How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

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Summary: Okay, I bought an acorn squash. What do I do with it?
Review: Mark Bittman has the answer to this and many other questions. I got to hear him do a short presentation here in Ohio (the Birthplace of Flight) and he said there are many people who never learned to make the basics. For instance, someon told him the book helped him figure out grilled cheese sandwiches. This is THE book that will fire up your cooking instincts.

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Summary: Must-have book!
Review: This is THE cookbook to have! I got it about a year ago, and it has changed my approach to cooking. Bittman delivers unbelievable recipes (try the sauteed chicken cutlets with lime sauce, 391) that are easy enough for novice cooks. As an added bonus, he has sections describing each food--what to look for when buying, variations on recipes, how to store, etc. I refer to this cookbook more often than any other.

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Summary: If you can only have one cookbook - this should be it!
Review: As a long time collector of cookbooks - not planned - just can't stay away from them - I feel I have a little knowledge of what is out there. (I've been buying cookbooks for almost 40 years) My personal impression of this book is that if you can only have one - this should be it. The author not only gives you a list of ingredients and instructions but other information as to why you do it. The little block at the very beginning explaining about high altitute cooking is fantastic. The basic recipes followed with variations is very helpful. It is definately a book of all seasons - not gussied up with fancy photos, but has clearly drawn illustrations on how to do things from kneading bread, the proper way to cut up a chicken to variations on trimming an artichoke. I found recipes in this that I've been looking for for years, things my Grandmother used to fix. I've also found recipes for dishes I've never heard of from fancy international foods to great simple vegetarian dishes. And all the great tips! Written in such a way that it's like Mark Bittman is standing beside you walking you through everything. With this 900+ page book in hand - if you can read, you can cook. And feel good about it. Great gift idea for anyone who eats. I love it!

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Summary: A handy kitchen companion
Review: This is one of two cookbooks that should be in every kitchen. Along with the Joy of Cooking, How to Cook Everything belongs on your shelf. While it contains some good recipies for standard fare, its real strength lies in teaching the basics (how to brine a turkey, or roast a chicken, for example). I only give it four stars because it is really trying to serve the same function as The Joy of Cooking, and while it does an admirable job, nothing can surpass that classic. However, for a second opinion, How to Cook Everything deserves a look.

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Summary: The most underseasoned recipes I ever made
Review: I bought this cookbook because I needed what looked like a general but slightly sophisticated cookbook to take with me to Armenia where we don't have a lot of selection in ingredients. I tried several recipes and they tasted like. . . nothing. The spaghetti bolognese sauce did not have garlic or a single herb or spice. I finally had to start putting things in it to give it SOME flavor. Compare this to the Basics cookbook recipe by the Silver Palate duo. His stir fry dishes are tasteless, too. This might be a good cookbook if one has not really attempted cooking before but it doesn't help someone who has some experience. (I don't really take umbrage with the title since it is a big thick cookbook.) The Silver Palate series or Gourmet or Bon Appetit magazines provide much more successful recipes. I'm curious if all those rave reviews came from people who just READ the cookbook rather than actually trying to make some of the recipes.

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Summary: Please excuse the West Coasters...
Review: This cookbook is a marvel of basic instruction on how to be a skilled cook. As a West Coaster who lived in the Midwest during college, I learned to appreciate 'home-cookin' in a whole new way. This book provides recipes (easy-to-follow and very tasty) that remind us we live in the Bread Basket of the World. If I want trendy, psuedo-ethnic cuisine I will go out but when I want to provide a heathly, tasty and EASY meal for my family, I go to this book, no other. If you want to nourish your family body and mind and soul, this is a fantastic cookbook!

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Summary: An excellent resource for easy yet tasty meals.
Review: My grandmother gave me this cookbook as one of a series of installments in her attempt to build up my cookbook library. Though other classics in my new collection include "The Joy of Cooking" and "The New York Times Cookbook," I have found "How to Cook Everything" the perfect combination of instruction for beginners and tips for pros. I use this cookbook almost everyday, and I have yet to try a recipe my family hasn't liked!

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Summary: A necessity for everyone's kitchen!!
Review: "How to Cook Everything" is fabulous! Every recipe that I have wanted has been in this book. Being a college student, I needed a book that I could refer to all the time with a lot of different recipes. This cookbook was the answer. Every recipe I have made has been simple enough, as well as delicious and impressing. Mark Bittman knows his stuff, and shares it well in his personal writing style. Finally, I can eat well at college!!! P.S. This book would be a great gift for a college student or a new couple.

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Summary: How to Cook Everything is great!!
Review: Whether you are a beginner or a pro, "How to Cook Everything" is a book that everyone should have in their home. It's informative and entertaining. The book is just great. Thank you Mark Bittman for writing it!

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Summary: Just the reference you need for everyday good food
Review: I never have enough time to cook. When I do make the time, the receipes I find require hours of prep work or exotic ingredients that I never have laying around the kitchen. I love Bittman's approach to simple, great tasting food with tons of variations and straight forward instructions. I have changed my typical after work meal from mac and cheese from a box, to pasta with sauces from How to Cook Everything. I was taken by his challenge to cook fresh foods and that it can be done in the time it takes to boil water. I think this is a must have, along with Joy of Cooking.