Cookbooks

[blueerica]

With the exception of baking, and perhaps a few other detailed cooking events, I mostly refuse to use a cookbook. I actually learned how to cook from cookbooks, but in recent years (again, with the exception of baking), I've decided it's better to know how ingredients work and taste together than one teaspoon of this and a third of a cup of that. I end up with some disasters once in a while, but it's usually easily fixed (especially since it's not baking) - plus, after I survey what's out in the garden and what's in the fridge, it ends up being a breeze to come up with something that maximizes what I've got.

Not that I'm ragging on cook books. I adore them for baking. I've been dying to make a carrot cake again, and I've forgotten my old recipe. So, I'll probably be cracking open a cook book in a week or two.

[3894]

Originally Posted by blueerica

I've decided it's better to know how ingredients work and taste together than one teaspoon of this and a third of a cup of that.

I know what you're saying but using cookbooks doesn't imply slavish imitation of a given author's recipes. When you reach a certain proficiency and ease in the kitchen, recipes should be a jumping-off point and a good cookbook can offer a new point-of-view.

[Stan4dSteph]

I got The Best of America's Test Kitchen, although mine is the version from 2006 I think. It's a good reference, and also explains why things work and why others don't.