer rated it

· review of another edition

When I got this book, it was being billed as the new Joy of Cooking (maybe it still is), a basic cookbook that covers everything from how to cook to what to cook. And, for the most part, it is. The directions are simple, Bittman clearly explains everything from the type of pots and pans you should have to the basics of cooking meat. At the same time, I find that I rarely use this book, unless I'm looking for a simple recipe for vegetables or salad dressing or something else that is to serve as ...more

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Aug 25, 2009

Steven Peterson rated it

· review of another edition

On page xi, Mark Bittman lays things out: "Anyone can cook, and most everyone should. It's a sorry sign that many people consider cooking 'from scratch' an unusual and even rare talent. In fact, cooking is a simple and rewarding craft, one that anyone can learn and even succeed at from the get-go."

There are the usual features in this cookbook (and welcome for all that): ingredients that ought to be in your kitchen (page xiii),equipment, techniques (such as grilling, broili...moreOn page xi, Mark Bittman lays things out: "Anyone can cook, and most everyone should. It's a sorry sign that many people consider cooking 'from scratch' an unusual and even rare talent. In fact, cooking is a simple and rewarding craft, one that anyone can learn and even succeed at from the get-go."

There are the usual features in this cookbook (and welcome for all that): ingredients that ought to be in your kitchen (page xiii),equipment, techniques (such as grilling, broiling, roasting, sauteing, etc.).

Then, to the recipes. . . . The first section here focuses (as one might guess) on appetizers. One of these is stuffed mushrooms, which provides a recipe close to that of my wife's family. I can say that the end result is delicious (the key: making sure that it does not get too dry when being cooked). Next, soups. The section starts out nicely with a description of how to make stock. You use bouillon cubes? Bittman says (page 44): "As for bouillon cubes, forget it. You're better off with water and a few extra vegetables." Late on, he addresses meats.

He begins by nicely identifying where the different cuts of beef and pork are, and the characteristics of each (with beef, from chuck to round, from brisket to loin). The recipes for beef are straightforward. This is not Emeril Lagasse or Martha Stewart (each of whom plays a useful role in providing information on cooking). The recipes are "everyday" stuff. For example, his "Grilled steak, American-style" could not be easier to make. Pork chops? On page 457 and after, he describes how to sautee pork chops eight different ways. With apples or with sherry and garlic or with dried fruit or. . . . He discusses stir frying and how to make it work.

Vegetables? He describes the different ways of cooking them and then provides recipes. I have come to really enjoy veggies, after spending my first two decades resisting eating them. There are a series of nice recipes for, to illustrate, asparagus, which is one of my favorites.

All in all, then, a nice cookbook for people who want to cook for themselves and may not be interested in more complicated recipes and cooking. (less)

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Jul 29, 2011

Catherine Woodman added it · review of another edition

When a section of our first edition of this book kept falling out (and I noticed the same section falls out at a couple of my friends houses--the edition was perhaps not well crafted), my first and only thought was to get another copy--and the new edition was out, and this one is if possible even better than the first one--this is the new Joy of Cooking for us--the cookbook that we turn to when we want to make anything that we don't know how to make, as well as the source of all basic recipes--t...more

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Jan 19, 2009

Jean rated it

· review of another edition

Simple breakdowns of classics with very interesting twists. We did the "Adult's Birthday Dinner." Here's the breakdown of the recipes I've eaten and the cookbook club cooks who cooked them.

Molly - Spicy Lentil Soup: Definitely one to recreate on a chilly Sunday. I love hearty vegetarian fare.

Molly - Sicilian Onion Pizza: Great crust, better than I expected toppings Surprisingly mellow considering the volume of onions involved.

Sheela - Catfish ...more

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Jul 16, 2008

Tiffany rated it

· review of another edition

Best all around cookbook ever! This is my go to book when I need information and a recipe for a new ingredient, or a recipe for an old classic, or to find something to make with what I have on hand. This would be the perfect gift for someone just setting up their own place. Bittman's clear, concise writing and simple approach to good food make it easy for the novice cook to read and use.

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Jan 17, 2010

Laura rated it

· review of another edition

This (and it's companion, HTCE Vegetarian) quickly became two of my go-to cookbooks last year and helped me explore outside my usual cooking realms. I'd set HTCE (and HTCEV) aside and fallen back into a cooking rut. Last weekend I pulled HTCE back out, and was reminded again how great it is. I love the format of the basic recipe followed by adaptations that can be made to the basic one - for me, those get me thinking about other variations that might be excellent as well. Plus, HTCE *finally* h...more

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Dec 28, 2008

Dianna rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Dianna by: Julia S

Truly simple recipes. Julia turned me on to this guy, and this book is full of the kind of recipes you can read once and remember without having to keep referring back. I have a shelf full of cookbooks (really the only type of book I still buy), but in two weeks I've cooked more things out of this one book than all the rest combined.

