The James Beard Cookbook

by James Beard, Isabel E. Callvert (Collaborator)

The recipes in this revision of the classic work by a man who revolutionized the way we think about food incorporate use of food processors and other technological advances and reflect the evolving eating habits and preferences of Americans today. Winner of the R.T. French Tastemaster Hall of Fame award, this cookbook has been a favorite with beginning and advanced cooks for more than 35 years.

From the James Beard Foundation:
The James Beard Cookbook
Beard intended The James Beard Cookbook to have mass-market appeal to “those who are just beginning to cook and say they don’t even know how to boil water; and second, those who have been trying to cook for a while and wonder why their meals don’t taste like mother’s cooking or the food in good restaurants.” It was the first trade paperback cookbook (meaning it began life as a paperback) ever published in the United States. Craig Claiborne’s New York Times review of the book described its author as a “kitchen wizard.” Given the good press, helpful content, and the price tag—75 cents—it’s no surprise it became a classic. Today, you’ll need to shell out a bit more, but no one seems to mind. The cookbook, according to Beard’s longtime friend and editor, John Ferrone, has been Beard’s bestseller.

book history:
1959 book published
1961 new cover
1966 revised and new cover
1970 new cover
1987 revised a second time, new cover
1996 revised a third time, new cover
2002 new cover
2015 new cover, released as an e-book

note about author:
Books would be released not only as "James Beard", but also "Jim Beard" and "James A. Beard". "Jim Beard" is what his books were first publish

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Food and Drink, American

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: James Beard.


James Andrew Beard, an expert, wrote several authoritative cookbooks, focusing on American cuisine.

James Andrews Beard, a chef, teacher, and television personality, pioneered shows, lectured widely, and taught at his namesake school in city of New York and in Seaside, Oregon. He emphasized preparation with fresh, wholesome ingredients to a just aware country of its own heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty times, and annual awards of his foundation honor his memory.

source: Wikipedia

He published his first books under Jim Beard.

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was stranded on an island and could only take one cookbook with me, this would be it! In the culinary world, James Beard is renowned as a god. He revamped what it meant to be a chef/cook and this is the latest edition.



Inside, you will find a comprehensive cookbook (without any photographs) detailing the exact way to cook and prepare most anything in the world. The instructions are easy to understand and offers tips on how to clean, cook and store food. One of my favorite sections talked about herbs and spices.



I recommend this to any chef/cook as it is as invaluable to the food world as the Bible is to Christianity.



I salute you, Sir, and I thank you for penning this amazing cookbook!



Disclaimer: I received a copy from Open Road Integrated Media via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.



My Rating: 5+ stars



Reviewed by: Mrs. N



This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cookbook that I read for pleasure. It is so packed with information on how to quite simply cook the best possible ways that you can. I consider myself quite a good cook and I love to read books by the "masters" on how to improve my techniques. I do frequently have to adjust my cooking for our lifestyle (gluten free, mostly vegetarian, simple, natural and frugal) but the basics that this book teaches are invaluable.

[Dirty Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 beard award stars
Okay seriously… this is one of the best cookbooks I have ever seen! It is like a bible . I practically hand copied the entire book because the recipes are almost always one page recipes and easy to follow instructions.
This is a cook book there is no fluff story about someone Aunt and how little Susy just loves to eat the tarts right out of the oven. This is honest to goodness easy and delicious cooking.
You will dog ear every page. This is a book that is straight to the recipe no frills however there are no photos but you can cook anything with this book from apps to pasta to every type of meat

[Freda Mans-Labianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a crush on James Beard!
I tried 3 recipes from the book so far and love it! Especially the first one I tried, the angel food cake... omg... amazeballs!
First, let me tell you how great this book is. James goes into detail about so many different food, and how to prepare them. Even the easy stuff. He shows you how to make it easier and more delicious. Remember this is the chef that other chefs vie to get a James Beard award. That shows you that this guy knows his stuff.

This is literally the best cake I have ever had, let alone made. This Angel Food cake is the whole reason for my crush. Ladies, I know you feel me here.
James tells you not to ice the cake, and once you bite into this spongy deliciousness, you know why. It is sweet enough on it's own and pairs great with coffee. This is going to be a cake I make often.

Then I made Raspberry Cream Freeze. It was delicious too. Still, I'm a knob. The recipe said not to let it get too hard, and what did I do. Yup. Had to let it sit for a bit... but it was tasty. At least I know for next time that you really need to watch it.

