Rare is the cookbook that redefines how we cook. And rare is the author who can do so with the ease and expertise of acclaimed writer and culinary authority Michael Ruhlman. Twenty distills Ruhlman's decades of cooking, writing, and working with the world's greatest chefs into twenty essential ideas from ingredients to processes to attitude that are guaranteed to make every cook more accomplished. Whether cooking a multi-course meal, the juiciest roast chicken, or just some really good scrambled eggs, Ruhlman reveals how a cook's success boils down to the same twenty concepts. With the illuminating expertise that has made him one of the most esteemed food journalists, Ruhlman explains the hows and whys of each concept and reinforces those discoveries through 100 recipes for everything from soups to desserts, all detailed in over 300 photographs. Cooks of all levels will revel in Ruhlman's game-changing Twenty.
Ruhlman's Twenty
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
James Beard Foundation 2012 Book Awards winner, General Cooking category
"A naturally curious and intelligent cook, Michael has amassed a vast amount of culinary knowledge through his many years being around and writing about food. In his newest book Ruhlman's Twenty he has distilled everything down to the most essential 20 techniques that will help build solid skills and a positive outlook in the kitchen. It is a great resource."
-Thomas Keller, chef/owner of The French Laundry
"I'm not sure if Michael Ruhlman is a great writer who cooks or a great cook who writes, but either way he always manages to make my favorite thing: good sense. With Ruhlman's Twenty he makes sense of just about anything and everything that can happen in a kitchen by boiling it all down to twenty elemental concepts, stunningly presented in concise and useful clarity."
-Alton Brown, host of Good Eats and author of I'm Just Here for the Food
"There is something smart, useful and important to learn from each remarkable chapter of Ruhlman's Twenty. Whether you've cooked all your life or you've just come into the kitchen, you're bound to be changed by this book."
-Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
International Association of Culinary Professionals' 2012 Cookbook Awards winner, Food and Beverage Reference/Technical category
"A naturally curious and intelligent cook, Michael has amassed a vast amount of culinary knowledge through his many years being around and writing about food. In his newest book Ruhlman's Twenty he has distilled everything down to the most essential 20 techniques that will help build solid skills and a positive outlook in the kitchen. It is a great resource."
-Thomas Keller, chef/owner of The French Laundry
"I'm not sure if Michael Ruhlman is a great writer who cooks or a great cook who writes, but either way he always manages to make my favorite thing: good sense. With Ruhlman's Twenty he makes sense of just about anything and everything that can happen in a kitchen by boiling it all down to twenty elemental concepts, stunningly presented in concise and useful clarity."
-Alton Brown, host of Good Eats and author of I'm Just Here for the Food
"There is something smart, useful and important to learn from each remarkable chapter of Ruhlman's Twenty. Whether you've cooked all your life or you've just come into the kitchen, you're bound to be changed by this book."
-Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
International Association of Culinary Professionals' 2012 Cookbook Awards winner, Food and Beverage Reference/Technical category
About the Author
Michael Ruhlman is the author of Ratio, The Soul of a Chef, The Making of a Chef, Charcuterie, and, with, Thomas Keller, The French Laundry Cookbook. He lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Photographer Donna Turner Ruhlman lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Photographer Donna Turner Ruhlman lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Michael Ruhlman is the author of twelve books, including the bestselling "The Making of a Chef" and "The French Laundry Cookbook." He lives in Cleveland with his wife, daughter, and son and is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and Gourmet.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
256 of 266 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
|
Length:
4:07
Mins
When I saw Ruhlman's Twenty being offered through my book club last month, I had to wonder if I really wanted this book. In my house over 1000 cookbooks reside, taking up space, filling bookcases, spilling out everywhere, so I am getting really picky about what I bring in the house. could this book be something I wanted or needed? I am considered a good cook, I've read Pepin's La Technique and La Methode, would Ruhlman's Twenty actually bring something new to the table? Ha!
