Cooking
by James Peterson
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Book Summary Information
Author: James PetersonEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-01
ISBN: 1580087892
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Book Reviews of Cooking
Book Review: Excellent Insights and Training on Cooking...With a Bullet!
Summary: 5 Stars
`Cooking' by culinary teacher extraordinaire, James Peterson has every symptom of being this veteran writer's magnum opus. Since Peterson has written many other excellent cookbooks, he may have created the problem for this book of living up to his earlier works. In fact, he has written the definitive book on `Sauces' plus `Fish and Shellfish', `Splendid Soups', `Essentials of Cooking', `Glorious French Food', and `What's a Cook to Do', which are among the best on their subject. This last volume is possibly the best book of the `Tips and Tricks' genre.
If you have none of Peterson's other books, your decision easy. Like most of his other books in their genres, this is among the best textbooks on cooking techniques for amateur cooks. Other books in this class are Madeleine Kamman's `The New Making of a Cook' and Darina Allen's `Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook'. It is better than the CIA's `The New Professional Chef', which is oriented toward restaurant cooking. The only cooking textbook I would recommend to supplement this book for most people is Jacques Pepin's classic `Complete Techniques'.
Peterson sees and says things which most other culinary writers miss or take for granted. High among this list of insights is that for the dedicated amateur cook, specific recipes are far less important than the mastering of general principals, so that one can reach that desirable plateau of culinary skill where you can cook without a cookbook. Two of my favorites I found in this book are the observation that olive oil is NOT a good oil for vinaigrettes (it becomes bitter) and when sautéing fish in aluminum pans, they must be heated quite hot or the fish will certainly stick.
To be sure, the objective of dedicating time exclusively to learning how to cook may not be for everyone. One can eat well and be well nourished by following Rachael Ray's recipes by rote, even if it takes you twice as long as the speedy Rachael. If cooking quickly is what you need, this book may not be for you (however, following Rachael's recipes is improved greatly by mastering techniques in this book). Thus, Peterson begins his book with a discussion of the ten basic cooking methods. From there, Peterson has chapters of recipes covering virtually every major ingredient and style of cooking. And, that is all he has. True to his title, this book is about `Cooking' and nothing else. It has no bibliography, no chapter on cooking equipment, no chapter on sanitation, no chapter on kitchen safety, and no chapter on nutrition. All of these things are important, but to paraphrase the famous line from `The Hustler', "This is Ames, Man. No gambling, no bowling, no card playing, just `Cooking'".
To enhance that concentration on cooking, Peterson begins with one of the best Tables of Contents I've seen in a fair while. Every recipe in the 22 chapters from `Starters' to `Cookies' is in the TofA. Another major feature of the book is the truly encyclopedic array of `How To' photographic essays demonstrating how to perform specific techniques. Like the insights and observations, this feature is also more important than the specific recipes. There are over 220 of these, more than the number of recipes you get in most cookbooks. Notable is the fact that all photographs in these series were taken by the author. By the author's count, there are 600 recipes in the book. It is obvious that this may not contain every recipe you may ever need (`Joy of Cooking' has 4000 recipes), but it is a pretty good bet that it contains virtually every familiar recipe, especially from the French canon and from the classic American table. Thus, this book becomes an excellent reference for when you wish to make a Caesar salad, a French Potato salad, veal Marsala, buttermilk biscuits, or a simple omelet. Not only will Peterson give you everything you need to know about making an omelet, he will offer up some insights about the process which may have even escaped Julia Child and Elizabeth David.
This is not to say every recipe will be the most authoritative last word. Since Peterson has already written the definitive book on `Sauces', his information on that subject will be sound, but not exhaustive. His recipe for buerre blanc in `Cooking' is less detailed than the recipe for the same sauce in `Sauces'. But then, `Sauces' was, to a certain extent, written for the professional chef.
Just as this is not the book for those who wish to be in and out of the kitchen quickly, it is also not for anyone with major weight loss issues. There is much butter, cream and pork fat to be found on these pages. Unlike the superb Alice Waters book, `The Art of Simple Cooking', this is not for those who wish to limit themselves to simple recipes. It includes famously difficult or time-consuming recipes such as soufflés, duck comfit, cassoulet, and risottos. On the other hand, most of these seemingly intimidating dishes become easy once you actually know how to do them, and do them a few times.
I am especially fond of the fact that the author gives us just as many recipes for lamb as he does for pork. That means, regardless of what your personal tastes may be (unless you are a dedicated Francophobe or a vegan) you will almost certainly find much in this book you will find useful. And, most cookbooks this size with this many pictures easily run $20 more expensive. So, if you own few or no other James Peterson books, this one is a must buy if you wish to learn to improve your cooking. If I were to find anything amiss with the cookbook, it is the size. It will really tie up real estate on the kitchen table. Thankfully, the book is a great read for the armchair, so it pays its way outside the kitchen!
