Book(s) on Cooking Techniques [Cooking]
2007 Sep 26
Thanks for you reply zymugist. I will have to have another look at the Joy of Cooking. I don't own a copy but I have glanced at it in the book store. I will take another look. I am sure it will help me.
Thinking about things a bit more. I am also wondering what text books the professional cooking schools use and whether they would be useful or do they assume a high level of knowledge. I know there are a few people on here who are professional chefs or are enrolled in a professional school. Are those texts easy to purchasable or do you basically have to be going to the cooking school? Any and all help is appreciated.
Cheers and thanks again!
Thinking about things a bit more. I am also wondering what text books the professional cooking schools use and whether they would be useful or do they assume a high level of knowledge. I know there are a few people on here who are professional chefs or are enrolled in a professional school. Are those texts easy to purchasable or do you basically have to be going to the cooking school? Any and all help is appreciated.
Cheers and thanks again!
2007 Sep 26
If you are interested in cooking classes I can recommend some courses on kitchen basics I took at the Urban Element last year and found them extremely helpful as well as a knife skills workshop I took there as well. They were more geared towards the home cook. I think Loblaws and the Ottawa Carleton district school board also offer cooking courses and was particularly interested in noticing the school board offers alot of ethnic cooking courses (Thai, Indian, etc.). The only other place I have taking cooking lessons is at Loblaws and have also enjoyed their courses. I think the Cordon Bleu is now offering some more general interest courses for those who are interested without having to follow their grand diplome course. In terms of cookbooks, is there a particular type of cuisine you are interested in? I'm sure I have nearly 200 cookbooks at home so if you are looking for some good books to have as reference I'm sure I can come up with some suggestions. I would echo zymurgist's suggestion though and invest in a Joy of Cooking book. In my opinion the 1977 edition is the best - it covers all the basics and everything you need to know is in the one book. I also picked up a James Beard book at a book sale last fall called "How to eat better for less money". It's an old cookbook published in 1970 but they have some basic recipes in it including sauces, etc. It runs a close second on my shelf next to Joy. My favourite Asian themed cookbook is called "Japanese cooking" by Emi Kazuko. The first half of the book lists ingredients complete with pictures so you know what to look for when you go to the grocery store and most of the items are readily available. The recipes are pretty basic too so if you are just starting out in Asian cuisine this book is a good starting point.
2007 Sep 26
Hi Medicinejar! :)
I took "Food 1 theory" in Algonquin College a few years back and the book we used was "Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs". It's now at the 6th edition, but i have edition 4 at home and i still use it a lot. In class, we went through the whole book, doing 1 or 2 chapters per week, and i learned a LOT. There's also a "practice book" that you can get to go with it, but i'd only buy it if you intend on following that class, because i haven't used those "exercises" since. The big "professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs" book usually comes with a CD that contains a program that you can use for inventory or to scale recipes if you ever want to.
The link to this book: www.amazon.ca
You'll notice there's also a similar book for "baking".
BTW, there are not a lot of differences between the editions, so if you get an older version at a cheaper price, it's worth it.
I noticed "Chapters" had it a few months ago at the rideau location. Just as a preview, there are chapters on the following:
Menu planning, sauces, stocks, salads, meats, cooking meats, fish and seafood, cooking fish and seafood, cakes, plating, and more.. i think there are 25 or 26 chapters.
It starts with the basics like what happens to food when you heat it, what happens to sugars, proteins, etc.. and goes into detail like the different cuts of meat (what part of the animal).
I recommend it! :)
I took "Food 1 theory" in Algonquin College a few years back and the book we used was "Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs". It's now at the 6th edition, but i have edition 4 at home and i still use it a lot. In class, we went through the whole book, doing 1 or 2 chapters per week, and i learned a LOT. There's also a "practice book" that you can get to go with it, but i'd only buy it if you intend on following that class, because i haven't used those "exercises" since. The big "professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs" book usually comes with a CD that contains a program that you can use for inventory or to scale recipes if you ever want to.
The link to this book: www.amazon.ca
You'll notice there's also a similar book for "baking".
BTW, there are not a lot of differences between the editions, so if you get an older version at a cheaper price, it's worth it.