I'm such a huge fan of Ratio I decided to give Twenty a chance. It's a big beautiful cookbook and the first thing I noticed was the pictures! Beautiful, in focus, of the food, and the techniques being described. For example, there is a recipe for candied orange peel, the recipe is on one page, and on the facing page are pictures showing the four stages and how it should look at each stage. For someone like me who prefers visual learning this is amazingly helpful. Making mayo? there are two pages showing the emulsifying steps using a hand whisk or an immersion blender ( a trick I actually found in Ratio, and went from broken mayonnaise to beautiful lush mayo just using his technique and recipe)
At first I felt a little cheated, The first chapter is "thinking" Really? thinking as a technique? But then I read what he had to say. In 30 years of cooking I cannot tell you how many times I've boiled over milk while getting it to boil for a recipe, and never once did it occur to me that I had just changed the liquid ratio by how much I lost in the boil over- and then blamed the recipe for it not turning out right. Maybe it's intuitive to other people, but that really drove home why he had a chapter on thinking, and I got over the eye rolling first impulse I had "be one with the sauce, visualize the roasted chicken" and realized this is good stuff.
A lot of the recipes will become staples, and while he gives great techniques nothing here is especially frou frou, this is not only a book that can teach, but it's one that after you learn the technique the recipes are delicious and great for cooking from again and again.
There is a lot to learn, it's really not all been said or done before, or maybe it's just how Ruhlman presents the information, so clear and easy to understand.. The candied orange peel was delicious! As was the roasted cauliflower with brown butter, Halibut poached in olive oil, and the to die for French onion soup. I can't wait to make more recipes and I have pictures and well laid out recipes to help me learn something new, even after 30 years of cooking
I'm such a huge fan of Ratio I decided to give Twenty a chance. It's a big beautiful cookbook and the first thing I noticed was the pictures! Beautiful, in focus, of the food, and the techniques being described. For example, there is a recipe for candied orange peel, the recipe is on one page, and on the facing page are pictures showing the four stages and how it should look at each stage. For someone like me who prefers visual learning this is amazingly helpful. Making mayo? there are two pages showing the emulsifying steps using a hand whisk or an immersion blender ( a trick I actually found in Ratio, and went from broken mayonnaise to beautiful lush mayo just using his technique and recipe)
At first I felt a little cheated, The first chapter is "thinking" Really? thinking as a technique? But then I read what he had to say. In 30 years of cooking I cannot tell you how many times I've boiled over milk while getting it to boil for a recipe, and never once did it occur to me that I had just changed the liquid ratio by how much I lost in the boil over- and then blamed the recipe for it not turning out right. Maybe it's intuitive to other people, but that really drove home why he had a chapter on thinking, and I got over the eye rolling first impulse I had "be one with the sauce, visualize the roasted chicken" and realized this is good stuff.
A lot of the recipes will become staples, and while he gives great techniques nothing here is especially frou frou, this is not only a book that can teach, but it's one that after you learn the technique the recipes are delicious and great for cooking from again and again.
There is a lot to learn, it's really not all been said or done before, or maybe it's just how Ruhlman presents the information, so clear and easy to understand.. The candied orange peel was delicious! As was the roasted cauliflower with brown butter, Halibut poached in olive oil, and the to die for French onion soup. I can't wait to make more recipes and I have pictures and well laid out recipes to help me learn something new, even after 30 years of cooking
134 of 149 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The essential guide for good cooks who want to be better cooks
September 28, 2011
By Ellen Malloy
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am a big fan of -- his books and his blog. Time and again, I have seminal moments of my life as a cook that involve his work.
So it is no surprise that I stayed up late one night to read TWENTY and then immediately started in on the recipes. The book is nothing short of brilliant.
And let me tell you why you should pay attention to my review.
I know the fundamentals of cooking. I went to culinary school and graduated at the top of my class.
