Are you sick of cooking frozen pizzas or pasta for your guests?
Do you struggle when it comes to frying an egg?
Are your vegetable soups prepared in a mug?
Don't worry! Anyone can learn how to cook. However, before you start tackling tasty dishes and become the next celebrity chef (why not?), you’re going to have to decide how you’re going to learn to cook.
Your introduction to the world of cooking can come in many forms depending on the learning methods you choose to use. Some people will need to take regular tutorials while others might benefit from attending cooking classes with others, which are becoming more popular thanks to cooking shows. Some people prefer to learn on their own. However you decide to learn to cook, you should consider investing in at least a few books.
Whether you want to learn some basic cooking techniques, pick out the ingredients you'll need, learn how to cook an egg correctly, or get into baking, before you fire up the oven, here are a few good books for anyone who needs help when it comes to cooking.
Cooking classes near me you should consider enrolling for.
Top Cooking Books to Learn Cooking
1. "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat
The tips are particularly useful for a beginner, especially if you're a little scared of your cooker. You’ll learn about different ways of cooking different ingredients and explanations of the origins of each dish.
Not sure what the recipe means?
Everything is explained: you just have to try a recipe for something and you'll start making progress.
Whether you want to cook meat, veggies, or desserts, you'll regularly refer back to this book.
The advantages:
- A useful and complete book that everyone should have on their shelf.
- A lot of useful tips that you’ll help you learn to cook.
- Explanation of cooking utensils
The disadvantages:
- You could argue that some of the recipes are too traditional
- Some dishes are too complicated for beginners
2. "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" is a comprehensive and useful cookbook designed to make home cooking accessible to chefs of all abilities. This book is a mainstay in many kitchens, covering a wide range of recipes and methods.
From cooking veggies to grilling meat to meals like soups, salads, desserts, and sides, Bittman guides the readers step-by-step, making it easy for budding cooks. With around 1000 photos, the book highlights ease of use and provides budding chefs with the assurance that they can also cook confidently in the kitchen.
Apart from recipes, the book also provides practical advice on how to stock up your kitchen with essential ingredients and equipment.
This is a useful book for anyone just starting out with cooking, as everything in it is simple! You don’t need to be an expert in the kitchen to prepare or cook these ingredients. The focus of the book is that anyone should be able to make these dishes.
Principal Advantages:
- Ideal for every level
- Prioritises easy-to-use recipes rather than intricate ones
- Encourages creativity in the kitchen
- Recipes are simple to follow
- Emphasises using actual ingredients rather than packaged shortcuts
- Features gorgeous photographs
Why It's Recommended: Its straightforward instructions, beautiful photographs, and versatility cater to cooks at all levels.
Check out some exceptional online cooking courses on Superprof taught by experienced professionals.
3. "Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer
There may be numerous cookbooks on the market, but few offer such an extensive range of recipes across all categories, from everyday basics to international specialities. With over 20 million books in print, “Joy of Cooking” is an all-purpose cookbook and an enduring classic that has guided generations through the art of cooking with its extensive collection of recipes.
Written by Irma Starkloff Rombauer, the book was privately printed in 1931. It was first illustrated by her daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker. Over the years, it was subsequently revised and enlarged through the efforts of the family.
The ninth and latest edition is a complete revamp of sorts, with changes made to almost every section, yet it stays true to the original. Classic beloved recipes have been preserved while adding new ones to reflect current kitchen needs and ingredients available.
- Over 4000 recipes have been updated, while 600 new recipes have been added.
- Readers will find old classics like Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Bread Cockaigne, and Southern Corn Bread alongside newer additions like Megan’s Seeded Olive Oil Granola, Beef Rendang, and Chana Masala.
- The book emphasises preparing ingredients with classic tools and techniques, and also talks of how to preserve food safely. Further, all the baking recipes now offer ingredients by weight, ensuring better accuracy.
There is a new chapter on Streamlined Cooking that explains how to economise time, money, and ingredients and avoid waste. In addition, there is also a dedicated section on fermentation with recipes for kimchi, kombucha and hot sauce, along with important information on food safety, tools and troubleshooting.
We want to be a supplement as well as inspiring people to cook. We spent a long time finding recipes we get excited about and we want to share those— that’s our little mission.
John Becker (Irma Rombauer’s great grandson) to Chatelaine
Advantages:
- Adds a wide range of recipes
- Includes modern cooking methods and equipment
- Has clear instructions and cute illustrations, making it ideal for beginner cooks
- Includes updated info on food safety, nutrition needs, and ingredients.
Why It’s Recommended: Its timeless appeal and thoroughness make it a must-have for any aspiring cook.
Essential Cooking Methods Every Beginner Should Master
Sautéing
Roasting
Boiling
Best Cooking Tools for Beginners
Equipping your kitchen with the right tools can make the cooking process more efficient and enjoyable. Below are some essential tools every kitchen should have.
Chef's Knife
A high-quality knife is essential to every kitchen. A chef’s knife is a multipurpose kitchen tool necessary for chopping, slicing, and dicing. Having the right chef's knife makes the cooking process more enjoyable. Usually, chef's knives feature a sharp point and a long blade.