I noticed "Chapters" had it a few months ago at the rideau location. Just as a preview, there are chapters on the following:
Menu planning, sauces, stocks, salads, meats, cooking meats, fish and seafood, cooking fish and seafood, cakes, plating, and more.. i think there are 25 or 26 chapters.
It starts with the basics like what happens to food when you heat it, what happens to sugars, proteins, etc.. and goes into detail like the different cuts of meat (what part of the animal).
I recommend it! :)
2007 Sep 26
For German cooking, it's Dr Oetker's "German Cooking Today"
www.amazon.ca/dp/3767003708
I have both the English and the German versions of this book. The German one has a different name - "Schulkochbuch" - "School Cook Book" - because it's the book used in cooking schools.
www.amazon.ca/dp/3767003708
I have both the English and the German versions of this book. The German one has a different name - "Schulkochbuch" - "School Cook Book" - because it's the book used in cooking schools.
2007 Sep 26
Am I the only one who still reads Julia Child? I found her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" ( www.amazon.ca ) to have a decent level of techniques, and description for an amateur cook. The book that SteffQc mentioned sounds even better though....
2007 Sep 26
I love the my two Mark Bittman books "How to Cook Everything" (www.amazon.ca) and "The Best Recipes in the World" (www.amazon.ca) I have "Joy of Cooking", but I find it very dated and turn to the Bittman books for basic recipes and techniques much more often.
2007 Sep 26
Pete, you are not alone! I still read Julia Child and love her Mastering... French Cooking 1 & 2. Some of her recipes are a little lacking description and slightly outdated but her books are still helpful.
Also, I recently borrowed Julia Child's "The French Chef" on DVD from the library. It was fun to watch(so long as you don't mind black and white) and very informative. Not only that, she goes through a lot of basics (e.g. an entire episode on how to do vegetables, or sauces, or soups, etc.) and it helps to get a visual sometimes.
Good luck, medicinejar, and let us know if you come across any hidden gems!
Also, I recently borrowed Julia Child's "The French Chef" on DVD from the library. It was fun to watch(so long as you don't mind black and white) and very informative. Not only that, she goes through a lot of basics (e.g. an entire episode on how to do vegetables, or sauces, or soups, etc.) and it helps to get a visual sometimes.
Good luck, medicinejar, and let us know if you come across any hidden gems!
2007 Sep 27
Another recommendation for Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. The scrambled eggs recipe alone taught me a few eye opening things. Bought this book for some hardcore foodie friends and they fell in love with it. Sometimes you can't beat the classics.
2007 Sep 27
The best book I have found is 'LaVarenne Pratique' by Anne Willan. It explains the basics of french cuisine from sauces to butchery, step by step(has pictures too). Most 'new age' sauces or starches are based on these methods. So if your looking for the basics this is a great book. Doesn't have the fancy packaging like most new books but it gets the job done.
Another must have book is 'Larousse Gastronomique' edited by Jenifer Harvey Lang. It is a culinary encyclopedia with classic recipes and history of gastonomy. So if you have ever wondered why is...called...? then this is the book you need to have on hand. Has solved many disagreements in every kitchen I have been in.
Happy reading.
Another must have book is 'Larousse Gastronomique' edited by Jenifer Harvey Lang. It is a culinary encyclopedia with classic recipes and history of gastonomy. So if you have ever wondered why is...called...? then this is the book you need to have on hand. Has solved many disagreements in every kitchen I have been in.
Happy reading.
2007 Sep 27
the making of a cook by Madeline Kamman is an amzing book it may be out of print but the information packed into it is staggering. Also la technique by Jacques Pepin is a great book. (lots of pictures too) I don't really like the professional cook we were trying to get it dropped when I was teaching at Algonquin. Any of the CIA books are fantastic. And yes Julia Child is a goddess and any of her books are worth having. Marcella Hazan is her Italian twin and worth looking for.
2007 Sep 27
Another one that I've heard recommended (but haven't read personally yet) is Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques is supposed to be a bible.
There's also some good stuff in Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, but more as part of the recipes themselves and not as overt "here's how it has to be done." Stock-making, sauce-making, etc. Great recipes, too.
There's also some good stuff in Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, but more as part of the recipes themselves and not as overt "here's how it has to be done." Stock-making, sauce-making, etc. Great recipes, too.
