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What to Cook and How to Cook It
What to Cook and How to Cook It is the ultimate cookbook for beginners, showing how to cook easy, delicious meals for every day of the week. With a winning combination of clear step-by step-photographs, and authoritative, foolproof recipes, it takes 100 favourite everyday dishes and guides the reader through every step of the cooking process with recipes that absolutely anyone can follow. Each ingredient and stage of the cooking process is illustrated with a clear colour photograph, and the striking, simple design will encourage anyone who lacks confidence at cooking to have a go at producing nutritious, home-cooked food for their family and friends. Every stage is clearly explained, with no prior knowledge taken for granted. Even common terms such as 'finely chopped' are explained in an illustrated glossary. The recipes are written by a highly experienced food writer with years of expertise in creating simple, foolproof recipes, and each one has been tested several times to ensure that it is easy to follow. Additional hints and tips are provided on how to choose ingredients, how to rescue a recipe if things go wrong, and how to adapt the dish with different ingredients. Unlike most beginners' cookbooks, this one does not attempt to teach techniques, such as pastry and breadmaking: it focuses purely on creating straightfoward, enjoyable meals that are easy to cook. The recipes are extremely practical, using ingredients available in any market or supermarket, do not require specialist equipment, and are economical and nutritious. To make it simple to decide what to cook, the recipes are divided into chapters on breakfasts and brunches, light weekday meals and lunches, dishes for sharing, quick and easy suppers, weekend main meals that take longer to cook, and desserts and baking. What to Cook will equip any novice cook with a repertoire of simple, crowd-friendly dishes that they can cook to perfection with confidence.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
10 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 13, 2015
I am very dyslexic this book is like a dream come true. Pictures, simplicity, order and failure proof. Most cook cooks I own I have made three or four recipes from - this about 70%. All have been successes. I have been a pretty serious home cook for over ten years - but I still get lots from it. I am evangelist of this book and others in the series. I have bullied 6 or 7 other people who have enjoyed the food from it into buying this book and will happily recommend to any level of cook.
January 25, 2011
We can’t say enough about it – “What to Cook and How to Cook It” by Jane Hornby (Phaidon). First of all, Phaidon is mostly known as an art publisher, so that should tell you something about this book. Jane Hornby is the former food editor of the magazine BBC Good Food, but what is important here is the book itself. If you are looking for the best new book for cooking the basics, it’s hard to imagine a better find than Hornby’s. Why do we say that? Just look at it. “What to Cook and How to Cook It” is all about the ‘how to cook it’ part. So much so, that the 100 classic recipes (from a full English Breakfast to Coq au Vin) are presented in an exact, step-by-step photographic style that leaves nothing to chance. Yes, it’s the basics, but it’s the basics in whole enchilada style. Every tip, every minute detail of the ingredients and workflow are scripted in such a clear, accurate and precise way (both in text and visually) that there is simply no chance of screwing up. This may sound obvious or over-the-top, but pick this book up or sample a few pages online and you’ll see what we mean. Hornby describes her approach as being “right there with you,” and the layout of this book is exactly that. The only thing better would be an iPad app – yes, of this book.
January 19, 2011
Fantastic cook book! This book is a great intro for new cooks, but it's also a great addition to anybody who has been cooking for a while. I've made the Coq au Vin, the Beef Stew, French Toast with Stewed Plums and Bolognese so far. They all came out great.
July 1, 2025
This is an amazing cookbook for any beginner cook, the simple instructions include pictures of each step! This makes it so easy to follow even if you’re not great at following recipes. This was a great gift to me in college when I first moved out on my own!
January 27, 2012
Whenever I get bored with my usual repertoire of recipes, I browse cookbooks for inspiration. This beautiful cookbook caught my eye at the library and came home with me. Despite keeping it until it was almost $3.00 overdue, I didn't end up trying as many recipes as I wanted. The ones I did try turned out good, though.
The best part of this book is the pictures. The photos are gorgeous (don't you hate cookbooks that won't show you the food?) and shot from a top down perspective so that what you see being prepared on the page is the same as what you see in front of you. (Great idea--why doesn't every cookbook do this?) The book has some serious heft to it and includes built in ribbon bookmarks. It's really a nice quality book.
As for the recipes, they have clear instructions, though I did find myself wishing it had more explanation occasionally on why things had to be done in a certain way or order. I got the idea that the tone was a bit this-is-just-how-it's-done which is generally fine, but I like to experiment a bit more in cooking and would like it if the recipes allowed for some more variations. Maybe that's just me, though.
There's a nice variety to the recipes and for the most part they seemed to me pretty easy and appealing. This is not one of those books where most of the recipes are complicated or fancy or calling for crazy ingredients. Instead it's more about basic, comforting food you'd actually want to make and eat. I think this would be a great book for someone just learning how to cook to get the hang of some yummy recipes.
The best part of this book is the pictures. The photos are gorgeous (don't you hate cookbooks that won't show you the food?) and shot from a top down perspective so that what you see being prepared on the page is the same as what you see in front of you. (Great idea--why doesn't every cookbook do this?) The book has some serious heft to it and includes built in ribbon bookmarks. It's really a nice quality book.
As for the recipes, they have clear instructions, though I did find myself wishing it had more explanation occasionally on why things had to be done in a certain way or order. I got the idea that the tone was a bit this-is-just-how-it's-done which is generally fine, but I like to experiment a bit more in cooking and would like it if the recipes allowed for some more variations. Maybe that's just me, though.
There's a nice variety to the recipes and for the most part they seemed to me pretty easy and appealing. This is not one of those books where most of the recipes are complicated or fancy or calling for crazy ingredients. Instead it's more about basic, comforting food you'd actually want to make and eat. I think this would be a great book for someone just learning how to cook to get the hang of some yummy recipes.
