Best homebrewing and kitchen books according to redditors
We found 128 Reddit comments discussing the best homebrewing and kitchen books. We ranked the 43 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
![Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint [A Cookbook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bMwM1DBxL.jpg)
4. Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
8 mentions
![Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint [A Cookbook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61vhUz0pSHL.jpg)
Start here: /r/ramen
and here: http://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Ramen-Obsession-Recipes-Unlikely/dp/1607744465
There are several other books, that I haven't read yet.
One of the things that book explains well is that there isn't really a 'traditional' Ramen. It is a fairly recent food innovation i.e. <150years as opposed to the other Japanese food categories >1000 years.
There are some staples. When I started on this quest I gotta say, I got too inventive too fast. Concentrate on your basics first:
Noodle
Tonkotsu Broth
Menma
Chashu
Soft boiled egg.
Make a perfect bowl with that and you can improvise from there.
p.s. I'm just a hobbyist and still working on those.
I use the recipe for Sleeping Beauties (nice copyright avoidance, there) in Peter Greweling's "Chocolates and Confections". It's a great book, highly recommended!
https://www.amazon.com/Chocolates-Confections-Formula-Technique-Confectioner/dp/0470424419
You might want to get a copy of Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner - I have the older edition (2007) and it has a section on Fondants and Fudges which includes
a dozenseveral recipes and a great deal of theory. It is full of information. I've made their marshmallow recipe many times for my kids.I got this journal for Christmas and I love it
Cream would probably work better than milk since milk doesn't do much when whipped. If you want it thinner, though, milk is probably the way to go.
Also, I've come across ganache recipes that are used as fillings in truffles and they contain corn syrup. Personally, I think it comes out pretty fudgy and very smooth and very delicious. The book Chocolates and Confections has a few good recipes.
The Kitchen Witch: A Year-round Witch's Brew of Seasonal Recipes, Lotions and Potions for Every Pagan Festival https://www.amazon.com/dp/1849340706/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hcXRDbTYP2RBR
About a month ago I had the same dilemma so I went on a bit of a research binge and got a few tools for it. I started by getting a copy of An Edge in the Kitchen. It's written by Chad Ward and walks through a lot of the history of knives, the different ways their made, the different materials they're made from, chopping technique and, most pertinent to this thread, how to keep them sharp.
So it sounds like you're familiar with using sharpening steel. Ward recommends using a smooth steel or ceramic hones rather than the grooved steel that comes with most knife sets. The theory behind this is that the smoother hones are more gentle while the grooved steel will be rough on your edge and take tiny chips out of it. Resulting in an edge that will feel sharp since it's on a very microscopic level serrated but won't last.
That said about steel, he goes into the advantages and methodologies of sharpening knives. Keep in mind he precedes this section with a big write up about how the edge angles are set and a lot of detail about the edge of your knife. The key take away you get from that section is the key to sharpening knives is a consistent angle, and progressively finer grits.
I emphasize consistent angle. Essentially all sharpening systems just help you keep that consistent angle so if you want to get a collection of whetstones and have really good muscle memory you can have some screaming knife edges. But for the rest of us, you can "cheat"
The major sharpening systems are as follows:
So those are a few examples of some really good sharpening systems. If you master any of them (pull throughs aside) you can get rid of the sharpening service and do everything in house yourself. I would recommend reading Ward's book if you're really interested in getting a good edge. I wouldn't say it was an exciting read but it was definitely educational.
All in all that was probably a lot more information than you wanted to know. But honestly I'm just really excited about knife edges right now and have been sharpening all of my knives and all my friends knives over the last few days. There's just something about the repetitive motion that I find soothing I think, but I digress.
My recommendation if you just want to get a waterstone is to get a few , maybe three waterstones of varying grit. Finishing in the 1500-3000 grit (Japanese waterstone range). Tools for woodworking. Seems like a good source for waterstones. You could also look at Arkansas stones. From what I've read from Ward and other online resources you may want to shy away from diamond stones since they tend to cut very aggressively.
