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Cookbooks!

Never discount a good cookbook. And despite some of the comments made by chefs I’ve known, I would have not eaten well as a child had it not been for the original Better Homes and Garden cookbook. Now, if you’re like me, you have a ton of cookbooks. I have specialty ones, general ones, and ones you’ve probably not seen before. Below is the “shelf” that they are kept on for the most part. I say shelf, but really it’s the top of the cabinet that is above my refrigerator. (If you look carefully, there’s even a ‘unofficial’ Harry Potter one too.)

Don’t be intimidated by a recipe in a cookbook! Sometimes the directions seem daunting, but once you do it, it’ll be easier the next time or for the next recipe. Have confidence in yourself! As the great ‘chef’ Gusteau says – ‘Anyone can cook!’

The cookbooks I always come back to time and time again are these three:

 

 

The Joy of Cooking

There are no pictures to refer to at all, but there are good descriptions and plenty of definitions you can refer to in the beginning of the book if you are unsure of something. There are several dog-earred pages in mine, as I go back to those recipes a LOT.

 

Better Homes and Gardens

Absolutely great recipes in here that are for the most part easy to do. Start here if you are new to cooking. My recipe for snickerdoodles comes from here and they are super good!

 

Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking

This is the woman who I watched as a kid (I’m old) on PBS, who showed me what a love of cooking looks like. She laughed a lot and taught me that drinking while cooking is okay too! LOL  I liked that she was 6′ 2″, about an inch taller than myself.

These recipes are from a time where healthy was defined … differently, but they are simply delectable! You can’t beat her Coq Au Vin recipe and you CAN’T make it in a fucking “instant pot” have it taste as good.

I’ve never gone through and made every recipe from a cookbook, mainly because there’s lots of things I won’t eat, but it’s an interesting notion that I may take on when I don’t have a job. If you’ve seen the movie Julie & Julia, this cookbook was part of the premise.

While I would never advocate writing in a book – WRITE IN YOUR COOKBOOK! Notes on recipes like things you’ve changed, ones you found you didn’t like, etc., is an excellent idea. I recently found an old cookbook from somewhere, with notes throughout it. Next to one recipe (cantaloup pickles?) all it said was “lousy”. Noted. 🙂

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My Kitchen “Stuff”

Back in December of 2008, I packed up my house of stuff and the majority of it has been sitting in storage ever since.  This past week, I finally got all the boxes labeled “kitchen” and a few others that weren’t labeled at all, out of storage and into my new home.  I haven’t been able to go through all of them yet, but thus far have at least found a lot of my baking gear (YAY!) and some things that I am planning on giving over to a good friend of mine – Geek Girl.  Some of it will go to Goodwill for a donation – how many dishes and mugs do one household really need?

One item that I was super stoked to find is my garlic press.  While it’s not exactly that hard to mince or chop garlic, I’m technically lazy.  *smile*  And I finally have all my measuring cups and spoons, which makes baking more easier.  Yeah, this house had two men living in it but lacking quite a bit on cooking/baking gear that I think every house should have.

Of course, I also found my ‘man’ cake pan … which I have no idea if it’ll ever get used again.  There’s also the ‘winnie-the-pooh’ pan, which will probably never get used again either.  I think I see donations there.  I am, however, keeping the mini teddy bear cake pan.  Good for single serve cakes and other treats.

One thing I haven’t found yet and hope I will in the last few remaining boxes is my cheesecake pan.  While I don’t bake them often, I can make a mean one and I have a great recipe for a champagne-raspberry sauce to go with it.  And I’ve been craving it lately!

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Tools of the Trade

While I am no expert on kitchen utensils, I do know what I use, what I like, what I want and what I think is useless.

The most important tool(s) for any chef is their knives. It is important to have a good set and not necessarily an expensive one. While I’d love to have a set of professional knives, I’m very happy with my fairly inexpensive Chicago Cutlery set. It included a variety of knives (paring, chef, bread, etc.) and honing steel. Yes, sharpeners are important. I don’t mean those crappy ones you see in tv ads, but a good honing steel and a whetstone. Personal preference perhaps, but will keep your knives sharp longer. Have a friend or professional show you how to use them so you don’t screw up!

Kitchen appliances have come a long way since I was a kid watching my mom cook. Of them all, a good stand mixer is a must if you bake. I love my professional grade Kitchenaid and use it often. There are a few models out there that are pretty good and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Blenders are good to have and I wish I had a really good food processor. That’s my next kitchen investment. There are plenty of smaller gadgets that I’ll be talking about later.

Also, get yourself a GOOD cutting board. And avoid glass ones at all costs – they are bad for your knives, and dull them a lot faster. I tend to avoid wood, mainly because I’m lazy with the necessary upkeep. The thin silicone mats aren’t bad, but I prefer the thick, reversable, polypropylene ones. Don’t bother with the ones that offer “feet” – save yourself the trouble and put a dish towel or wet paper towel under it and it won’t slide around the counter.