New Cook Book 75th Anniversary Limited Edition

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, complete cookbook
Review: I am not much of a cook, but I have always enjoyed the Better Homes and Gardens line of cookbooks. However, this one is far better than any of the previous editions. The updated recipes are wonderful, and very appealing to younger people who enjoy exotic flavors. There is an entire section devoted to grilling, including basic grilling technique tips. I am looking forward to trying recipes like Thai Chicken Stir-Fry, and Tiramisu. There are quite a few vegetarian recipes interspersed throughout the cookbook. Finally, it also includes all the basic, tried and true recipes that are loved by all--recipes like Chicken and Dumplings, and Pot Roast. I think this cookbook will be very helpful to both experienced and inexperienced cooks. The only thing I miss from an older edition that I own is that nutritional information is less detailed. It still includes calories, fat, carbs, etc., and major vitamin values, but past editions have had more information about vitamin B, vitamin D, etc. Still, it includes more nutritional information than most cookbooks. Overall, I would still say this is the best overall cookbook I have found.

Rating:
Summary: Every Subject Has a Defining Book!! This is "THE" Cookbook!
Review: I didn't get this at Amazon, but received a similar discount. It came to me at a book fair brought to my place of work. At the time one of my co-workers remarked, "are you buying an auto parts manual"? In some ways, he was correct. This book has many similarities to such a book. Auto parts look-up manuals are large books with many divider tabs for easy to get to sections, this book has that. They have many detailed pictorial breakdowns of the parts and the tools needed to perform repairs. This book contains detailed photos on the recipes, the utensils, and cooking equipment to prepare them.

I'm an Engineer by profession, who also has a background in chemistry, so I'm used to following a scripted set of instructions. I've rarely seen any cookbook that is as thorough as this one. There are quick references for choosing spices, performing measurements, selecting meat cuts, even the tastes and textures of various kinds of fish. In addition, anywhere a special technique of mixing, or using a special pot (like a double boiler) is necessary, they have a detailed sidebar to explain it. At the beginning of most sections, there is often a full instructional on how to prepare that type of food, or perform a certain cooking technique (like grilling, BBQ with charcoal, gas or electric).

Now I've bought a number of cookbooks in my time. I have one each for specifics like soups, pizza, crock ware cooking, BBQ, and even bread-making. Most of them cost nearly the price of this book, and though they have some special recipes of their own, this general-purpose book often has more information on the specific topic than the entire book I bought for that subject. I look at this guide as an encyclopedia of cooking and recipes. Just to reinforce the notion that this book is an American icon, the red plaid design of the cover is registered as a US Patent!

A few special features are found near the end of the book. After all the topical recipe sections, you will find an excellent index the individual recipes and other topics. There is even a 75th anniversary section after that that has a collection of near forgotten recipes divided by the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Almost to taunt you a little (that the book has not forgotten anything), they include an emergency substitution food ingredient guide, (in case you're caught short on a certain recipe) printed on the inside back cover.

The book itself is constructed in a way most books refuse to do because of the expense. It's an extremely high quality three-ring binder to allow you to remove recipe pages, and then return them to the book. Likewise, if you are inventive, you will want to include your own recipes in the appropriate sections. This type of book allows that too. In fact you can get more recipes at their website, and there's room enough to print-out, and add these to the book as well. The only thing they left out was the food, and the pots to cook it in!


Rating:
Summary: The Kitchen Bible
Review: I was very pleased to receive this book as a wedding gift. My mother has gone through two editions of it, and I've used it since childhood. It is, by far, the most versatile cookbook I've ever used, with chapters spanning topics from appetizers to desserts, vegetables to meats, fish to breads, and rice to beans. I also love how they describe kitchen gadgetry and appliances as well as cooking methods, rather than assume you know how to braise or julienne. It also contains lots of classic better homes and gardens recipes, as well as a section of new recipes in this edition. It's a great cookbook for both the beginner and the pro.

Rating:
Summary: A True Classic and Excellent All-Around Reference
Review: This book comes in a very durable five-ring binder with full-color recipes. Each section has tabs with the food category (fish, cakes, cookies, meats, slow-cooker meals, etc), and in each section is another table of contents written specifically for that food category. There are also cooking tips splattered throughout the book which are very helpful for novice cooks. The meat section contains diagrams that show where each different cut of meat comes from. There are metric equivalents and emergency substituion guides. It seems to cover all the basic recipes, plus some...and the big bonus is a special section after the general index that lists all the special 75th Anniversary recipes.

I honestly think this an absolutely fabulous cookbook -- if you like the BHG style. If you are not a current BHG subscriber, check out the magazine and the Better Homes website (http://www.bhg.com) and become acquainted with their recipes and content before you make your decision. I am a subscriber to the magazine, which is one of my top two favorites, so the book (I bought it sealed and never opened it prior to purchasing it) did not disappoint me in the least. This may well become your favorite cooking reference.

My only advice is that if you are into gourmet recipes, this is definitely not the book for you. These are very simple, with a splash of elegance recipes. Nothing exotic here, just good ole down-home cooking.

Rating:
Summary: They don't get any better than this!!
Review: This has got to be one of the very top best cookbooks on the market!! It has everything you could want. If you buy only one cookbook to begin your new married life, or your life alone after leaving home for the first time, this would be A perfect choice for that one cookbook. There are a few others I own that are comparable, but this is in the top three on my list. I have many of the past editions of the BHG cookbooks. All are fantastic.