The key is maintaining a consistent angle. Regardless of what system you end up using learn how to use it and you'll be set!
So I hope I gave you some insight into your options when it comes to sharpening your knives. Good luck!
TL;DR: I list a few systems for knife sharpening, choose one and learn how to use it. They all work on a basic fundamentals of consistent angle and increasing grits. If you choose the freehand or edge guide route, there are lots of different sources for water / whet stones choose a few of varying grit and go at it. I can't recommend any specifics since I didn't got that route.
Edit: Formating and added freehand sharpening.
Edit2: Added TL;DR
Ivan Ramen
I'd start by tweaking a recipe from Brewing Classic Styles or Clone Beers. Then read Designing Great Beers somewhere down the road.
Ahhhh, my condolences, how tragic!
I'm something of a cookbook minimalist, and keep my personal collection pretty concise; I'm quick to give away books if they've been on my shelf too long without much use. I used to be a cookbook hoarder, but I don't have the space for it anymore, lol.
The cookbooks I have on the shelf rn are Season, The Palestinian Table, Arabesque, Afro-Vegan, Donabe, and several Japanese-language cookbooks.
For dessert-related things, I have Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft, Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique, SUQAR, and the Flavor Thesaurus.
You don’t have to be drunk to do this... it’s covered in the waffler’s bible
The first technique seems to be "brushing." I'm referencing a book on that one:
>A simple method for applying color to molds is to brush the dissolved color or tempered chocolate directly on to a mold.
Obviously oil based solutions only. Mixing flat luster colors (forget the exact name) in tempered cocoa butter or chocolate should work. The seconds technique I'm not sure, might be more brushing. The third technique appears to be airbrushing. Similar theme to the brushing technique. Also look up chocolate decals. They are essentially edible stickers with designs on them for visual flair.
All waffles matter.
My favorite vegan cookbook is most definitely VeganYumYum by Lauren Ulm. These recipes are just so inspirational and the pictures are mindboggingly appetizing.
She also has a blog with more recipes on veganyumyum.com.
Ivan Ramen became famous for his shio ramen.
I have this and I really like it. So far it's covered most of the things I've needed.
Try this book: Ivan Ramen
It's part cookbook, part autobiographical story of a New York deli owner who moves to Tokyo and opens up a very popular ramen shop.
You could get her some fancy boxes/ bags/ foils so she can package them up nicely for gifts. Homemade truffles make amazing gifts because everyone who doesn't make candy seems to be pretty sure dark magic is involved.
This book has far more than truffle recipes, but that will just give her something to aim for. It's an amazing book for at-home candy making.
i got this from The Kitchen Witch by Soraya - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1849340706/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
It's literally just an onion and honey. You leave it over night and the honey gets very loose. It's been working great, but i think it can be better, so will definitely be playing around with more ingredients next time. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. i'm working on gathering ingredients for her marigold syrup too but haven't been able to find enough marigolds for it to be worthwhile.
I'm a bit of a cookbook junkie, so I have a bunch to recommend. I'm interpreting this as "good cookbooks from cuisines in Asia" so there are some that are native and others that are from specific restaurants in the US, but I would consider these legit both in terms of the food and the recipes/techniques. Here are a few of my favorites:
Pan-Asian
Burmese
Cambodian
Chinese
Indian
Indonesia
Japanese
Korean
Malaysian
Middle Eastern
Philippine
Russian
Sri Lankan
Taiwanese
Thailand
Turkish
Vietnamese
(edit: screwed up a couple links)
I think you should try it. If your waffle iron has really small pockets, it might do really well. You might wanna rotate it a little during the cooking process though, just maybe like 5 degrees, so you get good coverage with the browning.
Everything can be waffled if you believe:
https://smile.amazon.com/Will-Waffle-Irresistible-Unexpected-Recipes/dp/0761176462
https://www.amazon.com/Journal-Homebrewers-Homebrew-Glassware-Reference/dp/B00PDU1FC4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=brewing+journal&amp;qid=1558097198&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
I would listen to /u/skeggox and go to /r/mead. It's a great sub, even if it's a bit slower than we would be in response.
