The Cook's Encyclopaedia: Ingredients and Processes

By Tom Stobart

Book Overview

Here in almost 500 pages is a descriptive compendium of just about everything we eat and how we cook it. Arranged alphabetically from Abalone to Zampone, the majority of entries in the book deal with the ingredients and processes used in cooking. Tom Stobart says in his Introduction 'Ingredients are the fundamentals of cookery and every cook who hopes to excel should know about them...' Likewise with methods and science in the kitchen, Stobart explains all the common processes from bottling brewing, brining, curing, smoking and vacuuming.

Hundreds of ingredients are described, with English and foreign synonyms and scientific names; recipes are given in many cases to illustrate the use of the foodstuff in question. Cooking processes are explained in great and illuminating detail. The aim is both to entertain and to instruct--in particular, to give a sense of the essence and individuality of each ingredient. Tom Stobart traveled widely, both as an explorer and a film maker, and his book was informed by an eye for telling details.

Many fans say they would be lost without this book, which segues effortlessly between exhaustive reference work and handy recipe book, and back again. It explains the world of the kitchen, whether you're a beginner or an old hand, revealing the facts behind foods, equipment and techniques. Stobart describes how baking powder works, for instance, the temperature at which bacteria grow, and how to make your own tomato ketchup, so every time you dip into this book, you'll be better equipped to return to the stove.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1910690090
• ISBN13: 9781910690093
• Release Date: November 2016
• Publisher: Grub Street Cookery
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.8" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very Useful and Interesting

This is a useful and informative book to have around. It also has some recipes, such as for nettle beer, pasta, tips on cooking wild rice, how to make ketchup, mayonnaise(along with possible origins), tofu (as in hot to make it), and plenty of ideas of what to do with food ingredients you might not have known about so easily otherwise. Few of the recipes are detailed or as you would find them in a cookbook (many are more like ideas or guidelines), but anyone with basic knowledge of cooking would be able to figure something out to do with a specific ingredient or process. One recipe I just stumbled upon that I am sure to try is Ragi Dosas, made with millet, an ingredient I have been a bit puzzled by. I would say it's also not a bad gift for the experienced cook or cook looking to get acquainted with many ingredients and processes. This certainly makes a comprehensive addition to my cookbook library.