No, not me. My niece. I want to send her a couple that she can read to learn some basic stuff like how to saute, etc., and also get recipes from.
Suggestions?
Cookās Illustrated - The Science of Good Cooking
Starts with a discussion of the basics of cooking - covers all the important fundamentals. Progresses through different types of methods and dishes with recipes. Each recipe has an introduction highlighting what makes the recipe āworkā. Iāve found the Cookās Illustrated recipes to be consistently successful and tasty. This book would be my pick.
Other options would be How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman or The Cookās Illustrated Cookbook. Bittmanās recipes tend to be very simple - fewer ingredients and basic prep, which could be helpful for a beginner. The Cookās Illustrated Cookbook is in the style of The Science of Good Cooking but with less discussion of the basics and more recipes.
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I havenāt worked with How to Cook Everything but I like Bittmanās recipes and approach.
I really like 12 Recipes by Cal Peternell. It builds skills (starting with toast!) and is perhaps a bit less intimidating than some of the āeverythingā compendia.
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If she might like to make bread, Beard on Bread is my go to gift to new bakers.
Add in Craig Claiborneās New York Times Cookbook and you have a complete education.
In keeping with the canāt beat the classics theme, I still turn to my paperback Fannie Farmer which has some really wonderful basics.
Not the flashiest cookbook but probably the best written, Simple French Food by Richard Olney will give someone an amazing base understanding of food and cooking.
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how old is she?
I ask because while cookbooks can be helpful, have cool recipes, etc., the world of YouTube is so much better for beginners - and native to most under 40!
Cooking is inherently a physical and interactive process, so watching someone else do it while explaining, hits so much harder, especially for beginners.
Having said that, for books perhaps focus on some of the newer more lifestyle authors that also regularly create online content to supplement their books, such as Alison Roman, Molly Baz, Andrew Rae, Claire Saffitz, Kenji, et al.
If she wonāt be discouraged by the heft, James Petersonās āCookingā would be my #1 choice.
This would be doing complete evil to a beginning cook. I bought this book for my wife as she also likes the YouTube approach and despite being what I would consider advanced home cooks, we have never had a successful result with a Kenji recipe - to the point that it is now shorthand for any cooking fail āKenji must have written this oneā.
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ha! thatās fair. i edited my post to include him, but i get it. i was thinking more about his video approach vs his actual books.
iāll leave him in, but yeah perhaps more advanced / for the coffee table. The Food Lab book is a stupendous reference, but more geeky than anything else. so if anyone is on the very curious side vs āi just want to get this dish on the tableā
Eric Wareheimās cookbook (Foodheim) is actually a really fun book that is a good introduction to sourcing quality ingredients and getting into more serious cooking. The food is very specific to his likes and dislikes, but itās presented in a really fun way, and in addition to the cocktail and wine chapters, there is a small horse chapter.
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Iād add La Technique by Jacques Pepin to the pile. A first rate How To Cook book, although itās coming up on 50 years old
I like the Milk Street cookbook we have. They might like a subscription to the magazine as well. Foodie friends have one and they like it.
My niece is 31 and lives in what she characterizes as a quality ingredient desert - Panama City FL.
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Cooks Illustrated, whether the book, the magazines, or the youtube, is pretty great. They focus on techniques over recipes, which is what you really need starting out. Once you master some techniques, then you can really enjoy adding your own approach to cooking.
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I have enough cooking experience that I donāt often cook from recipes, but I am often inspired by them.
āRestaurantā cookbooks that I love:
Ottolenghiās Plenty
Gjelina
If she is the type who likes to experiment, Iād add:
Samin Nosratās Salt Fat Acid Heat
Niki Segnitās The Flavor Thesaurus (and the sequel The Flavor Thesaurus: More Flavors)
Do order from an independent bookseller if you can.
Thatās what I was reading through the thread to add
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Where does she live and what kind of food does she like to eat? Market and produce availability and cuisine can impact how useful a cookbook is. Otherwise, I second Samin Nosratās book, Salt Fat Acid Heat, which is a must-read for any new home cook.
Les Halles cookbook, Anthony Bourdain.
Does a great job on the basics of stocks, Demi glacƩ, soups etc but also the French classics as well. Simplified, no nonsense, emphasis on ingredients, well written and quite humorous. PERFECT beginner cookbook.
This was the first cookbook I ever got and it remains a favorite.
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