Remember, there are more ways than you can imagine to make a 'simple' mead. It's honey, water and yeast when you come right down to it.
However, if you're looking for something authentic and quick in both response time from us and brew time, as well as being a great project for the first time brewer, I suggest you start with cider. Cider is probably the oldest and simplest form of brewing, and you almost have to try to mess it up.
Also, if historical authenticity is your goal, I have a book to suggest! It's Kindle only, so if you don't have an e-reader just download the app for your computer or phone (it's free) and buy the book for $3.99. It's called Drinkable History: Horrifying Authentic Techniques for 3000 Year Old Hard Cider, 1500 Year Old Mead, and 1000 Year Old Ale. The recipes are simple and well researched, and the cider recipe is especially easy and only takes about a week to make.
Books about pipes and tobacco, of course! Recently been making my way through these:
As for designing your own recipe - pick a style you like, then do some research on it by reading it's respective chapters in Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels and Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer (other sources are great as well, those are the two I most often go to).
I agree that "How To Cook Everything" is a good reference guide for complete beginners and those with gaps in cooking knowledge.
It might be a bit over your head at this point, but if you truly want to understand cooking and what's happening when you do it try "On Food And Cooking" by Harold McGee.
For Asian you might like...
"Every Grain Of Rice" by Fuchsia Dunlop (or any of her books)
"Japanese Soul Cooking" by Tadashi Ono
"Ivan Ramen..." by Ivan Orkin (Good for ramen and other japanese-ish food.)
"Momofuku" by David Chang (Really good mix of general Asian flavors)
Other books that might interest you:
"Irish Pantry" by Noel McMeel
"The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern" - Matt Lee and Ted Lee
"Real Cajun" by Donald Link
"Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless
"Fabio's Italian Kitchen" by Fabio Viviani
For Vegetarian try anything by Alice Waters or David Tanis.
Chocolates and Confections by Peter Greweling is an excellent book that covers crystalline/noncrystalline confections as well as the scientific aspect of candy making in good depth. It's not free but it's not that expensive, and is a wealth of formulas, knowledge, and technical details. Great as a reference book.
In terms of types of sweeteners used, the book covers standard sucrose, both refined and unrefined, molasses, glucose syrup, invert sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. What types of sugars are you working with?
Wine Science, 4th edition
This book is the BEST. I only have the 3rd edition...just noticed a 4th came out this year when linking here.
Understanding Vineyard Soils
The Science of Grapevines
Last year I wrote a little review about what I had learned working in the vineyard and read in research journals. I think it's a decent summary of all of the important basics:
http://www.reddit.com/r/wine/comments/16ai3u/napa_hillside_vineyard_2012_vintage_in_review/
Personal favorite is Vegan Yum Yum, which despite its silly name has a lot of quick, easy, recipes that are very delicious. It doesn't use lots of "weird" ingredients and probably about half of the recipes can be made cheaply in under 30 minutes. It gets by far the most use of any book in our house and I am almost in need of a new copy because it gets so much abuse.
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Yum-Decadent-Animal-Free-Entertaining/dp/0757313809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322064021&amp;sr=8-1
James Peterson's Cooking is a great place to start. I've given it as a gift to several friends and family members and they have loved it. At $26 it's a steal for all of the content that the book covers. Peterson's What's A Cook To Do? ($6.46) is a great little reference-tips & tricks book to have on hand as well. As is his Essentials Of Cooking. You can't go wrong with any of James Peterson's books. Last but not least The Food Lovers Companion ($11) is a must have culinary dictionary/encyclopedia. I don't know if any of these are used in classes, but they are great educational books to get started with and they won't break the bank.
Experimenting is great, but doing a bit of reading along the way wouldn't hurt and might spare you some disasters.
