Cooking [Hardcover]

James Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

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.

Reviews

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

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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

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Luscious Recipes from Cooking

Artichoke and Toasted Walnut Salad

Braised Short Ribs

Classic French Apple Tart

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From Publishers Weekly

Peterson's masterful survey of kitchen skills is a refreshing dose of tradition for anyone weary of quick-and-simple recipe books. The substantial volume is replete with step-by-step color photos, often 10 to 15 per recipe or process, that show the stages of a steak's doneness or how to make napoleons. The immense store of recipes to learn by is arranged partly by course and partly by main ingredient, with each section proceeding through many of his 10 basic techniques. Peterson is careful to include a range of dishes for every skill level, and cooks with any amount of experience will appreciate the numerous boxes that highlight preparation tips and tricks. Dominated by recipes like Fish Meunière and Boeuf à la Bourguignonne and with a prodigious chapter on sauces, the book feels like an old-fashioned French culinary education slightly updated with some nominally international dishes (Lamb Korma, Chiles Rellenos with Tomatillo Sauce), an attribute that may turn off some modern-minded cooks, but will reward those keen to absorb Peterson's deep knowledge of food and well-honed explanations for how best to prepare it. Color photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 560 pages Publisher: Ten Speed Press (October 1, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1580087892 ISBN-13: 978-1580087896 Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 1.5 x 11.3 inches Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews) Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #11 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International

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More About the Author

James Peterson is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author, photographer, and cooking teacher who started his career as a restaurant cook in Paris in the 1970s. He is the author of fifteen titles, including "Sauces," his first book and a 1991 James Beard Cookbook of the Year winner, and "Cooking," a 2008 James Beard Award winner. He has been one of the country's preeminent cooking instructors for more than 20 years and currently teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's) in New York. He is revered within the industry and highly regarded as a professional resource. James Peterson cooks, writes, and photographs from Brooklyn, New York.