Qualities that make a chef’s knife stand out:
- A good quality chef’s knife delivers sharp, precise cuts.
- Has a good sharpness level to allow you to slice through vegetables, meat, and other ingredients with ease.
- Has a comfortable grip.
- It is extremely versatile.
Invest in a high-quality, well-balanced knife for an enjoyable cooking experience.
Cutting Board
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Measuring cups and spoons are essential staples in any kitchen. They are vital for accurate measurements of ingredients and are especially important in baking when precise measurements are necessary. But while measuring cups are absolutely necessary for baking, they are also useful for regular, every day cooking.
Using measuring cups will ensure:
- your dishes turn out perfect every single time
- portion control
- dishes are balanced in flavour and texture
Choose a set that includes various sizes for versatility.
How to Learn Cooking: Tips and Resources
Online Cooking Classes
Cooking Blogs and Websites
YouTube Channels
Cooking Basics for Dummies
This book is clearly for anyone who regularly says “I can’t cook” or “I’m rubbish at cooking” and wants to remedy this. This book has plenty of pictures to teach beginners the basics and help them start cooking.
There are over 150 different recipes and you can pick up the book for less than £20. The book is spiral-bound so that you can lay it flat on a bench while you’re cooking. You’ll also find useful information on choosing the right equipment for your kitchen and techniques you’ll need to use.
The book also includes a glossary so that cooking terms like seasoning, grilling, and roasting won’t seem alien to you.
Do you know the difference between boil and broil?
The advantages:
- A good visual guide
- Simple and easy to follow
- Your dishes will probably look like the pictures
The disadvantages:
- If you have any dietary requirements or want to cook vegetarian or vegan food, you won’t find tonnes of recipes in this book. However, there are vegan and vegetarian versions.
How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food
This book written by Mark Bittman is considered by many to be an essential purchase for any aspiring chef. There are other books in the series, too.
In addition to learning how to cook each recipe in the book, the specific techniques required are also explained so you won’t need to worry if you need a bit more confidence in the kitchen. As you can imagine, since there are 2,000 recipes, there’s a good range of delicious homemade dishes for you to cook.
The advantages:
- The techniques used in each dish are explained
- Tonnes of recipes to make hearty meals and light snacks.
The disadvantages:
- Everything is presented in imperial measures. It might be worthwhile keeping a conversion chart on hand (there is one in the front of the book) if you prefer metric measurements.
- Since the book is American, certain terms are different (appetizers instead of starters, flavor instead of flavour.)
Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition
This book, which has been around for generations, has been updated with 500 new recipes, taking the total to over 4,500 recipes. It also now includes metric conversion and an index to help you.
This book is often thought of as the desert-island book for many chefs and the one book they can’t do without on account of just how useful it can be. If you’ve decided to learn how to cook, this is probably a book that should be on your bookshelf.
All the instructions are very clear so there shouldn’t be any culinary terms that you don’t understand. It’s very informative and will take you through the techniques you’ll need to know so that you can get the most out of your cooking. There probably aren’t many cookbooks that get referred to as “masterpieces”, but this one is.
It’s great for beginners who are serious about becoming amazing chefs.
The advantages:
- A high-quality book that has stood the test of time.
- Explanations of techniques you may not be familiar with.
- A large variety of recipes that have been updated over the years to reflect changing tastes.
The disadvantages:
- Given the age of the book, some of the recipes you may never consider cooking.
A narrower range of cuisine than some of the other books. You need to keep in mind that this book on cooking is a little older than most. - Americans 75 years ago weren't preparing international dishes and neither did they have access to the variety of meats and vegetables you can find in almost any grocery store nowadays.
After you’ve made your way through a few of these works, you won't worry the next time you need to cook for other people. Whether making something simple for your family or catering for a whole party, these are some of the books you can’t afford not to have in your kitchen. Fortunately for you, none of them cost a lot, either.
| Cookbook | Pros | Cons | Price (from Amazon.co.uk) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larousse’s Gastronomique | Thorough, complete with useful tips, explanations of cooking utensils. | Traditional, some complicated dishes | £49.99 |
| 5 Ingredients – Quick & Easy Food | Simple, well-presented, organised by main ingredient, healthy. | Not as thorough as other books, no imperial measures. | £11.99 |
| Cooking Basics for Dummies | Good visuals, simple, your dishes will look like the pictures. | Few recipes for vegetarians and vegans. | £10.32 |
| How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food | Techniques clearly explained, plenty of recipes. | Imperial measures, American terms. | £19.15 |
| Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition | High quality, explanations of cooking techniques, a lot of recipes. | Older recipes, narrower range of recipes, less international variety. | £16.20 |
These are the kinds of books that will even convince people that think they hate cooking that it can be a really enjoyable and rewarding activity. If books are a little too old-fashioned for you, don’t forget the internet is home to plenty of useful websites and video tutorials to help you learn how to cook.
Watch videos to learn techniques.
Consult the best websites for cooking tutorials.
Résumer avec l'IA :
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
