Jonathan's review
How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food
by Mark Bittman
Jonathan's review
How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman
Jonathan's review
rating:
bookshelves:
food
recommended for: all humans who consume 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's very opinionated, and I totally agree with most of his views. Buy locally whenever possible, avoid processed foods and gimicky "mixes", and cook simple, delicious food.
Not every recipe in here is great, but the vast majority are very good, and many are outstanding. Given the incredible, exhaustive amount of ground the book covers, the overall quality is very high. This is not just a collection of recipes - it's a comprehensive modern manual for home cooking.
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's very opinionated, and I totally agree with most of his views. Buy locally whenever possible, avoid processed foods and gimicky "mixes", and cook simple, delicious food.
Not every recipe in here is great, but the vast majority are very good, and many are outstanding. Given the incredible, exhaustive amount of ground the book covers, the overall quality is very high. This is not just a collection of recipes - it's a comprehensive modern manual for home cooking.
