A New Way to Cook

by Sally Schneider, María Robledo (Photographer)

Sally Schneider was tired of doing what we all do—separating foods into "good" and "bad," into those we crave but can't have and those we can eat freely but don't especially want—so she created A New Way To Cook.

Her book is nothing short of revolutionary, a redefinition of healthy eating, where no food is taboo, where the pleasure principle is essential to well-being, where the concept of self-denial just doesn't exist.More than 600 lavishly illustrated recipes result in marvelous, vividly flavored foods. You'll find quintessential American favorites that taste every bit as good as the traditional "full-tilt" macaroni and cheese, rosemary buttermilk biscuits, chocolate malted pudding. You'll find Italian polentas, risottos, focaccias, and pastas, all reinvented without the loss of a single drop of deliciousness. Asian flavors shine through in cold sesame noodles; mussels with lemongrass, ginger, and chiles; and curry-crusted shrimp. Even French food is no longer on the forbidden list, with country-style pâtés and cassoulet.
Hundreds of techniques, radical in their ultimate simplicty, make all the difference in the using chestnut puree in place of cream, butter, and pork fat in a duck liver mousse; extending the richness of flavored oils by boiling them with a little broth to dress starchy beans and grains; casserole-roasting baby back ribs to render them of fat, then lacquering them with a pungent maple glaze.
Scores of flavor catalysts—quickly made sauces, rubs, marinades, essences, and vinaigrettes—add instant hits of flavor with little effort. Leek broth dresses pasta; chive oil becomes an instant sauce for broiled salmon; a smoky tea essence imparts a sweet, grilled flavor to steak; balsamic vinegar turns into a luscious dessert sauce.
Variations and improvisations offer infiinite flexibility. Once you learn a basic recipe, it's simple to devise your own version for any part of the meal. "Fried" artichockes with crispy garlic and sage can be an hors d-oeuvre topped with shaved cheeses, part of a composed salad, or as a main course when tossed iwth pasta. It's equally happy on top of pizza or stirred into risotto. And by building dishes from simple elements, turning out complex meals doesn't have to be a complex affair.
A wealth of tips and practical information to make you a more accomplished and self-confident how to rescue ordinary olive oil to give it more flavor, how to make soups creamy without cream, how to freshen less-than-perfect fish.So here it is, 756 glorious pages of all the deliciousness and joy that food is meant to convey.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

739 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Joy Cartier]

Okay. I admit it. I read cookbooks - from cover to cover - and this one is excellent because it not only gives new recipes but describes a new relationship to food and techniques of cooking. It describes a "layered" approach of building meals that is not work-intensive and makes sense to those of us with limited cooking time. Beware: there are a few recipes with "exotic" ingredients that may be off-putting due to special trips to the store.

[Adrienne]

This is a fabulous cookbook. For the cook who doesn't like to follow recipes...and loves simple dishes with quality ingredients.

[Todd]

On the basis of techniques presented, I'd easily give this cookbook five stars. The author does a fantastic job of offering new, healthier ways to build flavors and great tasting dishes.

The reason taht I only rated it at three stars is that we rarely cook things from this cookbook. I suspect that has more to do with the lackluster layout and feel of the book than anything else.

It's not really a fair way to judge this book. But when we're pressed for time and putting together the week's menu, the cookbooks with better layout, and I will say it, pictures, often get our attention first.

Yet it remains in our primary cookbook stack, both as an alternate cooking reference and because we want to use it more than we do.

[Sarah]

This is an excellent resource

[Elise Rogers]

This book is most notable for the techniques it presents that you can adapt yourself and the recipes for various flavored oils, rubs, etc. Unfortunately, the end result involves a lot of squeeze bottles filling your kitchen. I like that her focus includes healthful foods but that she is a proponent of bacon fat, oils, and butter, simply in moderation and expanded to make the greatest impact on flavor.

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[Will Birs]

Would be one of my desert Island cookbooks!

[Natalie]

This book is most notable for the techniques it presents that you can adapt yourself and the recipes for various flavored oils, rubs, etc. Unfortunately, the end result involves a lot of squeeze bottles filling your kitchen. I like that her focus includes healthful foods but that she is a proponent of bacon fat, oils, and butter, simply in moderation and expanded to make the greatest impact on flavor.

[Marian]

600+ pages and about 10 photos, and I don't care how interestingly colored the fonts are. It just seems silly to write instructions for deboning a chicken or killing a lobster with NO illustrations or photos. I guess this is considered a resource for the almost professional home cook? The recipes seemed pretty basic in many regards. I thought it was boring, I have seen many of these subjects handled in more detail with better pictures.

[Lisa Wolff]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Sally, the author, on an Oldways tour in Greece in the late 90s and not only is she a kind and humble lady, her recipes in this book are fantastic! I made the fennel cardamom honey pork rub for last year's Christmas tenderloin and everyone agreed it was the best we've ever had. Her recipes are innovative, healthy and sacred in their thoughtful, slow techniques. A really lovely book that is sure to expand your culinary skills while delighting your taste buds.

[Blanca]

This reads a bit like a textbook, a totally relevant and interesting one for home cooks who want to take it up a notch.

The purpose of the book is to eliminate the mentality that any cooking that prohibits starch, fat, etc. This is a guide in the chemistry of enjoying our food as well as the time it takes to prepare it.

[Melanie Fae]

This is by far one of the best cookbooks I own. This book together with my 1970s time life series "The Good Cook" are really the only cookbooks I need. Of course, that doesn't mean they're the only ones I own . . .

This book teaches one how to cook using flavorful techniques while cutting fat to reasonable calories. Nothing is sacrificed eating like this.

[Maggie]

This book is great! It's one of my favorite cookbooks. I still feel like I have only just scratched the surface with how great this book easy. It has easy and healthful ways to cook with lots of flavor. Love it!

[Catherine Woodman]

I like the idea of having a book with basic recipes and then each recipe has a variation on it (Rick Bayless is the first person that I used this with and love it) but the recipes I tried never worked out all that well and the innovative ideas weren't as appelaing as I'd hoped

[Inder]

After trying out only one recipe in this book (which turned out great, btw), it's due back at the library, so I'm putting it back on my "to-read" list for now.

[Alissa]

I received this cookbook many years ago and it's still one of my favorites...

[Liz De Coster]

Solid recipes, but not quite as inspiring or flexible as The Improvisational Cook.

[Christopher Dahl]

This book is great

[Paul T]

Dated

[Stephanie]

i love this for inspiration...

[Mary]

Lots of recipes I might try. Looks good.