I cooked brussel sprouts for the first time in my life: loved them! Bittman suggests that brussel sprouts were made for bacon... I have to agree. He giv...more

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Aug 29, 2007

Jill rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: just-can-t-read-it-anymore

I actually ended up returning this. But you must understand that I don't cook. I just couldn't get into a cookbook where there were no pictures to show me what I'm doing wrong. Even Lean Cuisine has a picture on the box, so I know if my meal is too freezer burned to be edible.

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Feb 11, 2010

Bells rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: what-s-cookin-hot-stuff

Does NOT tell you how to cook EVERYTHING

Shoes? Monkey wang? No recipes for those.

Still, a very good reference book and the recipes are pretty easy.

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Feb 20, 2010

Adam Lubin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: theoretically-still-reading

Mr Bittman is undoubtedly one of my true heroes. Where my tiny kitchen and I would be without him, I know not.

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Aug 20, 2009

Stephanie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: oft-recommended

There is nothing that, together, The Bittman and I can't cook together. Ice cream, black beans, beets, quiche, chickpea dishes of all sorts, roast chicken... it's easy enough for someone still learning her way around the kitchen to understand, but the flavors and concepts and flexibility of the recipes lend themselves well to someone with more skill. And he covers, really, EVERYTHING. It's great! I can buy random stuff at the grocery store and not worry in the slightest, because MB and I wil...more

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Jan 19, 2009

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

This is by far my favorite cookbook. My mom gave it to me several years ago when I was just starting to cook and it has taught me everything. It is still my number one reference when trying out something new. The writing is very fluid and entertaining; I've found Sam reading through it several times while I had it out for a recipe. I'd highly recommend it to anyone learning to cook and to more experienced cooks looking for a good background reference. The recipes are all very straightforwar...more

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Apr 16, 2010

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This cookbook is extremely comprehensive and contains hundreds of recipes. I tried several recipes from the book before posting this review and I feel confident that when I try a recipe from this cookbook, I can prepare it as directed in the recipe and it will turn out well. (I particularly liked the roasted chicken in olive oil or butter! That will be my new go-to way to prepare chicken.)

One of the best features of this book is the numerous variations that Bittman offers on many of ...more

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Mar 18, 2011

Jennifer Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Before I had kids, I used to say - if it takes me more than 10 minutes to make, it's not worth it. Also, I was so horrible and clueless about cooking (baking and anything else to do with food included) that when my husband ran to the kitchen because the cookies were burning, I calmly told him - "it's OK. Don't worry. Just flip them over!" I was completely ignorant about how cookies baked in the oven. And making a garden salad brought me to tears. This was my baseline.

Now, a...moreBefore I had kids, I used to say - if it takes me more than 10 minutes to make, it's not worth it. Also, I was so horrible and clueless about cooking (baking and anything else to do with food included) that when my husband ran to the kitchen because the cookies were burning, I calmly told him - "it's OK. Don't worry. Just flip them over!" I was completely ignorant about how cookies baked in the oven. And making a garden salad brought me to tears. This was my baseline.

Now, after two kids and seeing what horrible choices kids had when we ate out (it really didn't matter which restaurant and of course, we didn't have to order it from the kids menu, but why should it be that way?), I decided that I must learn to cook for our kids sake (my husband jokes that my love for him didn't induce me to cook, but my love my kids did. To that which I've answered, you can cook something for yourself. They can't). I was trying to stick to my old 10 minute rule, but with two young kids, it might take me 10 minutes to take the eggs out from the refrigerator let alone crack it and beat it. So, when I came across this book, I was intrigued by the title. How to cook EVERYTHING?

Well, even though I've bought about a dozen of cookbooks in the last ten years or so(remember, I don't like cooking), this is the cookbook I keep going back to. It's got great recipes for pancakes and waffles (no more mixes for us) as well as all kinds of soups. I also need to venture out more. This cookbook has whole menus for special days. I started photocopying my favorite recipes from other books and pasting it on to this book (because I might get rid of all the others, but I KNOW this is the one I'm going to keep). So, as a person who really doesn't like cooking and who is easily intimidated by cooking (I'm still very intimidated by yeast. I love baking breads, but all un-yeasted breads. For some reason, yeast, water temp, rising, etc. really intimidate the fledgeling cook within me), I love this book because it makes me feel like I can cook. (less)

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Jan 26, 2010

Cindy rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone who wants to cook

Shelves: 10-10-10, cookbooks

Well, I have a small quibble about the title. How to Cook Everything is a pretty broad statement, and did I indeed find recipes on how to cook EVERYTHING? No. But what I did find was a cookbook that teaches you basic principles of cooking so that you can figure out how to cook almost anything.

