The Pot and How to Use It: The Mystery and Romance of the Rice Cooker [Paperback]

Roger Ebert (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 21, 2010

In The Pot and How to Use It, Roger Ebert—Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic, admitted “competent cook,†and long-time electric rice cooker enthusiast—gives readers a charming, practical guide to this handy and often-overlooked kitchen appliance.While The Pot and How to Use It contains numerous and surprisingly varied recipes for electric rice cookers, it is much more than a cookbook. Originating from a blog entry on Roger’s popular Web site, the book also includes readers’ comments and recipes alongside Roger’s own wry insights and observations on why and how we cook.With an introduction by vegetarian cookbook author Anna Thomas and expert assistance from recipe consultant and nutritionist Yvonne Nienstadt, The Pot and How to Use It is perfect for fans of Roger’s superb writing, as well as anyone looking to incorporate the convenience and versatility of electric rice cookers into his or her kitchen repertoire.Roger Ebert has been all over the news recently. An in-depth interview in Esquire in February 2010 revealed how drastically Ebert’s life has changed since his recovery from life-threatening surgery in which he lost his ability to eat, drink, and talk. He also appeared on Oprah, telling even more of his love of life and debuting his computer generated voice, made up of clips from old TV shows and DVD reviews.

In The Pot and How to Use It, Roger Ebert--Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic, admitted "competent cook," and long-time electric rice cooker enthusiast--gives readers a charming, practical guide to this handy and often-overlooked kitchen appliance.

While The Pot and How to Use It contains numerous and surprisingly varied recipes for electric rice cookers, it is much more than a cookbook. Originating from a blog entry on Roger's popular Web site, the book also includes readers' comments and recipes alongside Roger's own discerning insights and observations on why and how we cook.

With an introduction by vegetarian cookbook author Anna Thomas and expert assistance from recipe consultant and nutritionist Yvonne Nienstadt, The Pot and How to Use It is perfect for fans of Roger's superb writing, as well as anyone looking to incorporate the convenience and versatility of electric rice cookers into his or her kitchen repertoire.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

America’s foremost film critic confesses to obsession with “the pot,” an electric rice cooker whose application he’s broadened to create his kitchen’s most versatile appliance. Ebert caught on early that the rice cooker is the crock pot’s virtual twin and can readily duplicate it as a time- and labor-saving appliance. Ebert touts the rice cooker’s health benefits by inventorying its friendliness to low-sodium, high protein, reduced-fat cooking. Ebert’s blog’s many fans have contributed cooker-adapted recipes running the gamut from quotidian boxed macaroni and cheese to spicy beef chili. A few recipes, such as mushroom risotto, call for preliminary action in a skillet before everything gets dumped into the cooker. Scrupulous cooks may find Ebert’s expansive use of the rice cooker the gustatory equivalent of watching Lawrence of Arabia on one’s iPhone—a lot of the product’s flavor and textural detail disappears. --Mark Knoblauch

About the Author

Roger Ebert is the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic from the Chicago Sun-Times. His reviews are syndicated to more than 200 newspapers in the United States and Canada. The American Film Institute and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have awarded him honorary degrees, and the Online Film Critics Society named his Web site, rogerebert.com, the best online movie-review site.

Product Details

• Paperback: 111 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Original edition (September 21, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740791427
• ISBN-13: 978-0740791420
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,756 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Rice & Grains

More About the Author

Roger Ebert is the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic from the Chicago Sun-Times. His reviews are syndicated to more than 200 newspapers in the United States and Canada. The American Film Institute and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have awarded him honorary degrees and the Online Film Critics Society named his Web site (rogerebert.com) the best online movie review site

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting cookbook and semi memoire October 2, 2010

By S. Sweeney

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is not your usual cookbook.

First, it lets you know that you really can cook other foods besides rice in the most basic (or fancy) rice cooker.

Second, it's not an extensive recipe book. There are some recipes, yes, but the book encourages you to try your own ideas.

Third, the text is lively, witty, and entertaining. Roger Ebert's voice is not stilled.

Fourth, buy it just to read it as a book, but you'll probably end up also buying a rice cooker or using the one you have for more foods than rice.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars FUN READING, AND NOW WE OWN A RICE COOKER! September 28, 2010

By Gail Cooke HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

If you think reading a cookbook isn't fun you haven't looked at the latest by Pulitzer Prize winning film critic Roger Ebert. In what other collection of recipes will you find limericks and directions such as "add a splash of" or "throw in some pineapple chunks"? But then, as Ebert writes, "This is not an instruction book. It is an evocation of the ancient spirit of the Pot." And, of course, what those directions in the form of asides do is encourage you to experiment, create dishes that suit your taste and preference.

However, there is one teaching on which he is quite clear - in fact, it is the heading of Chapter 4 "Get The Pot" And his pot of choice is Zojirushi. A pint sized beauty now resting comfortably on our kitchen counter. One test try with this and we're converts to Ebert's way of thinking - the rice was so much fluffier, actually tastier. We tried his "Salty Rice with Tuna" - completely satisfying with a modicum of saltiness.

Now, we did not follow his directions exactly because he suggested we add "a squirt of that spicy red chili sauce in the bottle with the green lid and the Chinese characters on it." Didn't I tell you THE POT AND HOW TO USE IT was fun? We're still looking for that easily identifiable bottle.

While this book is a breezy, enjoyable read it is also studded with nuggets of information re healthy eating, what is nutritious and what is not. Plus a chapter is devoted to "Your Comments," consisting of readers' responses to Ebert's blog. Here we find discussions of various rice cookers (from those that "spewed water all over the place" to a $12.99 beloved cheapie), as well as favorite recipes that include everything from "Seafood Jambalaya" to "Chicken and the Usual Suspect Vegetables." After a bit you'll be amazed at what you can and what you want to prepare in your rice cooker (yes, you can steam eggs, and yes, you can bake a cake).

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Musings on the rice cooker, but not a cookbook November 8, 2011

By Geneva Girl

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Roger Ebert and his writing. It's his wonderful writing that make this an engaging book. If, however, you are looking for hard core recipes, this is not the book for you. Most of the recipes are supplied by posters on his blog. I would have loved more recipes, but that would have gone against Ebert's philosophy of a little of this and a little bit of that. It's all very loose.