Cooking Basics for Dummies

by Marie Rama, Bryan Miller, Eve Adamson

Book Overview

It doesn't take culinary mastery and great recipes to be a great cook. But then again, it does take more than boiling eggs to lure you out of ordering take-out every night. Whether you want to pick up a new hobby, win your friends and family over [move "over" after "win"?] with your meals, or eat healthier, heartier meals, you'll need to know a few things about cooking. Basic Cooking For Dummies, Third Edition digs you out of microwave dinners and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764572067
• ISBN13: 9780764572067
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Wiley Publishing
• Length: 436 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Very good for all cooks

It's an excellent guide book for beginners and old cooks like me that had forgotten the basics!

I have never cooked before but with this book I am learning

This book is definately helping an old lady in the kitchen. I never learned how to cook and this is a great teaching tool.

Great basic reference book

This book is exactly what it claims to be, a basic reference book for an inexperienced cook. It begins with the basics of what all those mysterious things in the kitchen are and then proceeds to explain how to use them safely. Various food items are then discussed, with an emphasis on selection and storage. Cooking techniques are introduced moving from the very basic to more advanced. As each new concept is introduced it is thoroughly explained and then used in a recipe. The recipes range from the very basic (rice, mashed potatoes) to the more advanced (risotto, roast leg of lamb with vegetables). Information on grilling and planning entire menus are included. There are even suggestions for entertaining, both last minute and special occasion. Long after the cook has moved on to more advanced cookbooks this one will be in use as a reference work.

Learn how to cook with 'Dummies'..

For someone that isn't that experienced in the kitchen, Cooking for Dummies is amazing. For the simple recipe to make scrambled eggs most cookbooks have gourmet recipes. When I looked in Cooking for Dummies I found out how to make scrambled eggs without the pretty stuff. It does a great job explaining what you need and how to prepare your meal. Cooking for Dummies has made me become less afraid of getting in the kitchen. Having a book that is easy to understand and simple has actually encouraged me to want to cook more. I definitely recommend this book to the first time cook!

You can cook!

My sister, whom moved out and had never cooked a thing in her life, really enjoyed the benefits from this book! The moment she saw it on my shelf, she snatched it up and took it home and I haven't seen it since. I hear she's cooking some great meals and hope she'll invite me over for dinner sometime soon! ;)

Bachelor(cooking clueless) finds help and guidence with book

This book has helped me so incredibly much. Mainly because i didnt even know the basics.. Terms in such.. The last straw for me was when I screwed up burger helper. I thought "simmer" on the instructions ment high heat. Then 2nd attempt forgot to "drain the meat" which didnt make for very good Fettuchini Alfredo helper :(This book talks in low level terms.. Explaining Simmer among others. Before I bought this book, i recieved a cookbook for Xmas.. Which was no use to me because I didnt even understand half the instructions. So I was screwing up burger helpers and didnt even know how to make good scrambled eggs.. *sigh*NOW!! I make probably some of the best breakfast you ever had. My scrambled eggs are nice, soft fluffy just right.. I mix in Chorizo and heat up some tortillas for some Migas.. OH THATS NOT ALL! I have impressed my mother greatly with hommade stew.. Started off with the recipe in this book (Which is very good BTW).. Then migrated from the stove to a slow cooker(crock pot) and now MY MOTHER asks for me to bring her some of my stew(which is sorta developed into a custome recipe of mine). Pot Roasts.. Tacos...Grilling fish.. ect ect...My kitchen never had the right tools in it to cook with. This books gives you a nice basic economical listing of things that you must have to cook. VERY GOOD INFO.. Also the listings of spices to have on hand, herbs and other stuff. Also even explains how to properly use knives and what knife to use for what! Again but $ wise its reasonable.. it doesnt ask you to go out and spend 300.00 on junk you will hardly use. Its very common sense...And then safety. Book goes over proper cooking times and temp for various meats and cautions on cooking chicken. It also gives you a very nice chart on how long various foods, leftovers, meats can be stored in Fridge and stay edible. THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL! Again.. Great book for person who is cooking clueless and needs it.. Like me ;-)

The proof is in my cousin........

.....who never really liked cooking. She actually received this gift from co-workers as a joke! Recently, while visting her city, I spent several days with her and she decided to show off her new cooking skills, telling me that I'd be the "guinea pig". With this she held up her copy of Cooking for Dummies and explained how she came to possess it. This book starts very simply apparently, explaining such things as the difference between "boil" and "broil" and how to tell if meat is cooked. It's perfect for those who've really never done a day of cooking in their lives or those who are still in the fairly early stages of learning cooking basics. It proceeds slowly until the point where the reader is actually ready to put together a dish and can follow the book's recipes. Well, my cousin wowed me over the next several days and really put together some quite tasty meals! I recommend this book for all novice cooks!!! If she can do it, you can too!!!