How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

Praise for How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman:

"In his introduction to How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman says, 'Anyone can cook, and most everyone should.' Now, hopefully everyone will -- this work is a rare achievement. Mark is in that pantheon of a few gifted cook/writers who make very, very good food simple and accessible. I read his recipes and my mouth waters. I read his directions and head for the kitchen. Bravo, Mark, for taking us away from take-out and back to the fun of food."
-- Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of the international public radio show "The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper"

"Mark Bittman is the best home cook I know, and How to Cook Everything is the best basic cookbook I've seen."
-- Jean-Georges Vongerichten, award-winning chef/owner of Jean-Georges

"Useful to the novice cook or the professional chef, How to Cook Everything is a tour de force cookbook by Mark Bittman. Mark lends his considerable knowledge and clear, concise writing style to explanations of techniques and quick, classic recipes. This is a complete, reliable cookbook."
-- Jacques Pepin, chef, cookbook author, and host of his own PBS television series

"Sometimes all the things that a particular person does best come together in a burst of synergy, and the result is truly marvelous. This book is just such an instance. Mark Bittman is not only the best home cook we know, he is also a born teacher, a gifted writer, and a canny kitchen tactician who combines great taste with eminent practicality. Put it all together and you have How to Cook Everything, a cookbook that will inspire American home cooks not only today but for years to come."
-- John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger, coauthors of License to Grill
 

Customer Reviews:

Very informative, handy book, but if you order from here, make sure to check it upon arrival

Very handy book to have around, I think it will be replacing my old all-inclusive basic 'recipe encyclopedia' type books like Betty Crocker, etc.

I want to put up an alert to those purchasing it here, though - I got mine a few weeks ago and was thumbing through it today, looking for a particular recipe, to find that during the binding process pages 400 - 463 had NOT been included (pretty much the entire section on Meat!) This might be a problem affecting a lot of copies, so be sure to check yours when it arrives.

Update - when I alerted Amazon to the problem with my book, the first customer service rep responded that there were no more in stock and if I sent the copy I had back I would receive a refund. I tried over and over to find the page where I could print a shipping label, link provided by the rep, but got nowhere. I contacted Amazon again and a different rep said they would send another copy out to me right away by 2-day air shipping (guess they found some more, huh?)

Of course by then I'd already gotten another copy, so a co-worker got a freebie. And a vegetarian colleague got the mis-bound one. So 3 happy people - thanks Amazon!

2008-08-17

By far, the best go-to cookbook that I own

This is a cookbook that you can use everyday. If you have some ingredient in your pantry or fridge and need to figure out something tasty to do with it, then this is the book you should turn to. Bittman explains how to cook, prep, and store hundreds of basic ingredients, and presents many variations on preparations - all simple, easy-to-do. All of his recipes are also exceedingly easy to improvise upon, so, in the end, you actually just end up learning how to cook!

2008-08-03

I'm a not a Cook, but these come out great!

TONS of recipes, truly of every variety, and many of them are very very simple. I'm a baker, but not a cook, and this book is perfect because he explains everything. I absolutely recommend this to everyone who needs to start or add to a cookbook collection. A great 'moving out on their own' present as well.

2008-08-01

Where to look when all else fails

This is an excellent reference for when you can't log in (or don't want to) and have a food challenge: what do I do with Jerusalem artichokes?

This book is fast becoming stained with splashes from the kitchen (as all real cookbooks do).

2008-07-31

One of my favorite cooking tomes for general ideas

Great book - have it myself and gave it away as a present several times. Good book to consult. I like to 'experiment' so the recipes are a jumping off point, so to speak. Great in and of themselves. Between this and the internet, I have enough reference material to 'wing it' on any dish.

2008-07-31