Customer Reviews

Freshman in the Kitchen: From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The best compliment once could receive with this cookbook, ostensibly written for novice cooks, was one I received the other day, after encouraging an elderly friend to buy the book. She bought it for her granddaughter, but decided to try it out first. The comments/compliments focused on the easiness of the recipes, the great food produced, and the attractive and easy to use format. My friend had to buy another copy for herself because she wanted a copy too! I agree on all counts - the book flows easily, the text is amusing and easy to follow, the food is delicious, and Max and Eli really like food and try to impart that to the reader. I have tried three recipes already, and even for a seasoned cook, the recipes are spot-on. This cookbook ios not your typical "novice cook" book, but one that appeals to any age, any background and level of cook, and some of the food stories are very funny. Highly recommended!!

This is a wonderful cookbook for anyone who hasn't got a lot of experience in the kitchen, but who wants to cook tasty food in a short time. It assumes that the reader is a complete novice, and includes a plethora of information about basic supplies, shopping lists and resources on websites. It's full of humor and good tips that would interest even sophisticated cooks.
The page layout is very simple & attractive. The spiral binding allows it to lie flat on the counter, which is a great advantage. Beautiful photos make the food eye appealing and suggest how to present the food.
All in all, this is a wonderful gift for a new bride or young person who is about to venture into cooking for the first time, and it's fun to read!

This is simply a great cookbook for young adults and should be on everyone's gift list for high school or college graduations, birthdays, Christmas, Chanukah, moving into a new apartment, weddings, and just 'cause. It is well-written with witty and helpful short pieces on things a beginning cook should know. The recipes are presented in a clear fashion, with all ingredients highlighted in bold face; all recipes are on a single page which means that the cook doesn't have to turn back and forth between ingredients and what to do with them. The book is visually appealing with beautiful color photos of many of the completed dishes. Lots of good veggie recipes, too. By the time you get to the end of the cookbook, there are more sophisticated but still easy-to-make recipes.

The beginning recipes really are simple (I haven't made it to the hardest ones yet) but they also taste awesome. And there are also a lot of little references and jokes in the text. They're really random and funny and are just my type of humor.

I'd buy the whole book just for the peanut noodles and brucshetta recipes. It's like a cook book for slackers. The recipes seem easy, but whoever you're cooking for won't even know you're a slacker at heart. Highly recommended.

I have to admit I purchased the book because I thought the two boys on the front cover were so darling!

However as I began to actually follow the recipes I realized that there is more to this book than just the cover!

The recipes are easy to follow and delicious.

I am a huge fan!!!

I got this cookbook less than a month ago, and I have already used numerous recipes and tips! The recipes are definitely "new in the kitchen" friendly, and there are funny tidbits and helpful suggestions scattered throughout. There are also money-saving hints, which is important to me since I am a poor college student! Last week, my friend and I made the Sesame Peanut Noodles. The prep took less than ten minutes, and even though we had to replace some of the ingredients, it was still amazing and we finished the whole thing between the two of us, and licked the bowl... Also helpful on simple recipes I wanted a little guidance on, like tuna salad and stir-frying veggies and tofu. I'd recommend it for college students or anyone else who wants easy, fast, and healthy recipes with non-assuming step-by-step instructions.

Freshman in the Kitchen gives helpful information even for the experienced cook. The book is well designed and makes you want to try all the recipes. They are clearly written and easy to follow. The food is tasty and it makes you want to continue cooking. The humor, and nice photography make this an enjoyable read and an inviting book to cook from. I recommend it for teenagers and up.

I can honestly say that this is a great book for new cooks of all ages. I bought a copy for my son and he uses it all the time...from making guacamole to turkey chili. It's written in a very easy-to-understand manner that has a good progression from simple recipes to more challenging...all while keeping the recipes light on the wallet for college age kids. The authors don't overload the reader/cook with too many ingredients for each recipe. As a librarian who reviews book I can honestly say that this book is more than worth the price.

Freshman In The Kitchen: From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef would be a great addition to any kitchen. This cook book is particularly great because it starts you off giving you the basics any kitchen needs and slowly but surely teaches you how to prepare many delicious meals.

I myself have moved to a new place with my very first kitchen and took this cook book with me to the grocery store to help me pick out all the essentials I would need.

Not only is this book informative it is incredibly delightful and entertaining to read. I would recommend this book to not only novices in the kitchen but also avid cooks, as it offers great variety.

I look forward to the Sussman Brother's next book :)

The cookbook is bound a bit differently than I've seen before, with spiral binding along the top third and the bottom third. There are pictures for at least half, and probably more, of the finished dishes and they are inspiring. The ingredients are called out clearly, the directions are clear and just detailed enough. Most recipes fit on a single page or are at least on facing pages (I hate having to turn a page in the middle of cooking!). Aside from all that, they "read" great (I'm pretty good at interpreting recipes by reading them through at this point) and the three I've tried have been fantastic.

If all you're looking for is Ramen noodle recipes, tuna melts, and grilled cheese sandwiches, pick up a different book. But if you're looking for creative recipes that will be fun to cook and don't require much special equipment, buy this book or send it to your budding college cook. I had hoped to have my daughter try out a few recipes but somehow summer job and a social life has gotten in the way. I sent her off to college with this book (after photocopying a few recipes!) since she has a kitchen in her dorm and is looking forward to cooking.