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Customer Reviews

51 Reviews 5 star:  (34) 4 star:  (14) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.6 out of 5 stars (51 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 194 of 202 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Insights and Training on Cooking...With a Bullet!, November 19, 2007 By  B. Marold "Bruce W. Marold" (Bethlehem, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover) `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! 71 of 72 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Best General Cooking and Baking Book Ever, December 31, 2007 By  Ronald Lerman (Amelia Island, Fl) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover) I cannot overstate how good a book this is for the maniacially dedicated amateur. While I have dozens of classics to choose from, my favorite go to books for real "stretching" over the past twenty years have been Pepin's Technique/Methode and Kamman's New Making of a Cook. Peterson's 'Cooking' is far broader than Pepin's and comes with much better instructions and pictures than Kamman's, whose incessant scientific editorial comments can be bothersome. Peterson's approach is no nonsense, modern and worldy; many of us view Hot and Sour Soup, Chile Rillenos or Indian Chutney as everyday eating out staples, and if we like the presentation or want to "shoot" the chef in action, our cell phones are on the ready. This then is the sheer genius of the work. Peterson teaches, with simple instructions and copius "how to" color photos (1500), both basic and advanced principles and then gives us recipes (600) tips and techniques that employ these skills for an evolving everyday mastery of more than just basic french cuisine. Beginners can easily master fluffy omelettes, linguine with clam sauce or thai curry. More advanced cooks can go for terrine of foie gras or croissants from scratch. Even the holiday only cook can find out how to roast turkey and get a carmelized crust for the gravy- how many once in while cooks get treated to those kinds of tips? Everything seems so accessible! To be sure other texts offer more in depth text and picture coverage of specific areas (Rinehart's 'Bread Bakers Apprentice' or Pepin's 'Technique/Methode' with instructions for the arduous but rewarding 48hr. meat glaze are good examples). And there are more genuinely encyclopedic books of great value- James Beard's 'American Cookery' comes to mind. Still, with numerous alternative recommendations to the recipes, this book covers a vast canvas of modern cookery. We even get a colored pictorial "degree of doneness" guide to steak "bleu" showing 90 degrees all the way through to medium well at 145. Your guests will be fascinated choosing their "color" and will leave your home knowing what temperature they like! One glaring deficiency is that Peterson does not provide US or metric weight measurements to more easily execute and scale recipes- a major disappointment. Another early complaint- I've only had this book two weeks but have already spent many hours with it reading and cooking- is that Peterson tells his audience that plain jane salt is "fine" for regular use when even the most novice cook should be instructed to use Kosher salt (at minimum) for reduced salinity and increased control. I know- get a life! In summary, the beauty of this book more than any I've seen is that rather than showing us how to prepare a fish dish, Peterson teaches us how to fish (figuratively). This fundamental skill development, so available at both the novice and advanced levels, across so many genres of food, is what makes this work a "budding" classic. Peterson is no stranger to James Beard Foundation and other awards. And as there are only two reviews on Amazon at 31 December, we can see just how new and relatively undiscovered this work is(published 2007). I have ordered copies of this for my children, nieces and nephews. They are aware of my obsessions, as well as the the smells and tastes of my kitchen, and so too have begun gravitating toward more adventurous eating and cooking. What a great introduction to the joys of mastering a broad array of culinary skills, from the how to's of vinagrettes, starters and sauces, through meats, fish, veggies, eggs and souffles, complemented with a surprisngly strong take on breads, pies, pastries, and cakes. 'Cookbook' is the single best of its kind. A real winner. 26 of 29 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Cookbook..... truly beautifully written and illustrated!, December 7, 2007 By  Billy Goat Ranch "Art, Craft, & Book Junkie" (Hill Country, TX USA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)    This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover) I love all of James Peterson's books and recipes that I have tried....this one is the best so far... the book is well worth twice the price! It is exceptional for any level of cook- wish that I had this as my FIRST cookbook... it may have been the only one I truly needed to learn from! The section on lamb is stunning....		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Inclusive Cook Book I use the book everyday. It is a comprahansive book for beginners and advanced people that are looking for fundamentals and advanced dishes Published 16 days ago by Uma Cardell 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing I never thought I'd actually READ a cookbook; but I am halfway through reading all of it. And it is a BIG book. Read more Published 4 months ago by Alice 4.0 out of 5 stars Reasonably complete and good pictures I have many cook books and bought this more on a whim with the idea that if I didn't like it I could give it to a family member who like s to cook. Read more Published 4 months ago by MT Pockets 4.0 out of 5 stars Cooking A lot of good information in just one book. The book also provides althernate choices and differing ingredients for anybody wanting to be a bit more adventurous. Read more Published 6 months ago by M. Martinez 4.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful This is a great book for a beginner or someone who just has not learned good, intermediate cooking techniques like me. I've been cooking for may years. Read more Published 7 months ago by Kelly Madison 4.0 out of 5 stars A really good cooking instructional Bought this book because I was looking for a book that gave more than just recipes. THis book gave me so many useful tips and info on how to attempt, cook and refine many recipes... Read more Published 7 months ago by Nicole N. 4.0 out of 5 stars An upscale version of The Joy of cooking The recipes are basic and earthy. THis book is more about informations and techniques than recipes. The pictures are beautiful and bountiful. Read more Published 7 months ago by Lily 5.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL cookbook!! This cookbook is truly a gem. It is an abridged culinary education, which is perfect for an aspiring home cook like me. Read more Published 9 months ago by Montana-Mom 4.0 out of 5 stars So far amazing--just a few minor quibles! I just recieved this book about 3 days ago, and have been devouring it ever since. I have not done any cooking from it yet, so I am reviewing it based on what I was hoping for in... Read more Published 10 months ago by Gillian Gahagan 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Cookbook This is a relly excellent cookbook for chefs who want to expand their cooking knowledge and skills. It is extremely informative and the pictures inside are beautiful... Read more Published 10 months ago by F. Kevin Kohlmeier Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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royal icing, red wine pot roast, tarragon butter, tart dough, shellfish steaming liquid, passes the windowpane test, diameter than the pie plate, lightly syrupy consistency, brown chicken broth, plastic vegetable slicer, crudité salads, meat glaze, warmed soup plates, duck thighs, brioche têtes, pastry lose, slightest crunch, chilhuacle negro, red waxy potatoes, butter froths, pound cold butter, oily herbs, pint pearl onions, dough against the bottom, medium peaks form

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Salt Pepper, Yukon Gold, United States, Grand Marnier, Apple Pie, New Zealand, Fillets of Sea Bass, New York, Sautéed Chicken, Béchamel Sauce, Hollandaise Sauce, New England, Slow-Roasted Duck Thighs, Tomato Coulis, Monterey Jack, Sautéed Squab, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Salt White, Bordelaise Sauce, Braised Fillets of Striped Bass, Sautéed Calf's Liver, Other White Fish, Malmsey Madeira, Basil-Ricotta Filling