Lastly I made Barley Casserole with mushroom and bacon compote. Now this was friggin' amazing and I didn't know if I would like it or not. Course I made Tbone Steaks with it so that paired well. I was worried when I saw a couple on top that didn't look cooked, but it was. The hubby really liked this one. He is a huge barley fan and wants this again. He actually ate most of it, going back for thirds!! I just have to add, I swapped out almonds for bacon in the compote. I am tired of almonds, another story there all together, but am glad I went with bacon. Everything is better with bacon!
I know every single one of you will love something about this book. There was stuff to cook I have never been near before, and that kind of appealed to the adventurous cook in me. I hope you will get a copy and be more adventurous too!

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free preview of this book to review from Netgalley

This book is a mix between technique and recipes.

I generally read books on cooking in hopes to pick up new cooking techniques. For example I love it when I learn what foods pair well, or what temperatures meats cook best at. That being said I mostly focused on tips/advice as I read this book and not on the actual recipes. Although I focused on the tips, this book did seem like it would make an excellent recipe book having mostly useful recipes that people might cook (it reminded me a bit of Nourishing Traditions in the type of food it covered). The recipes use common ingredients and are generally easy to follow. On the other hand, one recipe called for onions stuck with cloves. I have no idea what that means, but I am not that well versed in cooking terms.

Most books on cooking technique fall flat for me. This book is better than most I've read. It is well organized, broken up by food category (poultry,pasta,etc) and subdivided based on classic recipes. The author gives advice about how to purchase, store and prepare foods. This advice is better than I've received in most books, but not as useful as some of my favorites (e.g. the Cook's Illustrated Science of good cooking). I think if the advice was organized differently it might've been more useful to me.

The recipes are somewhat of a high society variety, things that you could serve at dinner parties.
There are almost no pictures to be found (though the layout is tasteful). Lastly, readers will have a bit of a hard time avoid too much red meat, bread and dairy

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was stranded on an island and could only take one cookbook with me, this would be it! In the culinary world, James Beard is renowned as a god. He revamped what it meant to be a chef/cook and this is the latest edition.

Inside, you will find a comprehensive cookbook (without any photographs) detailing the exact way to cook and prepare most anything in the world. The instructions are easy to understand and offers tips on how to clean, cook and store food. One of my favorite sections talked about herbs and spices.

I recommend this to any chef/cook as it is as invaluable to the food world as the Bible is to Christianity.

I salute you, Sir, and I thank you for penning this amazing cookbook!

Thank you to Netgalley and Open Road Integrated Media for giving me a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Janet Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

After How to Cook Everything, Joy of Cooking, this would be my 3rd cookbook. And I'd be happy with just these three! Of course - I have more. But these three really are three of the best.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5 of 5

By no stretch of the imagination would I call myself a chef, or even a cook, but I do spend my fair share of time in the kitchen, providing the lion's share of the family meals. To this end, I of course have the family staples...those meals that I know everyone likes, or will eat, but I do like to mix it up from time to time to try new recipes. Not being much of a chef, I need recipes that are fairly simple, fairly basic. To this end, The James Beard Cookbook is a godsend.

This might be considered a "no-frills" cookbook as there aren't any fancy photos or family stories included, but the recipes are straightforward, easy to follow, and those that I tried ... quite delicious.

Beard does preface each section with tips on how to care for or prepare certain items, and from this alone, I learned some valuable lessons. But the reason to buy this book is for the recipes (it is, after all, a cookbook).

I haven't gone through and made every recipe within. I haven't even done a third of these, but of the ones I have done, I've been impressed with the simplicity and the tastiness. It's not hard to find recipes that are flavorful, and it's not hard to find recipes that are simple, but the two together...?

One of the brilliant aspects of this book is that so many of the recipes are made with everyday ingredients, or at least ingredients that the average home likely has in stock. In too many 'high-end' cookbooks, I find the need for ingredients that not only do I not keep on hand, but too often are even difficult to find in my rural area. And what James Beard shows us is that you don't need unusual spices or ingredients to create masterful, tasty foods. You just need to know foods and how to combine them for the best results. Deviled Pork Chops? Yes! Basic Marinara Sauce in which the first ingredient is six slices of bacon? YES!

