Product Description

In an era of outfitted home kitchens and food fascination, it's no wonder home cooks who never learned the fundamentals of the kitchen are intimidated. Twenty years ago, James Peterson could relate, and so he taught himself by cooking his way through professional kitchens and stacks of books, logging the lessons of his kitchen education one by one. Now one of the country's most revered cooking teachers, Peterson provides the confidence-building instructions home cooks need to teach themselves to cook consistently with ease and success. COOKING is the only all-in-one instructional that details the techniques that cooks really need to master, teaches all the basic recipes, and includes hundreds of photos that illuminate and inspire.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6123 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 534 pages

Amazon.com
Put simply, Cooking is a revelation. No other cookbook so deftly illustrates as broad a scope of classic culinary methods and flavors as you'll find here. As a veteran chef and award-winning cookbook author, James Peterson is uniquely qualified to take food lovers into the modern kitchen and turn them into passionate, precise, intuitive cooks. What's most impressive about a book of this breadth and size (540 pages and 600 recipes, brought to life with 1500 vivid color photographs) is how accessible and fun it is to read. Every recipe in Cooking sings with a deep knowledge of the ingredients at hand, encouraging cooks not just to follow the recipe but to really understand and relish in the process, and the result is a terrific turn-to reference for any cook seeking inspired instruction. --Anne Bartholomew

Luscious Recipes from Cooking

Artichoke and Toasted Walnut Salad

Braised Short Ribs

Classic French Apple Tart

From Publishers Weekly
Peterson's masterful survey of kitchen skills is a refreshing dose of tradition for anyone weary of quick-and-simple recipe books. The substantial volume is replete with step-by-step color photos, often 10 to 15 per recipe or process, that show the stages of a steak's doneness or how to make napoleons. The immense store of recipes to learn by is arranged partly by course and partly by main ingredient, with each section proceeding through many of his 10 basic techniques. Peterson is careful to include a range of dishes for every skill level, and cooks with any amount of experience will appreciate the numerous boxes that highlight preparation tips and tricks. Dominated by recipes like Fish Meunière and Boeuf à la Bourguignonne and with a prodigious chapter on sauces, the book feels like an old-fashioned French culinary education slightly updated with some nominally international dishes (Lamb Korma, Chiles Rellenos with Tomatillo Sauce), an attribute that may turn off some modern-minded cooks, but will reward those keen to absorb Peterson's deep knowledge of food and well-honed explanations for how best to prepare it. Color photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)
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O Magazine
James Peterson's 560-page Cooking is a great choice for anyone who wants to become a smarter cook.

Customer Reviews

it's all there
I own Mr. Peterson's sauce book and lean on it a lot. This book is no different, just more inclusive. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in a culinary career. Peterson simplifies some techniques that are often difficult to get through. It is well presented. Good reading and a great learning tool.

Great Cooking
Great book for anybody looking for basic "How to cook" everything from soups to breads, meats, seafood etc. Great pictures and easy to follow recipes which are not too complicated for anyone starting out. The book also provides flexibility and alternative ingredients for anybody wanting to be a bit more adventurous. Overall a great buy, filled with lots of classic recipes.

Superb cookbook for a novice who wants to be gourmet
I bought this book in December and just started working with it. Fabulous is all I can say. The recipes are delicious. Abundant photos and instructions guide you on technique and explain the purpose of traditional methods. And the results are wonderful. I've had more fun with this book in the past few weeks than any other cookbook I've ever got.