Most Helpful Customer Reviews
230 of 243 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good idea, with a fatal flaw - luckily, it can be ignored, January 8, 1997
By A Customer
This review is from: Cooking for Dummies (Paperback)
My idea of the "For Dummies" books is that they are supposedto be for the beginner and not intimidate anyone. As an aboveaverage cook who is regularly asked for a recommendation on where a newcomer to the kitchen should start, I had hoped that this could be my answer. Unfortunately, there is a fatal flaw that make me hesitate and certainly give a disclaimer with any recommendation I might provide. My biggest reservation has to do with the chapter on equipment. While I will certainly not disagree that I can cook slightly better with better equipment, I also know that you can be a perfectly good cook with 50 cent knives and $5 saucepans. This chapter should have been an appendix - "When you're ready to buy the best tools" instead of such an early chapter. At most the chapter should have contained a discussion about what each item is used for, and stopped there. As it stands, it succeeded mainly in putting off the less experienced cooks I showed it to. This is a shame, since much of the rest of the book is useful, funny and informative. I have since recommended it to one person with the caveat that they should ignore that chapter until they could afford not to. But most people just starting out can't afford what's in there. (Heck, I'm well beyond starting out and can't afford much of it. Then again, I regularly produce gourmet meals on a $20 set of knives and a $50 set of pans. So can anyone.) In the end, the author broke what I consider to be the cardinal rule of the "For Dummies" books - MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE. In the end, a $50 knive and a $100 pan are just not accessible and also, not NECESSARY to be a good cook. Learning the skills of cooking can be done on almost ANY equipment (the tops have to seal and the knives have to cut - that's about it). This book made it seem necessary to drop a $1000 or so before you could start boiling water and that's not just inaccessible but intimidating, too.
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67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bachelor(cooking clueless) finds help and guidence with book, January 31, 2002
This book has helped me so incredibly much. Mainly because i didnt even know the basics.. Terms in such.. The last straw for me was when I screwed up burger helper. I thought "simmer" on the instructions ment high heat. Then 2nd attempt forgot to "drain the meat" which didnt make for very good Fettuchini Alfredo helper :( This book talks in low level terms.. Explaining Simmer among others. Before I bought this book, i recieved a cookbook for Xmas.. Which was no use to me because I didnt even understand half the instructions. So I was screwing up burger helpers and didnt even know how to make good scrambled eggs.. *sigh* NOW!! I make probably some of the best breakfast you ever had. My scrambled eggs are nice, soft fluffy just right.. I mix in Chorizo and heat up some tortillas for some Migas.. OH THATS NOT ALL! I have impressed my mother greatly with hommade stew.. Started off with the recipe in this book (Which is very good BTW).. Then migrated from the stove to a slow cooker(crock pot) and now MY MOTHER asks for me to bring her some of my stew(which is sorta developed into a custome recipe of mine). Pot Roasts.. Tacos...Grilling fish.. ect ect... My kitchen never had the right tools in it to cook with. This books gives you a nice basic economical listing of things that you must have to cook. VERY GOOD INFO.. Also the listings of spices to have on hand, herbs and other stuff. Also even explains how to properly use knives and what knife to use for what! Again but $ wise its reasonable.. it doesnt ask you to go out and spend 300.00 on junk you will hardly use. Its very common sense... And then safety. Book goes over proper cooking times and temp for various meats and cautions on cooking chicken. It also gives you a very nice chart on how long various foods, leftovers, meats can be stored in Fridge and stay edible. THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL! Again.. Great book for person who is cooking clueless and needs it.. Like me ;-)
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65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Take Baby Steps, March 31, 2001
This book was given to my wife as a wedding gift from a friend of ours. She asked for it so she could better prepare herself for married life even though I prepare all the family meals. She studied the book for two weeks in preperation for my birthday dinner and I must say - everything she cooked came out perfect. The kitchen may have been a bit messier than normal but by following simple recipes my wife was able to prepare one of teh best meals I've ever eaten. From the salad to the dessert each item was beautifully presented and lovingly prepared. My only problem with this book was in regards to the equipment needed. As Catering Director at Shepherd College I don't even use many of these items on a full time basis. My recommendation is to read this chapter after you've skimmed the rest of the book and take to heart that the items listed are not nessesarily needed in every kitchen. Over all a good book with some great recipes. Pick one up and enjoy the new found freedom in the kitchen!
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