Customer Reviews

Dad's Own Cookbook: Everything Your Mother Never Taught You

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this book for my boyfriend and his young teen kids (well okay, really for me, because I collect cookbooks and was curious). Here is what is excellent about it: a TERRIFIC single page chart so the cooking-impaired can look in their fridge and freezer and tell what is "old and should be tossed immediately food," and easy to read recipes for basics that everyone universally likes to eat and can actually make, such as grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, etc. The only thing I wished for more of: photos of finished dishes, but I realize this would have increased the price of the book...and, who but cookbook collectors really need to view a finished grilled cheese sandwich anyway? More than worth the purchase if you're trying to class up a dad's kitchen in a gentle, good humored way.

My friend Peter was going through a divorce. The first thing he bought for his new apartment was this cookbook, and seven years later, he still swears by it and his kids are well-fed. On the road to culinary perfection, this is the first quarter-mile.

This handy guide to cooking for children includes everything from "How to Pack a Lunch" (page 66) to "How to Read a Recipe" (page 37) and even "Throwing a Birthday Party for Your Child" (page 285). This book is guaranteed to demystify the kitchen!

Most of the recipes in this book are extremely kid-friendly. For example: Six Sandwiches the Kids Will Eat (page 58), Four All-American Lunches (Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Quick Macaroni and Cheese, and Chef's Salad), and Dad's Official Meat Loaf.

The recipes are not strictly limited to kid-friendly fare. The author includes instructions on how to prepare for a cocktail party, with an accompanying "Cheese Primer." The Cocktail Party menu includes recipes for: Miniature Quiches (no, not the frozen kind that come out of a box!), Pate, and even Salmon Caviar!

The book is sectioned into meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Each section includes handy tips and tricks. For example, on page 80 there is a "Beef Basics" diagram which shows you where the different cuts of beef come from. These special sections include blue-tinted "Special Occasion" supplements. An example of this is on page 48, "Breakfast in Bed." This meal consists of Slow Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Sour Cream, and Caviar.

This is an outstanding all-around cookbook. Whether you're just getting started in your own apartment, or settling down with a loved one who longs to share the kitchen with you, this is a great start.

my culinary ambition often far outpaces my knowledge and ability in the kitchen. but dad's own cookbook is always there to sort me out. whether i need a bit of help making hard boiled eggs or homemade ravioli stuffed with goose liver paté, i can think of very few cooking expeditions i've undertaken in the last few years that haven't involved at least a cursory glance at bob sloane's tremendous book.

thanks to jim harrison for recommending it to me (not personally, alas, but that is a man whose opinion i trust) and thanks to bob sloane for saving me from my own rivers of frustration in the kitchen.

if you cook and you're not a pro, buy this book.

A sometime bachelor friend told us about this cookbook, which is his mainstay. My wife and I bought it and were very impressed - so much so that it will become a gift for some other members of our family.

It seems to have everything in one place - good recipes, basic instruction about foods, shopping, equipment and techniques - plus a breezy style and attractive graphic layout.

The title is unfortunate - it's actually a good, solid, basic cookbook that's useful for cooks of all genders. Only the haute cuisine chef will find it beneath him or her.

This book is an absolute staple in our kitchen -- and it's not just for dads! My mom is a great cook but she's always taught me in terms of a "pinch of this" and a "little of that", but when I'm cooking on my own I always turn to this book first for basic kitchen how-to. It has lots of useful everyday tips, and it's an easier read than the Joy of Cooking. Our favorite recipe is the meatloaf - we always make a double serving and freeze the extra!

This is a great cookbook - it literally taught me to cook and gave me the confidence I needed to learn more on my own. Love it!

when i got divorced and my two sons came to live with me, it wasn't long before i realized we couldn't eat out every night. But then, i was the proverbial helpless male...i had never made rice before much less cook dinner regularly, or irregularly. this book is so helpful, so elementary, i couldn't recommend it more for someone who knows absolutely nothing about cooking food. you will not regret owning this book. my boys are now at college but i still find myself referring to it often.

When people talk about their food memories at home, or their family recipes, it is almost always from the mother or female part of the family. It is true, however, that many of the greatest worldwide chefs are men. It still amazed me however, that after all this time a that a cookbook would come out in hopes of gaining 'male' ground. The title alone does that in Bob Sloan's cookbook Dad's Own Cook Book - Everything your mother never taught you.

There is nothing in the recipes, in my opinion, however, that stands out as majorily different from thousands of other books on the market today. There are recipes like: Perfect Roast Chicken; London Broil; Dirty Rice; Breaded Pork Chops; Pan-Fried Flounder; Kasha; Stuffed Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese; Corn Pudding; Chicken Salad; Ceasar Salad; and Chocolate Pudding to name just a few. The book is crammed with a large selection of recipes with a good variety of information of foods.

...it is worth any Dad or Mom (or any single person) to get a book that they can call and easy reference on their shelf. Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and require little if any specialty ingredients.

Overall Review 3 pots out of 5

I've owned this book for more than 10 years. When I first got it, it was perfect for my VERY limited cooking skills. Now, I'm a much more confident cook, and I've got a huge library of great cookbooks. However, whenever I need basic information (how long to boil or steam a vegetable, what temperature to use for baking different fishes, how to make a good rice pilaf), I reach for this book and know I'll find a straightforward answer that produces great results.

This is the absolute best cookbook for someone who's kitchen-shy but wants to give the take-out menus a rest and stop eating out as much. My brother got this for me when I graduated from college, and 8 years later, I'm still getting great use out of it. It tells you everything - from shopping suggestions, to what part of the cow different types of beef come from, to how much alcohol to buy for a cocktail party of 25 people. For me, the hardest part of cooking dinner has always been the timing (how do you make sure everything is hot, fresh, and ready all at the same time?) and he even takes the guesswork out of that! So if you're not a gourmet chef but are trying to be more adventurous than Monday night spaghetti, this is the book for you!