Americans are on a roll in the kitchen we've never been better or smarter about cooking. But how does a beginning cook become good, a good coo... read full description
reviews
Jul 22, 2010
Christina
rated it: 
This cheerless book emulates The Elements of Style by offering definitions of some foundational techniques and ingredients that all cooks should know, according to the author. There's only one recipe, for veal stock: Ruhlman says much home cooking could be improved by the addition of veal stock. I'll take his word on that.
As for the techniques and definitions, I didn't find myself learning much that I didn't already know. For example, the "flavor" definition starts "arg More...
As for the techniques and definitions, I didn't find myself learning much that I didn't already know. For example, the "flavor" definition starts "arg More...
Feb 22, 2011
Misty
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I've always aspired to cook without a recipe, and this book gives me the tools and principles for doing just that. I plan to keep this book handy in my kitchen as a reference guide. Modeled after Strunk and White's Elements of Style, this book has the same structure - essays on important aspects of cooking that are the building blocks of any recipe (stocks, proper salting, temperature), followed by an alphabetical definition of cooking terms and ingredients. Want to know what a mandoline is? Wan
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Apr 07, 2011
Lisa
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Whatever chops you thought you had in the kitchen, this guy makes you feel like a jackass. Modeled on the Elements of Style by Strunk and White, Michael Ruhlman gives a very idiosyncratic and opinionated take on the fundamentals of cooking, in eight essays, which are both intimidating and illuminating. Through them, he gets to the heart of what elevates cooking to an art. The essay on stock is a little scary, particularly when he holds forth on the virtues of veal stock. But he also shares very
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Jan 02, 2010
Jonathan
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While fascinating (who knew that salting was a cook’s most important skill), I don’t think reading this will make you a better cook. However, if you want food for thought, read the essays in the front of the book (on subjects such as salt, a cook’s five essential tools, the egg, and stock). The glossary of cooking terms in the back of the book is also awesome.
Jan 03, 2010
Christy
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This book is a more straightforward, almost scientific way to look at cooking and the elements that make up the recipes we like. I found it to be really interesting, even if I won't use much of that knowledge.*
*I had to change my review because, after having read it, I found myself thinking. A LOT. Now I am finding that I need my own copy to reference in the future.
*I had to change my review because, after having read it, I found myself thinking. A LOT. Now I am finding that I need my own copy to reference in the future.
Aug 13, 2009
Charlie
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This cooking glossary begins with essays on a few of Ruhlman's favorite things, and the rest of the book defines all the terms I've read in his other books. It's a good shelf book, but the glossary becomes impossible to read start to finish by the Cs.
Jan 01, 2008
Ben
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An "Elements of Style"-inspired take on the world of cooking by Michael Ruhlman, Elements of Cooking provides both wannabe and professional cooks with 8 short essays on what he views to be the most important ingredients/tools/concepts separating good cooking from great cooking. Ruhlman also includes a glossary of food terms that is actually interesting to read on its own. Following the "...of a Chef" trilogy and some very nice cookbooks, I have wondered where Ruhlman's muse
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Dec 21, 2011
Laura
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This book has a few essays at the beginning and then the rest is like a dictionary of cooking terms. I actually read through the entire thing and learned a lot about cooking. Some of it, I've already put into practice. For example, I'm trying to be diligent about salting food as I go rather than just assuming that I can add the salt at the end. I did this with one of our favorite rice dishes on Friday, and salting early in the cooking process made a remarkable difference in how good the food
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Aug 11, 2011
Erika
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Cooking/culinary definitions, a great reference book to keep next to the cookbooks. the only recipe is for veal stock - the foundation of a pro kitchen.
Aug 01, 2011
Brittany
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Fabulous book that covers nearly every detail you should know about the kitchen. I've never been so inspired to cook stock, as after reading this book.
Feb 10, 2011
Joshua
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If you like to cook or want to know more about cooking read this book. The book is filled with knowledge and explainations of just about everything in a kitchen. It breaks the information down into what you need to know to accomplish the task in the kitchen. I have a culinary degree from Le Cordon Blue and I think this should be required reading for Basic Kitchen Skills.
Jan 04, 2009
TheIron
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A great reference for anyone who wants to do more than simply follow a recipe. This would be useful both in the home and in "cooking school". Easy to read and to follow though the author can be a bit didactic at times.
Jan 09, 2008
Ragallachmc
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Aimed more at the home cook or the kitchen neophyte, this book does contain some nuggets for kitchen pros. The essays at the beginning, although not containing a ton of new information for me, were engaging and thoughtful. I've always liked Ruhlman's prose style, and this is just more of that. Following the essays is a small encyclopedia/index of restaurant and culinary terms. Although not as exhaustive as The New Food Lover's Companion, it still covered the basics. Overall, if you know so
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May 22, 2010
Lynda
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This is a very good read with lots of good information. However, the recipes are not anything I would try to make.