I'm not quite done reading it, but already I have found myself wanting to host a party while reading the appetizers, craving more soup during the soup recipes, and itching to bake while reading ...more

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May 24, 2010

Betsy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: cookbooks

Even though this is officially a cookbook, I feel like I actually read a large book about cooking as much as skimmed through recipes. Bittman does a great job of organizing his massive book, teaching readers/chefs how to combine ingredients and substitute, and has very nice sized sections on grains, vegetables, beans as well as the usual meat, bread, dessert.... [update 5/2010: I've used this cookbook more than any other single cookbook this past year and have enjoyed nearly everything. NOTHING ...more

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Mar 23, 2008

Mykle rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: college students

Shelves: can-t-decide

This is an omnibus in the Joy of Cooking tradition; you'll notice it's the same size and thinckness as the Joy, sells for about as much, and is clearly targeted at the same market segment. Both books purport to briefly cover every kind of food that Americans used to cook, cook now or ought to cook.

However, while the sizes of the two books are the same, the type in Bittman's book is much larger. His recipies are actually quite good, but HTCE simply lacks the depth of the Joy ... and...more

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Feb 04, 2008

Michelle rated it

· review of another edition

This is less of a cookbook than a textbook on cooking, but a very useful textbook to have around. In the intro, Bittman makes the claim that in our quest for fast, convenient food, we've given up way too much in flavor and nutrition, and really haven't saved much time in return. His goal with this book is to teach the basics of cooking, so you feel confident making any basic home-cooked meal. In this, I think he succeeds.

And for time-pressed families, his quick meals strike me as mo...more

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Aug 19, 2007

Thaiyoshi rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: cookbooks

This book is a great reference, but for some reason, I really can't cook from it. Maybe it's the paradox of choice at work. The book just doesn't jive with how I think about food.

It's set up like an encyclopedia or a taxonomic guide (like you would find for identifying birds or plants). It is impressive in that it's such a broad sweep of food, but it's hard to find entry points. For me it's usually a specific take on a dish or a picture that inspires me to try making something. This...more

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Apr 01, 2007

Jen rated it

· review of another edition

Bittman's book is my go-to guide for recipes. You're not going to find a large amount of gourmet, difficult to master ideas here - what you will find is the basics, and a list of ways to vary them.

A good example of how to use this book came to me a couple of weeks ago. I'm the cook in my family, and so my mother called to ask me for my best asparagus recipe. Please note: I do not, nor have I ever enjoyed asparagus. I have never once cooked it. I consulted my big yellow book and foun...more

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May 28, 2009

Savitri rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: food, how-to, non-fiction

This book is awesome for basic how-tos. Once you master the basics you can more stuff to it and improvise. Ok, it doesn't have EVERYTHING but what it does have are very nice.

I LOVE the pancake recipe from this book. I've changed some measurements based on the results and now I have one DELICIOUS, easy, and super cheap pancakes for the weekends.

I use to love going out to breakfast but now it's tough... esp. if I order pancakes. Homemade from scratch is the way to go!!!

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Apr 25, 2009

Anna rated it

· review of another edition

After checking this out from the library, I realized it was a book I'd really like to have on my shelf for reference.

Sure, you can find recipes for anything on the internet these days, but this book starts with the very basics and explains how to build on them for people who want versatility in their cooking. It explains how and why things work, and how to change recipes for flavor/convenience/ingredients-on-hand. I found (and continue to find) it very useful.

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Sep 06, 2007

Jonathan rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: all humans who consume food

Shelves: food

Hands down the single most useful cookbook I own. I bought this in 1998 shortly after the first edition came out, and have since given copies to many people. If you cook, you need this book. If you don't cook and want to begin, this is (in my opinion) the best place to start.

This book is noteworthy in that it's useful for both total novices and experienced cooks. Bittman writes in an informative, down to earth style. No "gourmet" pretension here. At the same time, he'...more

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Feb 04, 2011

Peter rated it

· review of another edition

This cookbook is exactly my speed. I'm not at a point in my life where I'm searing much ahi, nor do I have much desire to gaze at food-porny macro photographs of dishes I will never make and never, ever afford. But Bittman's book is helping me make better rice and beans, and fry better eggs.

And if I ever do want to get all fancy with coconut milk and exotic cuts of meat, this book will still accommodate. It really does have just about everything.

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About Mark Bittman

Mark Bittman is an American food journalist and author. He writes a weekly column for The New York Times dining section called The Minimalist.

In 2009 Bittman published Food Matters discussing the topics of environmental challenges, lifestyle diseases, and the overproduction and over consumption of meat, simple carbohydrates, and junk food.

Bittman is married to New York Time...more

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Books by Mark Bittman

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes

The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living

Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express: 404 Inspired Seasonal Dishes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less

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“[C]onvenience is one of the two dirty words of American cooking, reflecting the part of our national character that is easily bored; the other is 'gourmet.' Convenience foods demonstrate our supposed disdain for the routine and the mundane: 'I don't have time to cook.' The gourmet phase, which peaked in the eighties, when food was seen as art, showed our ability to obsess about aspects of daily life that most other cultures take for granted. You might only cook once a week, but wow, what a meal.” — 1 person liked it

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How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

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