LEARNING TO COOK W/MARION CUNN

by Marion Cunningham

Marion Cunningham, renowned for her revision of the The Fannie Farmer Cookbook , turns her attention to the novice cook. Cunningham's passion for simple, home-cooked dishes, along with her extensive teaching experience, is evident on every page. In Learning to Cook , 150 recipes and 100 color photos are woven through 11 chapters with tempting titles like "Soup for Supper," "Easy Fish," "Meals Without Meat," and "Thank Goodness for Chicken." Cunningham's recipes are clearly written--free from hard-to-decipher cooking terms and elaborate preparations. Directions for preparing items such as vegetables are included in the recipes, so readers can prepare them as they cook, without perpetually referring to the ingredients list. Many of the recipes are meal-in-one suppers. In addition to recipes, the book includes lots of reference materials, such as a list of essential kitchen tools, as well as lots of tips on basic techniques--how to whip cream, cook rice, carve ham, and much more. An uncluttered, user-friendly layout empowers even the fearful cook to prepare dishes like Poached Halibut with Fennel, Old-Fashioned Beef Stew, and Simple Vegetable Soup. Cooking with this book will teach beginning cooks to read a recipe, organize a complete meal, recycle today's dinner into tomorrow's luscious lunch, gauge quantity, season to taste, and even end up with a cleaner kitchen after they've completed their meal! Learning to Cook with Marion Cunningham is a timeless cookbook useful to any novice cook. --Amy Cotler

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published April 20, 1999

About the author

Marion Cunningham was born in Southern California in 1922, and now lives in Walnut Creek. She was responsible for the revision of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook and is the author of The Breakfast Book, and Cooking with Children. She travels frequently throughout the country giving cooking demonstrations (some with James Beard), has contributed articles to "Bon Appetit," "Food & Wine," and "Gourmet" magazines, and writes a column for the "San Francisco Chronicle," and the "Los Angeles Times." Over seventy episodes of her television series "Cunningham & Company" appears regularly on the Food Network.

In 1993, Marion received the Grand Dame award from Les Dames d'Escoffier "in recognition and appreciation of her extraordinary achievement and contribution to the culinary arts." In 1994, she was named Scholar-in-Residence by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for the beginner cook. Many basics are included such as how to cut an onion, tips on buying produce, how to carve a chicken, etc. Pictures are included for more detailed tasks. The recipes are delicious and written simply. This book helped me get over my anxiety of cooking with its clearly written instructions and hints.

[Beesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best-ever cookbooks. In addition to being a great cook, Cunningham was a fanastic writer. Reading her lean, spare, wry prose is such a pleasure. The recipes are all winners, good for both beginners and experienced cooks who want some straight forward, bomb-proof recipes for the classics. The hard back version of the book is a beautiful edition as well.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most-used cookbook. Very helpful, because the author 1) doesn't assume that I know the basics, 2) walks me through the steps needed to cook simple, delicious dishes, and 3) teaches me the rudimentary techniques which my grandma classified as common sense.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this for my 40+ son who just learned how to fry an egg, is engaged, and FINALLY wants to learn to cook...so I borrowed a copy from the library just to see what was included.
I think it's basic enough for a true non-cook...but it's also pretty dated now, including several recipes that I don't think people (at least not California people) would eat these days.
And, while I agree wholeheartedly w her tutorial on chopping an onion, I strongly disagree with her method for mincing garlic. The chopping part is fine, but the PEELING part sucks! She has you use a paring knife to peel off the sin! What??? You just smash it w the flat blade of a heavy knife and the skin slips right off! I texted my son immediately about that faux pas!
Otherwise, good enough...

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book for learning how to cook. She assumes no prior knowledge or special equipment.

She teaches good home cooking. Nothing fancy, but you will learn how to cook well enough to feed yourself and invite people over for a delicious meal.

[Yaaresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific for beginning cooks. Has held up well over the years and still makes a good "first kitchen" housewarming gift.

[Myles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only cookbook I use, and everyone likes the food I make, so she must know something.