Nov 29, 2010
Ryan
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The Elements of Cooking is an interesting almost-narrative glossary of most things you'd need to know to understand what a cook is talking about. I learned the definitions of lots of terms that you see on fancy menus (or hear thrown about on Top Chef or on food blogs), what beurre blanc and beurre rouge are and how to make them, and also how to make stock. We made a great deal of that using the Thanksgiving turkey, which was spectacular. I'd highly recommend this book for the non-cook, the cook,
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Jan 28, 2008
Was a gift from a friend who got it for me because of the similarity to The Elements of Style. Interesting in a theoretical way. He takes it all (including himself) a *lot* more seriously than I do (or ever will). I can imagine being seriously interested at this level if you are a professional cook/chef/wannabe, or even having to cook three meals a day for a finicky family for the rest of time. As it is, I find it vaguely amusing for the same reason that Vogue magazine might be: as sociological
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Nov 08, 2007
Lucinda
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More than anything I was unconvinced by the casual style of this book. This might be partially due to subject matter. The beauty of the Elements of Style is that the authors use the book as an example of exactly what they are talking about. "Finesse," one of the main themes of The Elements of Cooking, can't really be given concrete example in written form.
One thing the book did do: it reminded me that I want to got to French Laundry. The date I can call for reservations is More...
One thing the book did do: it reminded me that I want to got to French Laundry. The date I can call for reservations is More...
Dec 07, 2009
Mindy
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I was disappointed a bit by this book. I guess I didn't investigate it very thoroughly before ordering it, because it was considerably shorter than I'd expected and was geared more towards the serious gastronome... I suppose I'd have known that if I was already a Ruhlman fan, as I know many are.
However, for me, there was far too much detail about doing complex things with meat and lard, etc. Hardly a replacement for broad, basic cookbook tutorials like those I've relied on in The Joy More...
However, for me, there was far too much detail about doing complex things with meat and lard, etc. Hardly a replacement for broad, basic cookbook tutorials like those I've relied on in The Joy More...
May 25, 2008
Jenny
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Well, I'm not sure why Ruhlman bothered to write this book, to be honest, since most of the useful information is taken directly from the books he was influenced by. At least he cites them. I think you'd be better served to go out and buy Escoffier, McGee, and the Zuni Cafe Cookbook (the three he references constantly). Those are the books I'll buy for my kitchen reference collection. Besides.. how could he leave out "in the weeds?"
Jul 24, 2009
This was a very good overview of the basics of cooking, and very well written to boot. My only criticism, as such, is that it is very focused on classical french cooking, and I'm not sure I'll ever make veal stock, no matter how amazing he says it is.
Jul 01, 2008
Cindy
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I read the intro part to this book which was decent. Half the book is a glossary of cooking terms, so I suppose its more of a reference type book...which is not what I was expecting. I highly recommend the other books he's written, they are all interesting looks into the life of a chef. This one is really only good if you are needing to understand terms in a cookbook that you may not understand.
Nov 27, 2007
Ian
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I've become a big fan of Michael Ruhlman's writing (mostly through his blog), so this seemed like a no-brainer to pick up. At first, the glossary format didn't appeal to me, but the more I read, the more I learned. And the essays that comprise the first 1/4 of the book are compelling reading for anyone who has an interest in the craft of cooking (and cooking well).
Dec 17, 2007
Molly
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Ruhlman's passionate about food, friendly to the novice, and writes with a nice rhythm. I read all the essays at the beginning of the book (veal stock! heat! salt! finesse!) and plan to dip in to the definitions as needed. This strikes me as a lovely -- and literary -- kitchen resource, very "Elements of Style"-ish. I like to think E. B. White would approve.
Dec 29, 2007
Christine
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I picked this up after seeing it on the stack of "new" books at the library. I had read this author's book about his time at the Culinary Institute of America so it caught my eye. I really liked the first 50 pages but was disappointed when it turned into a dictionary of food terms. Not exactly read cover to cover material.
Sep 23, 2009
Kristin
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Great resource, but not a great read. This book is probably of more use if it's bought and stashed with other cookboks.
Feb 20, 2008
Nadia
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The essays that begin this book are outstanding. A must-read for anyone who's serious about cooking, and gets a kick out of someone waxing rhapsodic about veal stock. The latter section of the book is a glossary of terms and so not really something to read straight through, but interesting to browse through.
Jan 05, 2008
Alison
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I suspect this book isn't necessarily meant to be read cover to cover--it's a kind of encyclopedia of cooking terms that can help you decipher any menu or recipe--but I read it anyway, because Michael Ruhlman is such a good writer. AND he makes me want to be a better cook, without being condescending at all.
Mar 06, 2011
Alex
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This book has about 40 pages of basic cooking topics - like stocks, salt, and heat - followed by about 200 pages of definitions, which are good as a reference. I found the basic topics very helpful. I learned how to make a better chicken stock and used it to make a soup.
