Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In the fall of the year that I started the fourth grade, my family got a television set..." (more)
Key Phrases: plastic zip bag, divided use, pound yields, Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book, Special Ingredients, Tell When Done (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brown, a professional organizer and space-planning consultant specializing in kitchens, knows most people are too tired to think about cooking after a busy day, much less prepare an eclectic meal in a kitchen that may be too small or cluttered. It's no secret that few enjoy the time they spend there, so to put the joy back in the kitchen (and to help home cooks recover the kitchen wisdom of their mothers and grandmothers), Brown shows how to organize space and explains which ingredients to stock in order to create an efficient home kitchen. She also provides an extensive directory of kitchen resources, charts, checklists and tips to make life in the kitchen easier. Most of her 600 recipes are for simple, quick meals and snacks, such as Hamburgers, Old-Fashioned Pot Roast and Chicken Salad, and simple desserts (Oatmeal Cookies and Ice Cream Pie, for example); she does include, however, more elaborate fare, such as Stuffed Pasta Shells and an assortment of souffles. While Brown offers no surprises, she supplies a wonderful guide for those starting out on their own and for harried home cooks who have to answer the question, "What am I going to make for dinner tonight?"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Brown, a consultant on space planning who leads seminars on home management (and wife of the author of Life's Little Instruction Book), offers the S.O.S. Plan as her mantra: Streamline, Organize, Systemize. The first section of the book offers a commonsense guide to getting organized in the kitchen, with many useful suggestions and tips. The final chapters of the book are an excellent reference section, with glossaries, charts on substititutions and equivalents, and more. Too bad she didn't stop there, for these two sections are far better than the recipes in between. Most of them are tired old standards available in numerous community cookbooks and older basic cookbooks; many of them rely on convenience foods, both good and bad (processed cheese and MSG are on her lists of staples); and others seem like "back of the box" recipes. An optional purchase to be added as a reference, not for the recipes.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0836267559
• ISBN-13: 978-0836267556
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #643,725 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Kitchen and Its Users Need This Cookbook, July 2, 2000

By	winona locke (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

I have well over 200 cookbooks - of every size and topic imaginable, and I think Rosemary Brown's "Big Kitchen Instruction Book" is a "MUST HAVE" for every kitchen. Even if you only boil water or heat something in the Microwave, you can use this book. I have the paper back, but I will buy the hard back version when it comes out.

Even though Rosemary's "Acknowledgments" and "Introduction" pages are a little lengthy, she has much to say that the reader will find informative and entertaining. These sections should be read - to find out what an extraordinary person she is.

From these pages, I perceive Rosemary Brown to be professional, organized, caring, humorous, helpful. Not only has she written a great kitchen proposal and cookbook, but I believe she truly wants to inspire each reader to have a great workable kitchen in which to prepare delicious meals.

She doesn't just thank all the people who have inspired and helped her; I sense she also cherishes their roles in her business and personal endeavors and in her every day life.

Now, why do you need this book? - to make your or someone else's life in the kitchen more enjoyable and tolerable. This book is for any-age, any-sex single person, for a newly married couple, for a "use-a-pinch-of-this, butter-the-size-of-an-egg" cook, for a "been-cooking-since-I-was-6" (and now I'm 65) person, and also for someone who just wants their kitchen to look and smell wonderful with no plans to ever cook a single thing in it.

Rosemary gives you valuable information and suggestions on how to organize your cabinets, pantry and drawers; how to buy groceries and store them and for how long - from Arrowroot and Arugula to Wheat Germ and Yogurt. Her suggestions for buying kitchen equipment and implements are very practical. She tells you how to use these items. She gives you detailed definitions of kitchen and cooking terms. The "Food Substitutions" section is the best I've seen. She even has substitutions for containers in the "Container Capacities" section. Included also are conversions of all kinds, and Fahrenheit and Celsius comparisons, for example. There is a section for buying quantity per number to be served. It has what every cook needs!

All of the above goodies are in addition to the varied, easily-prepared and delicious recipes. Do you know what Fava and Cranberry beans are? Lingonberries? Jicama? 11 varieties of pears? Salsify? Rosemary will tell you. Each recipe page also has a side bar column for notes pertaining to the recipes on that page.

I am just amazed at the research, experimentation and dedication Rosemary Brown has put into her "Big Kitchen Instruction Book". As you may know, her husband, H. Jackson Brown, is the author of "Life's Little Instruction Book" and "Live and Learn and Pass It On."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a cookbook! comprehensive kitchen guide, November 20, 1998

By	[e-mail] - See all my reviews

Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book is a comprehensive resource for the kitchen with much more than great recipes. The organization of the information makes for easy access. The first several chapters are full of "secrets" which only a very experienced hostess and cook could reveal. A great gift book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only kitchen organization book/cookbook you'll need!, February 20, 1999

By A Customer

I love this book! This book is perfect if you are just starting out in the kitchen, as I am. Rosemary Brown teaches as only as experienced cook and hostess can. She writes about organizing the kitchen, stocking the pantry, menu planning, and meal preparation, to name just a few topics. This book hasn't left my kitchen counter since I bought it because I am constantly refering to it. I highly recommend this book!