And I know recipes. I actually wrote recipes for chefs for 14 years in my work as a restaurant publicist for 14 years. Most chefs, you see, can't write a recipe so I would have to get the ideas from them and then write up the actual process. Once, I got a "recipe" from a rather famous chef that was written on a bevnap. It said, "take veal, make ragu." I had to translate that into something for the NYT. I did, I sent it in, and the Food Editor wrote back to tell me that the recipe "from the chef" was the best recipe he made all year.
So, I have some cooking cred.
And yet, I am learning from TWENTY. A lot.
I am not sure if this is an awesome book for absolute beginners. Though there is enough instruction in there that a smart person who pays attention could, in fact, use this as a 101 book. But I do know it is *essential* for anyone who thinks they are a competent cook and is confident in their kitchen abilities.
Buy it. Now.
So it is no surprise that I stayed up late one night to read TWENTY and then immediately started in on the recipes. The book is nothing short of brilliant.
And let me tell you why you should pay attention to my review.
I know the fundamentals of cooking. I went to culinary school and graduated at the top of my class.
And I know recipes. I actually wrote recipes for chefs for 14 years in my work as a restaurant publicist for 14 years. Most chefs, you see, can't write a recipe so I would have to get the ideas from them and then write up the actual process. Once, I got a "recipe" from a rather famous chef that was written on a bevnap. It said, "take veal, make ragu." I had to translate that into something for the NYT. I did, I sent it in, and the Food Editor wrote back to tell me that the recipe "from the chef" was the best recipe he made all year.
So, I have some cooking cred.
And yet, I am learning from TWENTY. A lot.
I am not sure if this is an awesome book for absolute beginners. Though there is enough instruction in there that a smart person who pays attention could, in fact, use this as a 101 book. But I do know it is *essential* for anyone who thinks they are a competent cook and is confident in their kitchen abilities.
Buy it. Now.
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By C. Young
Format:Hardcover
sorry for the rhyme, but honestly, if you are serious about creating very good food in your home then this is the book that will catapult you forward. ruhlman's style of writing is a pleasure to read and you will learn an incredible amount about how to cook food properly to make delicious meals. just read it cover to cover. this book is a wonder. truly. buy it now. (i'd trade 20 of my top favorite cook books for this one)
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bad Technique book
Thjink is the first chapter and vital to any cook, but after that it fails. The world's easiest roast chicken is fine but he does not tell you how to truss the chicken. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Terence Janericco
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very useful book.
Use it frequently. Also a big help to my husband who is starting to cook. This book is great for understanding the basics and the why of what the cook is doing.
Published 3 days ago by D Lynne Kemper
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Stuff
I like Ruhlman, and have since I first read The Making of a Chef. Now that hes fairly famous, he can come off as arrogant, but nonetheless, this book is full of great advice. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Eben M Atwater
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting book
Hard to put down, I love it. Has recipes that I want to try. I like his other books as well.
Published 15 days ago by Rick Price
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Reference and recipes
I found this book extremely useful and educational for beginners as well as seasoned cooks. The "Twenty" really makes you think about the way you prepare foods and how... Read more
Published 20 days ago by Keith Williams
1.0 out of 5 stars
Too Much Knowledge Has Gotten in the Way
I've read at least two dozen books about cooks and cooking, yet no matter how many wonderful books I read, Michael Ruhlman has always been my number one recommendation. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Ed
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this cookbook!
Thanks to this cookbook - I have tried recipes and techniques in the kitchen that I always thought were too difficult. But Twenty helped convince me that difficult is now easy. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Kristine Ilgenfritz
3.0 out of 5 stars
I was hoping for more
Some chapters in this book are very worthwhile. Others aren't. All-in-all it's worth reading, but look for it at your library first
Published 29 days ago by Lyndsczewski
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice reference book
This is a great book. I enjoyed the fact that Ruhlman talks about why these twenty techniques are important before he actually just gives recipes. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Christine
4.0 out of 5 stars
I will never look or treat salt the same
I cook a lot and have a great many cookbooks and always buy good ingredients but until now I did not give much thought to some of these 20. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Joyce Johnston
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
So You'd Like to...
|
|
