What cookbook do you recommend for a VERY new cook?
There are a few ‘bibles’ of cookbooks out there. Betty Crocker (1961-1980), Joy of Cooking (1975 or earlier), Fannie Farmer (1965), Vintage Better Homes and Gardens (the 1960’s).
ALL of these were basic, comfort food cookbooks that shows you how to do things and great recipes. Nothing from a box. And you could use these cookbooks for the rest of your life (as our mothers and grandmothers still do!)
Buy them at a used bookstore (or eBay or garage sales) and try and find one of the cookbooks listed—–you should have at least ONE of these in your kitchen!! But get as many of them as you can (when you can get them for a good deal) because if you learn to enjoy cooking, you go from one cookbook to another.
If you’re using the internet, allreicpes.com (2nd link) is great because you can see how others judged a recipe and look for recipes when you only have certain ingredients on hand. A good site to look through!
For a newer, how to book–Mark Bittman’s HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING…a great book to have as a back-up reference. (See 1st Link) Bittman shows you how to prepare great food for all occasions using simple techniques, fresh ingredients, and basic kitchen equipment. Just as important, How to Cook Everything takes a relaxed, straightforward approach to cooking, so you can enjoy yourself in the kitchen and still achieve outstanding results.
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