It doesn't matter if you're looking for simple, every-day recipes or something to serve at a fancy dinner party, The James Beard Cookbook will provide the instructions.

Looking for a good book? The James Beard Cookbook is a first-rate cookbook that doesn't waste space with photos, but is packed with recipes and instructions.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Open Road Media and NetGalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to read and review. The James Beard Cookbook is a comprehensive look at basic cookery, with special sections such as Basic Tools and Equipment as well as Cooking Terms. Filled with simple recipes for the beginner and standouts for those who want to make something special, this back to the basics cookbook gives the home cook the essential building blocks to become more successful in the kitchen. Each section starts with great tips and instructions, with many of the recipes including multiple variations for customization. I was impressed with the level of instruction, as even the more complicated ideas seemed more manageable with easy to understand details. I would highly recommend The James Beard Cookbook as an essential part of any kitchen library, especially for beginners who want to master the foundation of many more elaborate recipes.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a no frills cookbook. No fancy fonts, no photographs, no overwrought editing just a cookbook/technique book organized by item and then by ingredient (for instance "dips" "sour cream: 1,2,3,4"). The recipes themselves are classics and the introductory notes are short and to the point. If there are tips to increase success, Beard includes them. A lot of recipes use the same basic starting point illustrating how a good cook builds upon the staples to create multiple dishes. This is the perfect reference cookbook for almost every classic for both the beginning cook just starting out and the advanced cook who just needs to "check" the recipe.
As for whether the recipes work? Well, this is James Beard and his techniques transform even the saddest quality ingredients.

[Gloriamarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For whatever my opinion is worth, everyone should have a copy of this basic cookbook at hand. First of all, he explains everything and secondly, the recipes re easy to follow and thirdly, they are delicious.

Reading this was a wonderful nostalgic time remembering when the Boston Globe had a column by him every week. Gosh I loved reading it.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best cookbook for someone who knows their way around a kitchen. The recipes are classic and to die for. Not much more to say than that.

[Barbara B Fineberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Classic Cookbook

So glad to have this back, after losing my copy to Katrina. It's one of my basic reference cookbooks, which I dearly love.

[Julia Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love James? If you don’t, this cookbook could quite possibly change your mind - you don’t have to cook every recipe but to read them all - bask in the love for culinary delight.

[Richard Brylczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard of this book for years but was always too busy to get it. It's a great introduction to cook almost every basic and some not so basic ingredients. It will be a valuable resource for making future meals giving me methods for cooking specific items as part of the meal. Worth the investment for future cooking for holidays or just for everyday meals for myself.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow

To read a cook book from one of the best is wow. Recipes are easy to follow. Most recipes you would use every day ..

[Suzanne J Hock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic

This book was a little too basic for my needs. It really doesn't have meant recipes. I'm not going to purchase it.

[John Adamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

John adamson

Loved just reading.....

Well done and easy to follow. I have made a few of the menus. Enjoy it folks....😍

[Villa Park Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Beard was generally acknowledged to be America’s leading food authority. He was a chef, an author of numerous cookbooks, and he loved to teach. This was his introductory cookbook, “…intended to help two sorts of people: first, those who are just beginning to cook and say they don’t even know how to boil water, and second, those who have been trying to cook for a while and wonder why their meals don’t taste like mother’s cooking or the food in good restaurants.” Beard teaches the techniques and instructs on the best ingredients to let the home cook shine.

[Don Gillette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really amazed at the horrible recipes in this thing, but keeping in mind that it was written in 1966 I'm guessing you cooked with what you had. I know eating habits change but this is a good glimpse into how much they change--for example, readers are cautioned to buy commercial sour cream and not use cream that has been allowed to go sour. Reason? In 1966 it was difficult to find sour cream in a grocery store.
So unless you're a historian, I'd avoid this as a cookbook.

[m. ✨ On Hiatus ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You cannot go wrong with this book. It is filled to the brim with not only recipes, but also tried and true cooking techniques that can improve your efficiency and ability in the kitchen. Highly recommended.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone recommended this cookbook to me as a nice basic one, so I thought I would investigate the library's copy. Indeed, it appeared to be a nice basic cookbook.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this were available on ebook tight now I would get it--it is a competent comprehensive cookbook--but it is not imaginative in a way that several other cookbooks are right now

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this man is the Buddha of Food!!

[Rambling Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

heavy classic cream-based diahes

[Mona]

Great traditional cookbook.