Summary of Cooking
In an era of outfitted home kitchens and food fascination, it's no wonder home cooks who never learned the fundamentals of the kitchen are intimidated. Twenty years ago, James Peterson could relate, and so he taught himself by cooking his way through professional kitchens and stacks of books, logging the lessons of his kitchen education one by one. Now one of the country's most revered cooking teachers, Peterson provides the confidence-building instructions home cooks need to teach themselves to cook consistently with ease and success. COOKING is the only all-in-one instructional that details the techniques that cooks really need to master, teaches all the basic recipes, and includes hundreds of photos that illuminate and inspire.- Cooking authority James Peterson's definitive, all-inclusive learn-to-cook cookbook.
- 600 hard-working recipes everyone should know how to make-from the perfect roasted chicken to bouillabaisse and apple pie.
- 1,500 instructional photos, showing exactly how recipes are made, teach food-literate novices to cook with confidence and more advanced cooks to expand their repertoire.
- James Peterson has more than 1 million cookbooks in print.
James Beard Foundation Cookbook Awards General Category Winner!
"It's heavy enough-and good enough-to warrant a permanent place within easy reach...The text is clear and easy to read. Peterson's ancillary material at the end of some recipes earns special merit as the most varied and interesting factoids in any books we've seen this year."-Washington Post
"Peterson's masterful survey of kitchen skills is a refreshing dose of tradition for anyone weary of quick-and-simple recipe books. . . . [Cooking] will reward those keen to absorb Peterson's deep knowledge of food and well-honed explanations for how best to prepare it."-Publishers Weekly
"Some cookbooks help you get dinner on the table tonight. Others help you become a better cook for the rest of your life-every recipe teaches you something funadmental. James Peterson's 560-page Cooking is a great choice for anyone who wants to become a smarter cook."-O, the Oprah Magazine
ABC News Web Video: How To Make James Peterson's Perfect Roast Chicken, from Cooking
"Easier to use than other cooking-school-in-a-book volumes . . . The step-by-step photographs are superb."-Boston Globe"This 558-page book contains virtually all the culinary knowledge that the average person needs to know."-New York Newsday"Peterson aims to cram an entire culinary education between these hefty covers, and he comes close."-Charlotte Observer"Huge and encyclopedic . . . it would be a fine gift for any good cook who wants to become even better."-Epicurious.com"Peterson distills a lifetime of thinking about food in Cooking. The book's instructions include invaluable frame-by-frame photographs."-New York Times Book Review"Know someone who's beyond cooking basics and wants to learn more? Give him or her this tome and let your chef wannabe learn the same way Peterson did: by cooking through this incredible book."-Chicago Tribune"His template for a European peasant-style soup was a wonder."-Los Angeles Times"An extraordinarily comprehensive book . . . best for the cook-to-be who really wants to get down to business."-San Jose Mercury News"Sure to inspire beginner and skilled cook alike."-Seattle Times"This marvelous author has another winner . . . this cookbook answers virtually every kitchen question."-St. Louis Post Dispatch"Lush photos and sophisticated recipes."-Denver Post"Cooking is Peterson's return to the most basic techniques, written from the perspective of teacher to student . . . colorful, step-by-step, photos accompany many of the recipes."-San Francisco Chronicle"For those who want a thorough knowledge of cooking fundamentals."-ivillage.com"Instructive and authoritative . . . [Peterson's] unwavering focus on what a student really needs to know has produced a superior textbook."-Booklist"Whether you're a seasoned chef or just starting out, James Peterson's Cooking will teach you more than a trick or two."-Parade"An intensive course for home cooks in the classic techniques that underlie good cooking, this is recommended for all cookery collections."-Library Journal, Starred Review"Soup whisperer James Peterson tells cooks how to simmer up greatness"-Pittsburg Post Gazette
"...very informative (and fun to read)"-Orange County Register
"The best new cookbook of the year"-Ashbury Park Press
Read the full review in Library Journal
Read the full review in Publishers Weekly
Put simply, Cooking is a revelation. No other cookbook so deftly illustrates as broad a scope of classic culinary methods and flavors as you'll find here. As a veteran chef and award-winning cookbook author, James Peterson is uniquely qualified to take food lovers into the modern kitchen and turn them into passionate, precise, intuitive cooks. What's most impressive about a book of this breadth and size (540 pages and 600 recipes, brought to life with 1500 vivid color photographs) is how accessible and fun it is to read. Every recipe in Cooking sings with a deep knowledge of the ingredients at hand, encouraging cooks not just to follow the recipe but to really understand and relish in the process, and the result is a terrific turn-to reference for any cook seeking inspired instruction. --Anne Bartholomew
Luscious Recipes from Cooking
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|  Braised Short Ribs |  Classic French Apple Tart |
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