The Way to Cook
"Julia Child's . . . seventh book, The Way to Cook, is her magnus opus . . . the biggest and most comprehensive collection of Child recipes and comments . . . (with) the same warm, generous, informal approach that has made her the most celebrated cook in America."--Phyllis Hanes, Christian Science Monitor. 600 full-color photos.
Excellent
Julia Child's Way to Cook is an excellent introduction to French methods of cooking that are easy to follow and well described. All the recipes I've tried so far have turned out great and I think the French method of cooking green vegetables brings out the flavors in amazing ways. Julia is such a delight to read too. This book came out after the invention of microwaves, so is a bit more up to date than her classic books. Shows you how a simple dinner can take on amazing results by using a different method. Outstanding!
The one
This is an excellent cook book if you only have one. If you already are an advanced cook you may find this only useful sporadically. Being a moderately educated cook I have found the information pertinent several times to things I am doing. In particular the basic and simplistic approach to many type of dishes is both informative and refreshing i.e. salad dressings with just oil, lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper. The apples with bourbon cream was a hit tonight - again, very simple with just butter, cinnamon, and sugar in the apples and bourbon cream was egg yolk, cream, bourbon and sugar. Simple, basic but flavorful and the you need to know the basics before going off on your own tangents.
Got me in the kitchen and unafraid of trying.
Many of the other reviews here do a really nice job of getting into the details of why this is THE classic cookbook.
I have no real experience in the kitchen and have no real technique as a cook. The great thing about Julia is the way she turns a recipe into a step-by-step process that anyone can follow. You just have to have a little patience. Once you understand a few basic master recipes, like the one for white sauces, or beef bourguignonne, preparing the variations is a no brainer. Before I got this book, I had no idea how to prepare vegetables other than to boil or microwave. Her instructions and processes for preparing vegetables are easy to learn and repeat. After a few times, its like riding a bicycle. Having grown up in the south, foods were fried, and vegetables were cooked in some sort of casserole with cheese or pork fat. The idea of cooking with wine never even crossed my mind. I am still learning, and this book covers so many kinds of dishes I never run out of things to try.
She takes the time to explain what to do when things go wrong, and how to correct common mistakes. The only thing better than having this cookbook is watching the DVDs of her TV shows. If you are willing to spend time in the kitchen, this is a great resource. I didn't know cooking could be so enjoyable.
A Great Kitchen Guide and Fun for Family
This is a fantastic book. Our family has experimented with recipes that we would never have dared to find the results outstanding! I find myself using it quite often as a reference and plan to give a copy to our daughter when she moves out on her own.
Well worth the money.
[...]
Basic to advanced knowledge
I have been watching cooking shows, collecting cook books, reading articles for many years now, trying to find out how to cook well. All of these sources provided useful information and I was slowly getting better but there were still too many voids in my knowledge to feel that I had control of what I was doing in the kitchen.
"The Way to Cook" has solved my lack of knowledge about cooking each time I have come up against another unknown, with one caveat - information on a particular subject is often scattered - you must read ALL referenced pages to whatever your subject is. For instance: making your own chicken stock is referenced on four pages - they are not redundant - read them all and you will have a good idea of what you should do to have chicken stock you are not afraid to consume (and it is tastier that store bought).
The index is the best I have seen in any book, regardless of subject. The book was relatively expensive, but save yourself a lot of money in the long run - buy this one (get the hardcover version - it will see a lot of usage) and then stop.
I used the free shipping option here at Amazon and the book got here 4 days before the target date, a most pleasant surprise!
Make sure to select FREE Super Saver Shipping as your shipping speed at checkout.
With The Way to Cook, Julia Child creates a second culinary classic. Her first, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, introduced a generation of those used to preparing simple fare to what was then considered gourmet food, demystified classic techniques, and raised our culinary consciousness. In The Way to Cook, she also demystifies cooking techniques and does some consciousness-raising. This time, though, she speaks to everyone with little or no experience in the kitchen, which is most people these days. Always in tune with the moment, and ever the gracious realist, Child (although calling her Julia seems reasonable since she treats us with such open informality) explains in The Way to Cook how to boil an egg and stuff it, as well as how to make a perfect omelet and an elegant soufflé.
To help out readers who lack the most basic knowledge, she organizes the book by techniques rather than by ingredients. Soups are first, a relatively unintimidating choice to build confidence through delicious results such as true French Onion Soup and a contemporary Black Bean Gazpacho. Next come breads, updated to use a food processor to cut the kneading time. The fish chapter covers broiling a salmon steak and creating a sophisticated Crown Mousse of Trout. Chapters on poultry, meats, vegetables, and desserts are equally ample and wide-ranging.
When The Way to Cook was published in 1989, it accompanied a television series. A related set of videotapes, the first to teach cooking comprehensively, was offered simultaneously. However, more than 600 color photos in this book make it fully complete on its own.
The Way to Cook is a good reference volume, a useful gift, and a handsome way to follow Julia's career as she transformed from a French classicist to the ever-evolving, always clear and reliable teacher we have come to adore. --Dana Jacobi
Product Description:
"Julia Child's . . . seventh book, The Way to Cook, is her magnus opus . . . the biggest and most comprehensive collection of Child recipes and comments . . . (with) the same warm, generous, informal approach that has made her the most celebrated cook in America."--Phyllis Hanes, Christian Science Monitor. 600 full-color photos.
Number Of Pages: 528
Release Date: 1993-09-28
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