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580087892
• ISBN-13: 978-1580087896
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 1.5 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International

More About the Author

James Peterson is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author, photographer, and cooking teacher who started his career as a restaurant cook in Paris in the 1970s. He is the author of fifteen titles, including "Sauces," his first book and a 1991 James Beard Cookbook of the Year winner, and "Cooking," a 2008 James Beard Award winner. He has been one of the country's preeminent cooking instructors for more than 20 years and currently teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's) in New York. He is revered within the industry and highly regarded as a professional resource. James Peterson cooks, writes, and photographs from Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

194 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Insights and Training on Cooking...With a Bullet!, November 19, 2007

By 

B. Marold "Bruce W. Marold" (Bethlehem, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover)

`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!

71 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best General Cooking and Baking Book Ever, December 31, 2007

By 

Ronald Lerman (Amelia Island, Fl) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover)

I cannot overstate how good a book this is for the maniacially dedicated amateur. While I have dozens of classics to choose from, my favorite go to books for real "stretching" over the past twenty years have been Pepin's Technique/Methode and Kamman's New Making of a Cook. Peterson's 'Cooking' is far broader than Pepin's and comes with much better instructions and pictures than Kamman's, whose incessant scientific editorial comments can be bothersome.

Peterson's approach is no nonsense, modern and worldy; many of us view Hot and Sour Soup, Chile Rillenos or Indian Chutney as everyday eating out staples, and if we like the presentation or want to "shoot" the chef in action, our cell phones are on the ready. This then is the sheer genius of the work. Peterson teaches, with simple instructions and copius "how to" color photos (1500), both basic and advanced principles and then gives us recipes (600) tips and techniques that employ these skills for an evolving everyday mastery of more than just basic french cuisine. Beginners can easily master fluffy omelettes, linguine with clam sauce or thai curry. More advanced cooks can go for terrine of foie gras or croissants from scratch. Even the holiday only cook can find out how to roast turkey and get a carmelized crust for the gravy- how many once in while cooks get treated to those kinds of tips? Everything seems so accessible!

To be sure other texts offer more in depth text and picture coverage of specific areas (Rinehart's 'Bread Bakers Apprentice' or Pepin's 'Technique/Methode' with instructions for the arduous but rewarding 48hr. meat glaze are good examples). And there are more genuinely encyclopedic books of great value- James Beard's 'American Cookery' comes to mind. Still, with numerous alternative recommendations to the recipes, this book covers a vast canvas of modern cookery. We even get a colored pictorial "degree of doneness" guide to steak "bleu" showing 90 degrees all the way through to medium well at 145. Your guests will be fascinated choosing their "color" and will leave your home knowing what temperature they like!

One glaring deficiency is that Peterson does not provide US or metric weight measurements to more easily execute and scale recipes- a major disappointment. Another early complaint- I've only had this book two weeks but have already spent many hours with it reading and cooking- is that Peterson tells his audience that plain jane salt is "fine" for regular use when even the most novice cook should be instructed to use Kosher salt (at minimum) for reduced salinity and increased control. I know- get a life!

In summary, the beauty of this book more than any I've seen is that rather than showing us how to prepare a fish dish, Peterson teaches us how to fish (figuratively). This fundamental skill development, so available at both the novice and advanced levels, across so many genres of food, is what makes this work a "budding" classic. Peterson is no stranger to James Beard Foundation and other awards. And as there are only two reviews on Amazon at 31 December, we can see just how new and relatively undiscovered this work is(published 2007).

I have ordered copies of this for my children, nieces and nephews. They are aware of my obsessions, as well as the the smells and tastes of my kitchen, and so too have begun gravitating toward more adventurous eating and cooking. What a great introduction to the joys of mastering a broad array of culinary skills, from the how to's of vinagrettes, starters and sauces, through meats, fish, veggies, eggs and souffles, complemented with a surprisngly strong take on breads, pies, pastries, and cakes. 'Cookbook' is the single best of its kind. A real winner.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Cookbook..... truly beautifully written and illustrated!, December 7, 2007

By 

Billy Goat Ranch "Art, Craft, & Book Junkie" (Hill Country, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cooking (Hardcover)

I love all of James Peterson's books and recipes that I have tried....this one is the best so far... the book is well worth twice the price! It is exceptional for any level of cook- wish that I had this as my FIRST cookbook... it may have been the only one I truly needed to learn from!

The section on lamb is stunning....