How to Peel a Peach : And 1,001 Other Things Every Good Cook Needs to Know

Rating:
Summary: Great, Up to Date Reference to Break out of Recipes
Review: (...)One can get satisfaction from the fact that this means established writers like Ms. Meyers can put their old wine into new bottles and publish new titles with new twists and new wisdom. The format of this book, 'How to Peel a Peach' is a perfect fit for a recognized culinary authority. It collects into a single source all the facts, tips, opinions, and wisdom about food that you may get from a year's viewing the Food Network or a five-year subscription to 'Martha Stewart Living'. This is not the kind of material you will typically find in a book by Tom Colicchio or Mario Batali or Eric Rippert or Joel Robuchon. These authors will provide great insights into applying great artistry to superior ingredients. They may even give good information on what makes a great artichoke or a great tomato, but they will not tell you much about the difference between fresh chilies, dried chilies, and chili powder.

The primary strength of the book is precisely in it's pulling together between one pair of covers just about any information you may commonly want about fruits and vegetables and starches and fats and fish and chickens and so on... Almost all of the information is presented in a question and answer format, which has an appeal, but which has some drawbacks in a book that attains its greatest value as a reference. I suspect the format leads to inconsistent coverage of similar topics and misses on showing the similarities in cooking, for example, squid, octopus, and cuttlefish.

Another major strength of this book is that almost all the information in the book is top quality. I was truly impressed by the consistent quality of the advice from page to page and from subject to subject. I failed to find any general statement with which I would argue. There were some specifics on which I suspect the author may have not been careful enough to avoid short-term changes in the marketplace. On mustards, for example, she quite correctly gives the same opinion as a recent 'Cooks Illustrated' article, saying that Dijon mustard has a relatively short shelf life. A good mustard may hold its bite for maybe about three months. Like 'Cooks Illustrated' nine months ago, Ms. Meyers endorses the Maille brand of Dijon and discounts the American brand Gray Poupon. As luck would have it, in a recent article, 'Cooks Illustrated' revisited mustards and found that aging bottles of Maille could not compare to a fresh bottle of Gray Poupon. Culinary wisdom changes and my observation is that Ms. Meyers is up to date on almost every issue. On seasoning meat, the latest thinking is to do it before searing. Ms. Meyers endorses this.

Yet another strength of the book is that the author is clearly not relying entirely on her own opinion. For many questions, the author quotes recognized authorities such as Maida Heather and Shirley Corriher especially on baking issues on which Ms. Meyer honestly confesses to not be an authority. The reliance on experts extends to referring to their books for important recipes as when she refers us to Julie Sahni and Madhur Jaffrey for recipes of garam masala.

One general argument I have with the book one I pick with every author who makes recommendations on things you should keep in your pantry. Buying any product with the expectation you will use it on some yet to be decided recipe is an invitation to waste. Ironically, my opinion on this is backed by none other than Madhur Jaffrey who answered the question on what to stock in the pantry by saying 'Nothing'. Her solution is to shop only for the recipes that appeal to you. Eventually, you are sure to build up a supply of things you really need. Another general weakness I find in this book is the recipes. They seem to have no connection to the Q and A, and their choice seems to have no pattern. There are also some rather serious copy editing errors as when the roasting temperature for a roast duck was not stated.

The value you find in this book will depend on how much you already know and your style of cooking.

(...)

Rating:
Summary: What a Book!
Review: I recently developed a great interest in cooking, but didn't know what to get, what the differences betweenproducts were, what to use with what, etc. I cook for my boyfriend and myself every night and try to make different and exciting dishes, but in order to do that, you need to know specifics and understand some basics. That is what this book gives. I've always searched for a cookbook that I could read through easily without constantly having to checking other parts of the book for clarification. I've only gone through the first chapter "Kitchen Equipment & Utensils," but it's amazing how much knowledge I've already learned. I used to go into stores like Sur La Table because I always loved cooking equipment, but I never understood what the many utensils were meant to do. This book has helped me with a lot of basics - like what the differences are between cast-iron skillets, sauce pans, copper pans, etc. Also, she gives you tips throughtoutthe book - how to season the skillet, maintain your wooden cutting board, and much more. They're things you would normally learn from your mother. For someone who is just getting into cooking, she provides her favorite labels on things from types of equipment to brands of olive oil. I just got the book yesterday and haven't been able to put it down. Also, last night I made one of her recipes, Tuna Tartare. It was REALLY great! I've always ordered it in restaurants, but never tried to make it at home. My boyfriend was saying how he was full and couldn't really eat much. He finished his ENTIRE portion! Great stuff! The ingredients most recipes call for are things you will definitely be able to find at a local fine food/health store. I definitely recommend anyone just getting into cooking to get this book. Easy reading and easy to understand!