September 4, 2019
Very straight forward, easy to understand, beautiful photos, sturdy book. A great first cook book for a newly wed who wants to cook her husband something other than the two recipes she cooked for herself at home. (me) He especially loves the shepherd's pie recipe.
June 22, 2011
I absolutely love this cookbook. The one thing I need most in a cookbook is pictures, so I can have at least a visual of what the dish is supposed to look like. This book does that and more. There are pictures of even the preparation and the ingredients themselves and the directions are short, but clear cut and understandable. I've already made about 15 of the 100 dishes and they have all been superb! The home-made pizza and panna cotta dessert were especially delicious. I love this cookbook and I can't wait to make all the recipes!
October 30, 2011
My 13 year old son and I have started to learn how to cook. This book is our favourite. We have made loads of the recipes and they are all delicious. We love the photographs. We know what each step should look like and what we are aiming to achieve. The instructions are really easy to follow and the ingredients are all readily available and realistic. The cost is not extravagant. Infact if you want a cook book this is a must both to look at and own and to use as the recipes work. Highly recommended.
February 15, 2011
Amazing! I want to try every single recipe! I've not come across such a phenomenon before. I have cookbooks on my shelves that contain trusted old favorite recipes & other that I pick & choose from, none of them do I like entirely. This is a book full of favorite foods! The recipes are well organized & clearly laid out. As for the step-by-step pictures, they are awesome! This one is going on my gift wish list!
March 15, 2013
I was about to write Hornby off as pretentious, but this cookbook is great! Very well-organized, great pics and the recipes are really family-friendly, yet sophisticated enough for people who aren't feeding kids. This is by far my favorite cookbook of hers - the only way to improve it would be to add nutritional information. It's also a little big/heavy, but it stays open on the counter-top. This would be a great shower gift, or house-warming present for someone who's newly on their own.
March 28, 2011
By the title of this book, I thought it was a how to guide on how to cook different veggies and meat, it is not however. Its a general simple recipe book.
So far I have only glanced at this book, but its layout is fantastic, and recipes easy. I have made the Butterscotch Banana Bread. I did however have to adjust the recipe for high altitude. It turned out very well.
So far I have only glanced at this book, but its layout is fantastic, and recipes easy. I have made the Butterscotch Banana Bread. I did however have to adjust the recipe for high altitude. It turned out very well.
January 22, 2011
You know I hate a cookbook that doesn't pictre what you're making? Not so with this book, big time. Steve and I both went through and put sticky notes on pages to copy and try and will report back. The tomato soup and margharetti pizza are first up. Book must weigh 15 pounds but the pictures are fantastic.
August 20, 2020
I love this book!
The cover design is awesome, the layout is beautiful, content is ordered by dish (breakfast, lunch, sidedish etc) and the step by step instructions (which are super easy to follow I might add) even feature photographs so you can see how your dish should look at each stage.
All I needed in a first cookbook, and more! Enough said, it's brilliant.
The cover design is awesome, the layout is beautiful, content is ordered by dish (breakfast, lunch, sidedish etc) and the step by step instructions (which are super easy to follow I might add) even feature photographs so you can see how your dish should look at each stage.
All I needed in a first cookbook, and more! Enough said, it's brilliant.
October 26, 2014
Other reviewers have stated it well… this is a great book to teach the basics of cooking and a good refresher course on some of the dishes I often forget to cook. The pictures are like individual pieces of art. I appreciated the simple and important message the book subtly gives, that cooking with fresh, colorful ingredients is not only healthy but delicious as well.
May 3, 2016
I bought What to Bake and How to Bake it by Jane Hornby, and then I realized that she had this one and immediately bought it. The pictures are crisp and clear, and the instructions are laid out to make everything easy peasy. The dishes also, are beginner level but look good and appealing and taste good. An excellent book to have in your kitchen!
August 1, 2018
If you're looking for a cookbook that shows you how to cook the basics, this is a good place to start. Well-formatted with easy-to-understand recipes and beautiful images, this will appeal to any foodie. The author is from BBC Food fame and I rather enjoyed her writing. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
January 29, 2012
I thought the visual approach for this cookbook was great. Everything looked really easy when laid out ingredient by ingredient, and pictures at various steps are helpful if you're not sure what dough should look like, how thick a sauce should be, etc.
March 18, 2012
A picture is worth a thousand words. Each step in the food making process is shown via a photo, along with a description of what that step entails. The recipes are extremely diverse and everything I have made has been delicious.
July 5, 2013
My kids love this cookbook because it has step by step illustrations and pictures if all the ingredients you will use.
January 3, 2011
This book has excellent detail on certain recipes. It makes cooking easy and fun. Cannot wait to get back in the kitchen to make more yummy stuff!
January 21, 2011
This is what a cookbook should look like.
February 11, 2011
Bought this today with a Christmas gift card. It's wonderful!
February 2, 2011
LOVE THIS BOOK! full of pictures with how the food should look as you cook it. I have changed most of the recopies I've used, but i love the layout and the simplicity.
February 12, 2013
I wish all cookbooks had step by step pictures like these!
December 16, 2011
This book is great!! It is easy to follow and there are plenty of great color pictures.
August 13, 2016
Love the step-by-step photos for each recipe and the photo glossary -- makes it easy to figure out if you're doing it right!
March 7, 2013
Love the step-by-step pictures. Every recipe I have made from this book has been delicious, and a hit with everyone in my house.
July 16, 2013
I absolutely loved this cooking book! It's really nice how there are pictures of everything! Its makes it so much easier to understand what it is telling you to do!
July 12, 2014
Loves this book! It is amazing. Love the clear instructions along with the step-by-step photos.
February 5, 2015
Beautiful pictures, great for beginners. Recipes are simple and basic but good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews