Customer Reviews

New Cook Book, 75th Anniversary Limited Edition

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I didn't get this at Amazon, but received a similar discount. It came to me at a book fair brought to my place of work. At the time one of my co-workers remarked, "are you buying an auto parts manual"? In some ways, he was correct. This book has many similarities to such a book. Auto parts look-up manuals are large books with many divider tabs for easy to get to sections, this book has that. They have many detailed pictorial breakdowns of the parts and the tools needed to perform repairs. This book contains detailed photos on the recipes, the utensils, and cooking equipment to prepare them.

I'm an Engineer by profession, who also has a background in chemistry, so I'm used to following a scripted set of instructions. I've rarely seen any cookbook that is as thorough as this one. There are quick references for choosing spices, performing measurements, selecting meat cuts, even the tastes and textures of various kinds of fish. In addition, anywhere a special technique of mixing, or using a special pot (like a double boiler) is necessary, they have a detailed sidebar to explain it. At the beginning of most sections, there is often a full instructional on how to prepare that type of food, or perform a certain cooking technique (like grilling, BBQ with charcoal, gas or electric).

Now I've bought a number of cookbooks in my time. I have one each for specifics like soups, pizza, crock ware cooking, BBQ, and even bread-making. Most of them cost nearly the price of this book, and though they have some special recipes of their own, this general-purpose book often has more information on the specific topic than the entire book I bought for that subject. I look at this guide as an encyclopedia of cooking and recipes. Just to reinforce the notion that this book is an American icon, the red plaid design of the cover is registered as a US Patent!

A few special features are found near the end of the book. After all the topical recipe sections, you will find an excellent index the individual recipes and other topics. There is even a 75th anniversary section after that that has a collection of near forgotten recipes divided by the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Almost to taunt you a little (that the book has not forgotten anything), they include an emergency substitution food ingredient guide, (in case you're caught short on a certain recipe) printed on the inside back cover.

The book itself is constructed in a way most books refuse to do because of the expense. It's an extremely high quality three-ring binder to allow you to remove recipe pages, and then return them to the book. Likewise, if you are inventive, you will want to include your own recipes in the appropriate sections. This type of book allows that too. In fact you can get more recipes at their website, and there's room enough to print-out, and add these to the book as well. The only thing they left out was the food, and the pots to cook it in!

This book comes in a very durable five-ring binder with full-color recipes. Each section has tabs with the food category (fish, cakes, cookies, meats, slow-cooker meals, etc), and in each section is another table of contents written specifically for that food category. There are also cooking tips splattered throughout the book which are very helpful for novice cooks. The meat section contains diagrams that show where each different cut of meat comes from. There are metric equivalents and emergency substituion guides. It seems to cover all the basic recipes, plus some...and the big bonus is a special section after the general index that lists all the special 75th Anniversary recipes.

I honestly think this an absolutely fabulous cookbook -- if you like the BHG style. If you are not a current BHG subscriber, check out the magazine and the Better Homes website (http://www.bhg.com) and become acquainted with their recipes and content before you make your decision. I am a subscriber to the magazine, which is one of my top two favorites, so the book (I bought it sealed and never opened it prior to purchasing it) did not disappoint me in the least. This may well become your favorite cooking reference.

My only advice is that if you are into gourmet recipes, this is definitely not the book for you. These are very simple, with a splash of elegance recipes. Nothing exotic here, just good ole down-home cooking.

Joy be, get this cookbook! I have the Better H&G 11th edition new cookbook, and this 75-anniversary edition is so much better! The real selling point to this book is its organization, beauty, and inspiring photos. Even if you don't especially care about the special anniversary recipes, this edition is a far nicer upgrade than the eleventh edition.
The eleventh edition was not inspiring in my opinion. The photos were bland, small, and very perfunctory, like hands cutting or rolling dough. Are these photos helpful? I don't know. I was never inspired enough to try any of the recipes. The 12th/75 anniversary edition on the other hand, makes you want to cook. The recipes are not crowded on the page, recipe headings are dark read and easy to see, and the photos are nicely sized and of food you'll cook instead of how to photos. The book has plenty of info too, like big pictures of different cheeses (p278) and cooking tools (p9), and lots of other how to information in addition to the recipes.
When you open this limited edition, the cover page says 12th edition. This anniversary edition seems to be the 12th edition with a special added section at the back for the best recipes from 1930 through the 1990s. Nothing seems to be particularly anniversaryish except the cover and the section at the back, but this cover especially gives it a very traditional, homey, and special feel. The special anniversary section is small to medium sized, but nice.
Well worth getting!

I bought the original Better Homes and Gardens (1953,1962) that I still have and use. This one has everything my old one has but much, much more including updated and timeless recipes. I have many cookbooks in my collection but always refer to my Better Homes and Gardens first. A wonderful gift for anyone that loves to cook and entertain.

This book was wonderful. It has simple and easy to follow recipes. It teaches you how to make basic white and yellow cakes and explains everything very clearly. The pages are in color so you can see just how yummy the food is. And the pages can be lightly cleaned. Everything is neatly organized and with the 6 hole binder, you can add your own pages of comments. The book is full of helpful hints such as how to carve a turkey and how to make sour milk if you don`t have buttermilk on hand. Also each recipe comes with prep time, cook time and nutritional value so you can see how healthy the meal is if you are counting calories. This is a must have for new cooks!!

I am not much of a cook, but I have always enjoyed the Better Homes and Gardens line of cookbooks. However, this one is far better than any of the previous editions. The updated recipes are wonderful, and very appealing to younger people who enjoy exotic flavors. There is an entire section devoted to grilling, including basic grilling technique tips. I am looking forward to trying recipes like Thai Chicken Stir-Fry, and Tiramisu. There are quite a few vegetarian recipes interspersed throughout the cookbook. Finally, it also includes all the basic, tried and true recipes that are loved by all--recipes like Chicken and Dumplings, and Pot Roast. I think this cookbook will be very helpful to both experienced and inexperienced cooks. The only thing I miss from an older edition that I own is that nutritional information is less detailed. It still includes calories, fat, carbs, etc., and major vitamin values, but past editions have had more information about vitamin B, vitamin D, etc. Still, it includes more nutritional information than most cookbooks. Overall, I would still say this is the best overall cookbook I have found.

This new 75th anniversary edition is the best yet. It is the perfect cookbook for the beginning cook as well as for those of us who have been cooking for years. The first section is an invaluable reference section called "Cooking Basics," which includes everything from measuring ingredients and stocking your kitchen to planning meals and table manners. The cookbook is broken down into the typical categories, with an index at the beginning of each to assist in finding a particular recipe quickly. There are the expected beautiful photographs that BH&G is famous for and lots of them to tempt you to both try new recipes and remind you of old favorites. Best of all, the selection of recipes included in this book is right on target for the way we all live today. It includes all the must-have recipes for comfort foods most Americans grew up with to ethnic and regional favorites that we all now enjoy.

The ONLY negative thing I found was that the page numbers are quite small and are located on the right border, mid page, of each page; I found this more difficult to use, but this may just be a personal preference. Others may find it easier.

This is the perfect go-to cookbook when you are looking for a specific recipe or planning that special dinner.

Well done, BH&G!

I was very pleased to receive this book as a wedding gift. My mother has gone through two editions of it, and I've used it since childhood. It is, by far, the most versatile cookbook I've ever used, with chapters spanning topics from appetizers to desserts, vegetables to meats, fish to breads, and rice to beans. I also love how they describe kitchen gadgetry and appliances as well as cooking methods, rather than assume you know how to braise or julienne. It also contains lots of classic better homes and gardens recipes, as well as a section of new recipes in this edition. It's a great cookbook for both the beginner and the pro.

This has got to be one of the very top best cookbooks on the market!! It has everything you could want. If you buy only one cookbook to begin your new married life, or your life alone after leaving home for the first time, this would be A perfect choice for that one cookbook. There are a few others I own that are comparable, but this is in the top three on my list. I have many of the past editions of the BHG cookbooks. All are fantastic.

I received this book while I was still in college and living in my own apartment for the first time. I can honestly say that this book was a wonderful teacher for me as I began to learn how to cook. The handy reference pages, including a substitutions guide, were always open on my kitchen counter. The cookbook's directions are easy to follow and often the pictures illustrate certain techniques. The special photo section at the back has plenty of tasty dishes, some a bit more ambitious for the cook.
Overall though, if you are looking for more exotic flavors and dishes, you should definitely expand your cookbook library out from this cookbook. The great thing about the New Cook Book is that it covers the standards in just about every category, but on the downside, some of these standards can be rather boring. Don't forget to mix it up.