Essentials of Cooking
by James Peterson
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Book Summary Information
Author: James PetersonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-04-05
ISBN: 1579652360
Number of pages: 312
Publisher: Artisan
Book Reviews of Essentials of Cooking
Book Review: Wow!
Summary: 5 Stars
Never have I had a cookbook that led to such a sudden increase in my cooking skills. No, I can't see reading it for pleasure, alone. No, I am not an "advanced" (or even intermediate) cook. I can turn out a decent meal, however, and cooked for myself, as a bachelor, for years.
But, in the couple of weeks since I got this book (concurrent with having to re-possess all kitchen duties and PRODUCE, thanks to newborn twins), I have learned a few really important skills from it that enabled me to turn out better meals. You can pick it up, look in the refrigerator, a figure out a relatively sophisticated meal. It is not simplistic, however, nor does it lead you to "shortcuts".
If you have you have attended some culinary institute or other, don't bother. But if you want to start on the road to better cooking, get this book. It does not pretend to be complete, but it throws out a bunch of good skills that enable one to put together a good meal with a much higher level of skill.
Summary of Essentials of Cooking
In this unrivaled guide, one of America's most widely respected cookbook authors distills his vast knowledge and experience into the 100 essential techniques that every cook needs to know. Now in a paperback edition, Essentials of Cooking will help unravel the mysteries of the method and provide practical application on the spot.Each technique is further explained in terms of what it does to the taste of the food: What happens if you cook a fish in butter versus oil? Why does roasting make vegetables taste so good? How do you decide whether you want to make a chicken stew or sauté?
Here are the answers to just about every cooking question from the simple to the sublime: how to boil an artichoke, cook a soft-boiled egg, and even butcher a whole saddle of lamb. Knowing how to execute a technique makes you efficient; knowing why you've chosen that technique makes you a master.
After reading Essentials of Cooking, you will grill any fish with confidence, make delicious gratins using whatever vegetables are nicest at the market, and know that any pilaf, risotto, or paella you cook will come out just right. Author James Peterson's goal is to get people to cook comfortably without hewing to the precision of recipes and to feel relaxed in the kitchen whatever the task. Peterson accomplishes this by combining text with detailed color photos and paying attention to everything that makes a cook proficient. He teaches both small techniques, such as how to hold a swivel peeler, as well as large ones, such as how to determine the doneness of a steak, roast, or fish using just touch and sight and how to dress a salad by coating the leaves with oil, then dissolving salt in a spoon with vinegar and drizzling this over the greens before tossing them. In every case, the 1,100-plus color shots give a precise picture of what the reassuring text explains.
To teach skills and technique, Peterson leads you, for example, through sweating the leeks for Pureed Leek and Potato Soup in butter, then cooking the potatoes until they soften, and so on. This explanation includes no quantities or timing. Peterson's point is that these vary according to how much soup you are making, so he tells what to look for and when, enabling you to make this soup for 4 or 40. One possible drawback of this book is that you may have to consult its well-organized index when you need to locate one of the valuable hints grouped in any of the Kitchen Notes and Tips boxes, like the fact that chicken can be cooked over lower heat than steaks and chops because it takes longer to cook through. But cooks and eager students will settle into Essentials of Cooking, as one dives into a good novel, becoming immersed in its depth and practicality. Complete beginners might feel overwhelmed at first by the density of information and the tightly packed layout on each page. If they view this volume as a handbook, reading particular sections as needed, they will comfortably appreciate the nurturing Peterson offers their kitchen skills. --Dana Jacobi
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