2007 Sep 27
Thank-you all so much for your suggestions.... I have rapidly updated my wish list on the indigo site and will be looking into buying some of the books recommended in the coming months... hopefully I might get lucky and find them at a second hand shop.
Pasta lover. Thanks for your thoughts on courses. I have taken one course this past spring at the Urban Element and enjoyed it a lot - it was with Bruce the chef when he still lived here. I am planning on taking more courses there but probably not until 2008 sometime. The courses help but I find that learning anything for me takes time and review so the books are invaluable.
cheers
Pasta lover. Thanks for your thoughts on courses. I have taken one course this past spring at the Urban Element and enjoyed it a lot - it was with Bruce the chef when he still lived here. I am planning on taking more courses there but probably not until 2008 sometime. The courses help but I find that learning anything for me takes time and review so the books are invaluable.
cheers
2007 Sep 27
I'll second MMAF's recommendation for Anne Willan's "La Varenne Pratique." I wasn't going to say anything (since I don't have much to compare it to) but I've found it tells me how to cook just about anything. I guess the fact that I don't have anything to compare it to is actually the best endorsement of all, since it means I've never had the need to go shopping for a replacement!
2007 Sep 27
medicinejar if you enjoyed Bruce's course last spring he will be back for a visit at the end of November and giving a course at the Urban Element. The details are on their website. (We're looking forward to your visit home Bruce if you're lurking!) Also book sale season is coming up - you just may find some of the books on your wish list at one of those sales. Rockliffe Park public school has a big sale in November. Also alot of churches have christmas bazaars later in the fall and they often have tables at the back of the hall where you can find second hand items for sale including books. Pete-in-Ottawa thanks for the Julia Child suggestion - I completely forgot about her book. Now there's another title I will have to add to my ever expanding collection of cookbooks...
2007 Sep 27
I second "Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs" - this is also the text that my Cordon Bleu classes were partially based on, and most of the techniques we used are included - it has exactly what you describe as wanting(ie: chaper on sauces, chapter on meats etc, information on not only techniques but also theory behind said techniques etc.). It is also fully illustrated, not pictures of finished recipes, but pictures of step-by-step techniques, which is very helpful. The only problem with it is that it is a little "textbook-y" in my opinion, so some of the theory can be a little dry, plus it also includes chapters and sections of chapters which are a little useless for the "at home" cook, sych as how things relate to restaurants, pricing, professional food safety concerns etc. - but if you are really looking for a full *education* on a variety of subjects, this may be a good choice for you.
Alternatively, "Le Cordon Bleu, Complete Cooking Techniques", which I also own, is a little easier to read, being more of a referance guide for techniques and not going into QUITE so much information on each subject, but still giving you great detail on basic principals and techniques. It is less "textbooky" because most of its information is condensed into captions printed next to photos instead of long paragraphs of text, so it is much easier to read. It features 700 illustrated techniques, 2000 total photos, and 200 recipes. If you can't find it online, you should be able to find it in the boutique at Le Cordon Bleu/Signatures Restaurant
Alternatively, "Le Cordon Bleu, Complete Cooking Techniques", which I also own, is a little easier to read, being more of a referance guide for techniques and not going into QUITE so much information on each subject, but still giving you great detail on basic principals and techniques. It is less "textbooky" because most of its information is condensed into captions printed next to photos instead of long paragraphs of text, so it is much easier to read. It features 700 illustrated techniques, 2000 total photos, and 200 recipes. If you can't find it online, you should be able to find it in the boutique at Le Cordon Bleu/Signatures Restaurant
medicinejar
However, I was someone that picked up stuff here and there from watching TV, reading recipe books and talking with others. The problem is that I don't have a firm grasp of some basic and lots of advance concepts/techniques in cooking. I continue to buy cook books but I think what I am really in need of is a series of books that deal with concepts and techniques so I am able to extend my repetoir.
For example, if a book or a series of chapters dealt with sauces I would want to see a discussion of general different types of sauces, the elementary building blocks used for making those types of sauces, when to use the different types of sauces, the different techniques that are used in making them.
I am looking for technique/conceptual descriptions, with obviously some recipes, but not a book of recipes per se. Any recommendations on a good general overview (perhaps a big thick book or multi volume set that deals with one area after another) as well as any specific cook books
So I am wondering what the chefs out there would recommend. Appreciate any suggestions people have.