Let’s say that you are depending on a teacher or a mentor…someone you trust. What would happen if you found out that they’re not telling the truth, or at least, they aren’t telling you the whole truth? If you’re depending on a book to teach you a new kitchen culinary skill, you need to know now that the book isn’t telling you everything you need to know about cooking meals at home. In fact, it might shake your faith and think, well, I can’t even cook water now!
I want to help to restore your faith in recipes. I know I often bash recipes, but recipes are useful for trying to duplicate meals that you like, for duplicating restaurant meals, and for getting new ideas on what to cook. However, the reason I have issues with recipes especially for a home cook that doesn’t understand basic cooking method is that there are things that recipes do tell you and there are things that recipes don’t tell you.
Unfortunately, if you really take a look at the components of a recipe, you can begin to see that they are really a bunch of steps without explaining any nuances. For example, a recipe may say to cook shrimp until pink. But if they are large shrimp, the shrimp are going to turn pink before the inside of the shrimp is completely cooked. The recipe may say nothing about this. The recipe may tell you to add onion and parsley at the same time and cook until the onion is tender. NO! If you do that, the parsley will be obliterated by the time the onion is ready.
Most cookbooks assume a basic knowledge of cooking methods that you just may not know. This is what I want to help you to understand.
Here’s another example, in one of my cookbooks it says to cook the chicken for 45 minutes or until done. Until done? How are you supposed to know if it’s done? The recipe doesn’t tell you. What does medium heat mean? Again, the recipe doesn’t actually explain this.
A lot of times, the cookbooks that are made by a company that contain a lot of name brand products are often the worst offenders of not explaining all that you need to know. That doesn’t mean that all cookbooks are like this. I have several books that are very clear and concise about explaining how and why you do something.
Here are a few great cookbook examples from my collection:
- The Sauce Bible
- On Cooking
- The Flavor Bible
- Professional Baking
All of those are very specific and explain what I need to know to cook food by method and by combining flavors, etc. I also like to get cookbooks that are specific to a region to help me to understand how to create flavors from that region. Here are just a few examples:
- Celebrate San Antonio
- Tropical Cooking
- The New Orleans Cookbook
So, if you can’t completely trust your cookbook, what do you do?
- You have to be smarter than your cookbook.
- You have to know when it’s lying to you.
- You have to know when it’s pretending that it knows and it really doesn’t
- You have to know when it’s left something out
Next time, I’ll show you ways to be smarter than your recipe book, improve kitchen culinary knowledge, and restore your faith that you can cook water! I’ll also explain to you how to use a recipe’s shortcomings to your advantage.
Let me know in the Comments Section what YOUR favorite cookbook/recipe book is and why you like it!
“Burn Your Recipes” and Cook Like a Chef at Home with my cooking DVDs!
The Complete cooking DVD collection for cooking without recipes.
I find that when I make soup, it’s better to go with my gut rather than follow the recipe. I have a wonderful soup cookbook (Splendid Soups by James Peterson) which gives me wonderful ideas. I think the only time I will really follow a recipe exactly is when I’m baking.
You’ve got the right idea, Terri.
Professionals don’t use recipes, they use METHODS in cooking to create their own “recipes”. However, professional bakers use formulas. Formulas must be followed because of the scientific interaction of ingredients.
If you make a soup and forget to add salt, you can always add it at the end for the same effect. But, if you make a loaf of bread and forget to add salt to the mix, you can’t just sprinkle salt on top of the dough. Salt inhibits yeast growth and is necessary on a scientific level.
More than any other dish, soups can bring out the cooks creativity because the methods behind making soups are so simple and work with any combination of ingredients. In my WebCookingClasses, we examine the 5 categories of soups so that you can improvise any combination of ingredients to a great result.
I have a Betty Crocker cookbook from the 50’s. It is very tattered but I would not get rid of it. It has a lot of basic information. When I have a question about something I go to it.
You’re right, Carolyn.
Cookbooks are great as a reference for ideas, but there are too many variables in cooking to follow their instructions exactly. Rely on basic methods and use the cookbooks for inspiration.
I have a lot of cookbooks but really don’t have a favorite one. the cookbooks I have are second hand and are older cookbooks, (70’s-80’s). I just use them as reference, if I have the ingredients, great, if not, I’ll substitute. I don’t use the measurements or time, I cook by sight and the trusty thermometer That reminds me I have to get a new one. the one I had, the needle broke off after I accidentally dropped it on the floor.
Hi Christopher!
I agree with you, cookbooks are great for inspiration and combination of ingredients but the actual COOKING comes down to the basic methods and skills you possess. Excuse the pun, but you should always take cookbooks with “a grain of salt”.
I have a lot of cookbooks but I really don’t have a favorite. The ones I have are second hand and are older books ( 70’s-80’s). I mainly use them as reference, if I have the ingredients, great, if I don’t I’ll substitute.
My favorite cookbooks are Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipes. I like to know how some of the restaurant foods are made. For instance,I bought one of his books because it had a recipe for Wendy’s Chili. Outback Steakhouse has a menu item I would love to know how to duplicate (Teriyaki Steak Medallions). I’m hoping your classes will teach me how to taste something and be able to tell how it’s made or , at least. be able to closely duplicate it.
Hi David!
I know Todd Wilbur, he’s the originator of the copy-cat recipes, he’s been doing it for 20+ years.
I have a friend who is a guitarist. He can listen to a song and then play it. I always ask him how he does it. His response, “I can hear the chords and the progression, so I can eventually figure it out.”
My cooking classes will empower you to use the same thought process with food. When I like a restaurant item, I start to scrutinize it. Was it sauteed or roasted? Was that sauce made with roux or cornstarch? Were those vegetables steamed first and then stir fried? All of these questions have obvious answers when you know the basic cooking methods behind them. When you can identify what happens to food when you apply heat to it, then you can create your own recipes or duplicate the items you’ve tasted.
Plus, I’m here in the forum to answer your questions along with past graduates who will help guide you.
James Beard’s theory & practice of good cooking. This book is set up by methods of cooking and has some recipes to use that method. My son is a Red Seal (Canada) chef and he now has this book.
Chef Todd, You asked me what recipe books I have.
Joy of Cooking, of course, Chef Micheal Smith’s Chef at Home and Chef Art Smith’s Kitchen Life.
Yestedrday I did a rendition of Beef Burgundy and butter/flour roux for thickening. Was so flavorful! I was impressed.
Thanks for your comment, Dave. Those are all good books because they tell you more of the HOW of cooking than just a list of ingredients to follow.
I’m so happy when people impress themselves with a new cooking skill! If you’re impressed, then I’m impressed too! Nice work!
One thing I’ve found with “brand name” cookbooks is that very often their recipes have broad flavor appeal – I’m figuring that’s because, wanting you to use their product (of course), they filter their recommended recipes down to the best tasting ones. I would guess you won’t find anything terrifically unique, but you can probably count on their combination of ingredients being pretty tasty.