On the cheap, Pam Anderson's How to Cook Without a Book was a good starting place for me when I had similar questions / concerns in college. It focuses on a few basics and then builds upon them with variations. Moreover, this text is a quicker read than many of the other tomes out there. You can get it used for $12 including shipping. Used cookbooks are seriously the sh*t.
If you wanna drop a bit more money (~$26), James Peterson's Cooking has far more visuals and recipes than Anderson's. Beautiful text, mouth-watering recipes.
Lastly, I think it makes sense to focus on a certain style of food for a while so you get it dialed in before moving on. That way, you build momentum and better retain the lessons you learn. With Anderson's book, for instance, you could riff on a homemade pasta sauce for a week or two, or mess with sauteing chicken and vegetables a few different ways. Keep a list of what you make so you get a sense of where you've been in the kitchen, what you've accomplished, and what you might want to try next.
Oh, and keep coming back to cookit to discuss. Hooray community!
Here ya go, OP.
Good luck cooking with the kids.
DIY Bitters: Reviving the Forgotten Flavor - A Guide to Making Your Own Bitters for Bartenders, Cocktail Enthusiasts, Herbalists, and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/159233704X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZjzGDbC9PB96V
James Peterson's Cooking. It has lots of good recipes and not just the how, but the why. Also, How to Cook Without a Book and Ratio to learn how to improvise.
Check this book out
I was taught by Peter Greweling, who is a god among men. His book for artisan confectioners was so successful among home enthusiasts, that he wrote a version just for them. I haven't actually read the home version, but the artisan version is a constant reference for me.
As for the difference with the marble slab (tabling, as it's called), there is a fairly precise procedure of heat, cool (on the marble), agitate (still on the marble), re-heat ever-so-slightly... overkill, usually, but it lets decorations like this hold up indefinitely, even when warm. The freezer will set the chocolate, but it's still a stop-gap solution, as the crystals that form are the unstable type, and the chocolate will go soft at room temperature.
I like talking about chocolate.
This is a book that gives the history of different pipes.
The recipe is about 30 pages altogether. It is from Ivan Orkin's book. Ivan Ramen
Only slight adjustments by me, like using the left over liquid from the pork to marinade the eggs instead of his recipe.
It's worth a buy IMHO, cool to read about story behind his shop too. https://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Ramen-Obsession-Recipes-Unlikely/dp/1607744465
Since we are all a little lazy... Here are links to all of the books in my stack:
Betty Goes Vegan (my mom got this one for my boyfriend - so not strictly mine - in hopes that he would cook for me. I am pressing the tofu right now at his request, so far so good)
Vegan Eats World
Eat Drink & Be Vegan
The 30 Minute Vegan
Thug Kitchen
The Lusty Vegan (my sister bought this one for me)
One-Dish Vegan
Fresh From the Vegan Slow Cooker
Vegan Brunch (second most used, the muffin recipes in here are crazy easy to customize)
Vegan Yum Yum
Twelve Months of Monastery Soups (not blatantly vegan, but almost entirely so)
The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook (My most used, and longest owned, the best of all. All super simple ingredients, only non-vegan ingredient mentioned is honey on occasion)
Victorinox 8 inch Chef's knife. The 10 inch is overkill in most cases because it's bigger than most cutting boards that you'd use on a daily basis. A cutting board that's over 12 inches deep and 18 inches wide is unwieldy to wash in the sink and dry in a rack.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000638D32
If you want some expertise on the subject, read "An Edge in the Kitchen" by Chad Ward. It covers the metallurgy of different steels used in knives, various sharpening methods, and the blade geometry of Japanese and Western knives.
https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Kitchen-Ultimate-Guide-Knives/dp/0061188484
I would recommend, https://www.amazon.com/Chocolates-Confections-Formula-Technique-Confectioner/dp/0470424419/
Its a very nice book and a great place to begin. The recipes in it are good as well. The book OP mentioned is also good book, but not specifically for chocolate or confections.
