The Cookbook
You may not bury your head like this but there is nothing like cracking open a cookbook. It is like having an old friend to travel with as you explore the world of cooking. When you first get it there is tremendous excitement as you flip the pages and see how much more you can learn from that chef you saw on TV or the cook whose blog you enjoy so much. You may find they have a recipe from a cuisine you never thought they were interested in or a twist on a recipe that would never occur to you. Over time, you find yourself picking up the book to remind yourself what they say about what spices go with what.
There is a tremendous number of recipes available on the internet so why use a cookbook? I would tend to say with today’s technology, this may not be the first place you want to go. In a lot of ways. We have a tremendous advantage today in the information available on the internet that can better inform us of who’s style and recipes are worth investing in.
As informative as cooking blogs and websites are, cookbooks have tremendous value. I still find myself opening a few of what I consider the classics on my shelf. Two that I find myself reaching for are The New Basics Cookbook by Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins and The Chinese Cookbook by Virginia Lee and Craig Claiborne. The New Basics is a great resource because, in addition to the wonderful recipes, they give guidance on which herbs and spices go with an ingredient, cooking temperatures for various cuts of meats along with oven temperature and time per pound. They also discuss the various cuts of meat from an animal, like beef, and which ones to use to fry with versus broiling or braising, etc.. If you are interested you can find it on Amazon in hardcover, softcover and, for those who like a techie version, Kindle.
A cookbook gives you greater insights into the author, how they came up with a recipe and, particularly for international cooking, conversion to US ingredients and techniques used in that country. Virginia Lee, for example, discusses how to skin a chicken for Chinese cooking and how to use a wok properly. In Mahdur Joffrey’s An Invitation to Indian Cooking, she explains how chicken is very different in India and requires a considerably different cooking time than what we need in the US because our chickens are much more tender than those in India. These are just a few examples of what I have learned.
For me, when I go to a cookbook rather than a recipe online, I find it to be a more intimate experience. It may be cuddling up with a book, next to the fire, but it’s more personal experience than reading a recipe online. Obviously, there may be exceptions. But over time, some of the cookbooks I own have become like visiting an old friend, having someone I can rely when I need a helping hand. Most of my recipes are not written down and have been inspired by a variety of recipes I have explored. There is often one recipe that acts as a catalyst to remembering exactly what measurements I used, such as my in chili. This is particularly true of dishes I cook infrequently, like turkey stuffing.
A cookbook is readily at your fingertips. It has stains and marks that may remind you of some of the places you have been on your culinary journey. Sometimes they trigger memories of cooking with someone you love. They are kind of a permanent journal of your experiences in the kitchen. It always makes me smile when I open that Chinese cookbook and find a soy sauce stain on one of my favorite recipes. I recall how panicked I was the first time I tried to make it. I laugh at myself now for having felt that way. Other times It reminds me of friends back home that I made that dish for.
There is a tremendous number of recipes available on the internet so why use a cookbook? I would tend to say with today’s technology, this may not be the first place you want to go. In a lot of ways. We have a tremendous advantage today in the information available on the internet that can better inform us of who’s style and recipes are worth investing in.
As informative as cooking blogs and websites are, cookbooks have tremendous value. I still find myself opening a few of what I consider the classics on my shelf. Two that I find myself reaching for are The New Basics Cookbook by Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins and The Chinese Cookbook by Virginia Lee and Craig Claiborne. The New Basics is a great resource because, in addition to the wonderful recipes, they give guidance on which herbs and spices go with an ingredient, cooking temperatures for various cuts of meats along with oven temperature and time per pound. They also discuss the various cuts of meat from an animal, like beef, and which ones to use to fry with versus broiling or braising, etc.. If you are interested you can find it on Amazon in hardcover, softcover and, for those who like a techie version, Kindle.
A cookbook gives you greater insights into the author, how they came up with a recipe and, particularly for international cooking, conversion to US ingredients and techniques used in that country. Virginia Lee, for example, discusses how to skin a chicken for Chinese cooking and how to use a wok properly. In Mahdur Joffrey’s An Invitation to Indian Cooking, she explains how chicken is very different in India and requires a considerably different cooking time than what we need in the US because our chickens are much more tender than those in India. These are just a few examples of what I have learned.
For me, when I go to a cookbook rather than a recipe online, I find it to be a more intimate experience. It may be cuddling up with a book, next to the fire, but it’s more personal experience than reading a recipe online. Obviously, there may be exceptions. But over time, some of the cookbooks I own have become like visiting an old friend, having someone I can rely when I need a helping hand. Most of my recipes are not written down and have been inspired by a variety of recipes I have explored. There is often one recipe that acts as a catalyst to remembering exactly what measurements I used, such as my in chili. This is particularly true of dishes I cook infrequently, like turkey stuffing.
A cookbook is readily at your fingertips. It has stains and marks that may remind you of some of the places you have been on your culinary journey. Sometimes they trigger memories of cooking with someone you love. They are kind of a permanent journal of your experiences in the kitchen. It always makes me smile when I open that Chinese cookbook and find a soy sauce stain on one of my favorite recipes. I recall how panicked I was the first time I tried to make it. I laugh at myself now for having felt that way. Other times It reminds me of friends back home that I made that dish for.
The Internet
From my own experience, I have grabbed a couple of books off the shelf that were on sale. They were about cuisines I wanted to explore more and turned out to be books that were on sale for a reason. One has a reasonable number of recipes that I enjoy referring to but is not captivating. The other has been a major disappointment. While the selection is huge, I have not enjoyed the few recipes I tried. It sits on the shelf collecting dust and, one day, I will probably put it in the recycling bin. At least it was cheap, but you get what you pay for.
I encourage you to expand your culinary journey and find a friend or three to accompany you on your travels. It should be rewarding and add a new dimension to your knowledge and experience. In the meantime, happy cooking!
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