How to Cook Everything : Quick Cooking
by Alan Witschonke, Mark Bittman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alan Witschonke, Mark BittmanEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-08-08
ISBN: 0764525115
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: Wiley
Book Reviews of How to Cook Everything : Quick Cooking
Book Review: This is a repackaging of the original material, but I'm OK with that
Summary: 4 Stars
Unlike many readers, I was somewhat uncomfortable with the heft and bulk of Bittman's original master tome, "How To Cook Everything". Somehow the prospect of having to search through 1000 recipes and several hundred pages for a review of some half-remembered shred of information daunted me, and I couldn't see how the book, as packaged, could hold up to the physical wear and tear of daily cooking. (See some reviewers' remarks about problems with the binding of the Big Book). So I was actually very pleased to see the author and publisher break out these smaller recompilations based around themes like "The Basics" and "Quick Cooking". I have both these smaller tomes on my shelves and find them easy to work with and employ.
One thing I've noticed about Bittman (I also have "The Minimalist Cooks DInner", and "The Minimalist At Home") is that many of these recipes are perhaps more "miminalist" than they really ought to be. Einstein once said that "things should be made as simple as possible but no simpler". There is no question that Mark Bittman knows what he is doing in the kitchen, but many of his recipes seem to skew in favor of convenience and simplicity instead of flavor and texture, and if you don't really know what you are doing, his terse directions can sometimes leave you with a 2nd rate (but still edible) dish. Even so, there are enough bits of helpful lore and advice casually sprinkled throughout his books that anyone who pays attention will improve overall in their knowledge and skills as a cook. For instance, in his recipe for a beef stir-fry, Bittman remarks about "the holy trinity of beef, onions, and ginger"; I read that and said to myself "...Yeah. YEAH. That's absolutely right, and I never thought of it quite like that!".
Many reviewers have remarked on Bittman's "calm, encouraging voice", and I think this is the true virtue of "Quick Cooking" as well. Bittman is like an older brother showing you the ropes in the kitchen, casually mentioning ideas and concepts and combinations as he goes along. In that sense, reading Bittman is more like getting a "brain dump" on his approach to cooking than a structured pedagoical work; it tends to leaves out a lot of contextual detail that might help the less skilled and intuitive kitchen mongers among us climb further up the learning curve.
On the other hand, I am never afraid to at least TRY one of his recipes, no matter how imposing it may seem at first glance. And even if I screw up, (you should have seen my first attempt at "Bangers and Mash"!) there will almost always be enough to enjoy about the results that you will probably decide to give it another shot.
Well worth owning if you don't mind the concept of repackaged material and you don't already have the original magnum opus.
Summary of How to Cook Everything : Quick Cooking
Make a quick home-cooked meal tonight!Ziti with Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce. Shrimp Marinara. Broiled or Grilled Chicken with Pesto. Stir-Fried Spicy Beef with Basil. With How to Cook Everything(TM): Quick Cooking, great-tasting, satisfying dishes like these can be made in 30 minutes or less!
Mark Bittman, the award-winning author of the bestselling kitchen classic How to Cook Everything(TM), shares his favorite simple-and infinitely flexible-quick recipes. You'll be able to prepare family-pleasing everyday meals, spur-of-the-moment dinners for friends, even special-occasion feasts. To inspire you and help you plan your meals, you'll find Bittman's straight talk on cooking and special features, including:
* Creative recipe variations and ideas
* Tips for shopping, preparing, and cooking the recipes
* Illustrations to demystify trickier techniques
* Menu suggestions for a Weeknight Family Dinner Classic, an Elegant Dinner Party, and more
* At-a-glance icons highlighting recipes done in 20 minutes or less
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