Learning ResourcesCookingBooks

What are the best books for learning how to cook?

9

Options
Considered

7

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Recs.

Feb 22, 2018

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

9 Options Considered

9 Options Considered	Price	Last Updated
-- How to Cook Everything	$17.19	Aug 31, 2017
-- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat	$21.00	Feb 22, 2018
-- The Science of Good Cooking	$22.64	May 13, 2017
-- The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science	$24.25	May 13, 2017
-- The Improvisational Cook	$9.00	May 13, 2017

How to Cook Everything

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Well organized

Each chapter starts with "Essential recipes", which are the building blocks for the more complicated foods that follow. See More

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Pragmatic recipes allow for learning by doing

As a beginner book, it functions like a food dictionary or thesaurus. See More

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Organized by Ingredient

Start with the ingredient you want to eat and explore from there. See More

Top Pro

Very widely read and used book

The book was published in 1998 and has become very well known. This is a revised edition though, so you will find more up to date content. See More

Top Pro

Includes over 2000 recipes

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

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Pleasant format

The book has clear language and pretty illustrations. See More

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Helps with beginner mistakes

Provides a non-intimidating guide to fix beginner mistakes like overseasoning the food or pairing odd ingredients together. See More

The Science of Good Cooking

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"Why this recipe works" after every recipe

These sections explain how for example the amount of eggs you added or the ratio between milk and flour can change the texture or taste of the food. See More

Top Con

Not your book if you lack time

There are better books with simple working recipes for a quick lunch or dinner. This book is detailed and takes time to work with. See More

Top Pro

Perfection in recipes

The recipes have been tested and edited to perfection in America’s Test Kitchen. They will literally ask you to use 68-degree butter. See More

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

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Great explanations

The explanations are scientific due to the author's background, but at the same time understandable for everyone. See More

Top Con

Desserts are not a strong area for the author

The Improvisational Cook

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Not just a book of recipes.

The book teaches you the basics and then how to improvise based on them - how to deviate from the original recipe. It teaches how to play with food and builds your confidence. See More

The Flavor Bible

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Provides an index of products that go well together

This book encourages you to experiment with you dishes, which is made easier and safer with the list of foods that go well together in a dish. You can switch up your cuisine and still be completely sure that it will turn out great. See More

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Compiles the expertise of dozens of chefs

This book summarizes the knowledge and skill of not one, but dozens of leading chefs. See More

Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto

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Includes interesting trivia about cooking

If, besides the recipes, you want to learn how and why certain cooking techniques work and how they were invented, you will find this book interesting. See More

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Targeted at beginner cooks

Michael Ruhlman tried to distill 20 different cooking techniques and incorporte them into 100 easy and delicious recipies. This is a great resource to propel your cooking skills. See More

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

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Detailed information about where food comes from

The book describes anything from how a chicken egg is formed to the history of beer. You will find a lot of interesting knowledge in this book. See More

Top Con

Not a light read

The book is 900 pages, with a small font. You will be going through this one for a while. See More

How to Read a French Fry

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Contains interesting facts about food

You will truly learn a lot about food from this book. For example, Russ explains why a fruit that stops being irrigated just before harvest has better taste than one that is irrigated up to the last moment. See More

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Gives useful cooking tips with explanations

For example, you will learn why it's a good idea to always start cooking beans in cold water. See More

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Gripping read

Russ Parsons spices up a vanilla cook book with his wits and commentary about the industry. See More

7 Community Recommendations

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Contributor for 4 months

1

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0

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Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Recommended 4 months ago

TirelessWala hasn’t added their experience, pros or cons to their recommendation.

Contributor for a year

7

Total
Recs.

425

Total
Karma

How to Cook Everything

Recommended 10 months ago

Organized by Ingredient

Pragmatic recipes allow for learning by doing

Contributor for a year

487

Total
Recs.

135K

Total
Karma

The Science of Good Cooking

Recommended a year ago

Perfection in recipes

"Why this recipe works" after every recipe

Not your book if you lack time

Contributor for a year

487

Total
Recs.

135K

Total
Karma

How to Cook Everything

Recommended a year ago

Very widely read and used book

Contributor for a year

487

Total
Recs.

135K

Total
Karma

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

Recommended a year ago

Great explanations

Desserts are not a strong area for the author

Contributor for a year

487

Total
Recs.

135K

Total
Karma

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Recommended a year ago

Helps with beginner mistakes

Pleasant format

Contributor for a year

487

Total
Recs.

135K

Total
Karma

The Improvisational Cook

Recommended a year ago

Not just a book of recipes.

No highlighted recommendations.

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