In this unrivaled practical guide, one of the world's most widely respected cookbook authors condenses his vast knowledge and experience into the 100 essential techniques that every cook needs to know. 150 recipes and 1100 photographs unravel the mysteries of the method and provide practical application on the spot: How to boil an artichoke or cook a soft boiled egg, how to clean soft-shell crabs or roast a whole saddle of lamb, when to dice and when to chop. Each technique is further explained in terms of how it makes the food taste: What happens when fish is cooked in butter instead of oil? Why does roasting make vegetables taste so good? How do you decide to make a chicken stew or saute? Knowing how to execute a technique makes you efficient; knowing why you've chosen that technique makes you a master.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"Essentials provides more photographs than you've ever seen in a cookbook....The pictures are invaluable, no matter what your level of accomplishment."
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars
41 reviews
75 of 76 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Freedom from recipe bondage
1 Jun 2000
By Stephen Sykes
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
"Essentials of Cooking" is one of a couple books that have appeared recently (Pam Anderson's "How to Cook Without a Book" is another) that are designed to help home chefs wean themselves from over-reliance on recipes. James Peterson uses a visual approach by presenting well-over 1000 photographs (taken by Peterson himself) that show how various basic culinary techniques are performed and fundamental dishes prepared. Everything from dicing apple to trimming a saddle of lamb is included, with just enough narrative to keep the reader on track. A lot of cross referencing gives the book a 'hypertext' quality. Your can read it from beginning to end, or you can just bounce around. I would not think that this would be a very good book for beginners, though. The general thrust is toward cooks with enough experience to want to loosen up and generalize their knowledge rather than newcomers just trying to find their way around the kitchen. And the "recipes" aren't really recipes in the way most readers will be familiar. They're more in the nature of general models to which you can add or subtract individual ingredients to your own liking.
37 of 37 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential addition to any home cooking library!
19 April 2000
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Peterson's book is an important contribution to cooking literature because it focuses on techniques. Through detailed pictures and explanation, Peterson does an excellent job of conveying the concept that cooking is a craft. Once you master the basic techniques of this craft, you can buy whatever is fresh in the market and prepare it without a recipe. I have taken years of cooking lessons, and feel this is the finest example I've seen of a book that makes cooking instruction readily accessible to non-professionals.
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Developing a Cook, not just following recipes
8 April 2000
By Keith
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I buy cookbooks for fun. This book will develop cooking skills as opposed to cooking following the many creative recipes from the numerous cookbooks we all own and freqently use. Peterson's goal is to have you cooking without the crutch and the burden of following someone else's game plan. This book will help your confindence in the kitchen without resorting to books. (The pictures are quite helpful.) If you are a really good cook already, this book isn't for you. If you are a reasonably competent cook, but not a chef, you will find this book valuable. Peterson is top flight, and he wrote this one for all of us who have a life outside the kitchen but hold a passion for cooking nonetheless.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 41 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
