The Gourmet Cookbook: More than 1000 recipes (now with DVD)
by Ruth Reichl
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 219)
recommended to Marie by:
ben
recommends it for: you and you and you and you and me
recommends it for: you and you and you and you and me
one of my pet peeves is when i'm in a group of women and they start trying to out do each other with their lack of cooking ability. "I can't cook", "who has time to cook?","I can barely manage to heat up a box of macaroni and cheese without burning it", "I don't even know how to fry an egg anymore", "I'm such a cooking retard that I have to read the directions on microwave popcorn EVERYTIME". what?! when did it become cool to not be able to cook?...more
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This is my favorite cookbook. I know the light yellow print wasn't the best choice for the book, because it is hard to see, and some of the recipes can be intimidating. However, I'm an intermediate cook and I use this book all the time. The Pumpkin Apple Bread is awesome, and both my parents and in-laws love it. I gave loaves of it out for Christmas (very little money means baking presents instead of buying) and everyone raved, asking for the recipe. The Irish Soda bread was delicious in a ...more
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I've never had one of these recipes fail - just make sure you follow Reichl's instructions to a tee (if she says, "it will look like it is not fully baked, but don't leave it in the oven" she means it - my one failure was a birthday cake that had that editorial comment with the recipe. I didn't believe her...if there's such a thing as bad birthday cake, this was it).
Cooking and prep times are accurate, and if you want to find out how to cook something, chances are good it's in h...more
Cooking and prep times are accurate, and if you want to find out how to cook something, chances are good it's in h...more
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recommends it for:
Experienced cooks
This is a huge cookbook - there are hundreds of recipes. Remember when I said in an earlier review that I could generally tell if a recipe was going to work out? Well, this is one book that has consistently proved me wrong. I have tried a lot of these recipes and too many of them needed serious tweaking. Because of what it is trying to accomplish, I can't rate this book higher because a kitchen novice can't pick this up and work with it. Too bad Ruthie. It does have a happy yellow cover...more
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recommends it for:
Cooks moving past the basics
This book has become the new standard in our house. We began using it right after we felt sort of tapped on out How to Cook Everything, which is awesome in its own right, but is best for basics. The Gourmet book is good for weekenight dinners to impress your foodie friends meals. I don't think we've tried a thing in there that's been disappointing. Surprisingly authentic Asian dishes (according to my Americanized version during the San Francisco days). A must have for anyone who likes to cook.
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This book is for people who want to step up their game in the kitchen. I made my first bechamel sauce with this book, my first batch of homemade waffles, and trussed my first roasted chicken. The recipes are fairly precise, of international variety, and it's helped me broaden my range and master basics of Western cooking ie.: salad dressings, sauces, roasting techniques, and the all important chocolate cake.
If you have bad eyesight, the yellow print is going to be a problem though...
If you have bad eyesight, the yellow print is going to be a problem though...
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Read in December, 2005
recommends it for:
Cooks, Ruth Reichl Fans, People Who Like To Eat
I have been a fan of Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet Magazine, for some time, I've enjoyed her writing and considered her opinion of heavy weight in the culinary world. This is her cookbook. It is the latest version of Gourmet Magazine's favorite recipes. Its comprehensive, and full of very good food. The only complaint I've had is that their pancake recipe it terrible. Otherwise, amazing food....all throughout. Ruth knows what she's doing.
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A fair to good cookbook. Many of the recipes are made to seem more complicated than they really are. Some ingredient snobbery is also present. I understand that not every walnut is a walnut, but I'm also not going to order vintage carpathian walnuts at like $100.00 per pound. Otherwise a nice introduction to the art. Although some of the recipes are too contrived (see Pho).
A fair to good cookbook.
A fair to good cookbook.
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Read in January, 2006
This is a good book for a chef--not for the culinary faint-of-heart. I find the recipe headings to be difficult to read, considering the fact they are in a light yellow. If you're looking for a comprensive cook-everything book, try Mark Bitman's 'How to Cook Everything.' However, Ruth Reichl's pancakes (from this book) are to die for...
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This is a good basic cookbook although I've been disappointed in a few of the recipes - the banana bread being the only I can remember. This is a huge book - I see it as a basic along the lines of the Joy of Cooking. The layout is a little clumsy and there are no pictures. That said, I would recommend this book.
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Read in December, 2004
recommends it for:
Enthusiastic cooks who want to broaden their repertoire
My former boss gave me this as a Christmas present, and it's my go-to cookbook. I use it at least once a week. The basics are all here, from how to butterfly a chicken breast to how to make essential sauces. And the cakes . . . don't get me started on the cakes. It's comprehensive, easy to read, and essential.
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Read in January, 2005
recommends it for:
anyone who cooks even a little bit
I rated this with 4 stars only because I couldn't do 4.5 stars.
This is one of those cookbooks any home cook must have to go along with Joy of Cooking and other basic large cookbooks.
My favorite recipe in this is the Island Pork which is easy and great for entertaining.
This is one of those cookbooks any home cook must have to go along with Joy of Cooking and other basic large cookbooks.
My favorite recipe in this is the Island Pork which is easy and great for entertaining.
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A current favorite. Recipes go from very simple (think mac and cheese) to complicated special events dishes. Directions are clear, and cooking times are listed. Most recipes have a "cook ahead" paragraph as well as one for special equipment, if needed.
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I've had some great food that OTHER people have made using this cookbook. I've made a few of the simpler things, like the Lemon Garlic Spaghetti, which is excellent, but I've found it both slightly intimidating and not particularly vegetarian-friendly.
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
home cooks
Gourmet's best of the best recipes... Poor graphics/legibility with yellow font, no useful illustrations to speak of and I prefer more background information/anecdotes with each recipe... but none of that affects the way these great recipes taste.
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This is a great cookbook. I use it all the time. If you ever need to buy someone a house warming gift I recommend it. Ruth has also written a few sweet memoirs about growing up in her corky and sometime frightening family.
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Good cookbook, although I think the only thing I've made out of it is a blue-cheese jucy lucy smothered with sauteed onions. Yum. I make it almost every other week.
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Surprisingly comprehensive and varied cookbook that we keep turning to more than any other. Is good for the beginning to more advanced home cook. Yay Ruth Reichl!
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This is my go-to cookbook when I want to spend some time in the kitchen. Some of the recipes are more daunting than others, but many are fairly simple and quick.
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Read in January, 2007
One of the best cookbooks I have. Nearly everything I've made from this is incredible and has become a classic in my kitchen. I use it several times a week.
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