Cooking by James Peterson is one of my favorite cookbooks because it goes over a ton of stuff and has great pictorial instructions for more involved tasks.
I've been spending a lot of time with Dad's Own Cookbook. I'm not a dad, but this is geared towards the culinarily challenged (plus, it was on the clearance rack for $2), and chicks dig dudes that cook, right?
Good for you for making that connection! It's not an easy thing to accept, but once you do, you're kinda stuck this way.
I hope this was at least a tiny bit helpful! Good luck! :)
I really loved this book, it is well written and informative about kitchen knives, and it gave form to my obsession with kitchen knives.
[Dad's Own Cookbook] (https://www.amazon.com/Dads-Own-Cookbook-Bob-Sloan/dp/0761142142) is an incredible primer for kids-- though I got it when I was in my twenties. Very simple and easy to approach.
Wine Science
http://www.amazon.com/Wine-Science-Fourth-Edition-Applications/dp/0123814685
Greg Jones has a lot of good research on climate and geology of wine.
http://www.sou.edu/envirostudies/faculty/jones.html
Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America is an easy to follow guide, and it's affordable. I highly recommend it if you're starting out.
I don't think this is the book you're looking for but it has all of the things you listed, with the exception of cake maybe. I'm a chocolatier and this book is a god-send.
Chocolate & Confections Book
This is a good one
Dad's Own Cookbook - Bob Sloane. Covers how to shop for food, how to read recipes, how to cut things, a bunch of easy but ridiculously delicious recipes, how to have people over for dinner. I still use it.
Making your own tinctures is a rewarding practice. This book is specific to bitters but teaches you a lot about the process of creating tinctures, including preparations for 90 herbs! It also has some wonderful recipes for bitters both tincture form and edible form (beverages and foods). I highly recommend it!
DIY Bitters: Reviving the Forgotten Flavor
By Guido Mase and Jovial King
https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Bitters-Bartenders-Enthusiasts-Herbalists/dp/159233704X
Well, different ingredients are best extracted with different alcohols by proof. For example, for making vanila extract 50-70% spirit will work much better than 96% or 40% spirit. I'd recommend DIY Bitters: Reviving the Forgotten Flavor, great book with information about what alcohol content is best suited for what herb, thought can't say it's 100% correct information.
I bought a great logbook recently!
https://www.amazon.com/Journal-Homebrewers-Homebrew-Glassware-Reference/dp/B00PDU1FC4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504118107&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=homebrew+journal
Just as a quick counter to some of those with expensive knives who will pipe up here (and I own some myself,) there are really only a few things you need to know about a good knife: how sharp its edge can be, how long it can hold its edge, and how durable the knife is as a whole. Balance, as in all things, is key. A $25 dollar set of knives in a block from WalMart are usually stamped metal, don't hold an edge well, and cannot be sharpened to a very good edge in the first place.
If you don't want to break the bank, consider a well rated stamped blade, there are a few out there. A good specific starter brand would be Victorinox. You really should consider two knives to start for kitchen work, a chef's knife, and a paring knife. Everything else you can add later. Always hand wash your blades and treat them as kitchen tools, not substitute letter openers and screwdrivers. Learn how to use a honing steel (though some are actually ceramic) and sharpening stone.
I would highly recommend starting with a book like this:
An Edge in the Kitchen
I have a cookbook obsession, I have roughly 500 that are somewhat organized so I feel like I can be of great use here. I will break it down by type to make it easier.
Bibles
Bread
Caramels/Candys/Ice Cream
Jack of all trades
Pastry/Pies
Textbooks
I'm sure I am leaving out a bunch of great ones but if I had to suggest just 1 to anyone it would DEFINITELY be The Art of French Pastry. Best for somebody who has done basics already and looking to try a little more. Even as a professional baker I find myself coming back and just reading the little spots like how he burned himself on his caramel. Great, great book!
My first step is always decide what style I'm aiming for. I reference this book pretty frequently, as well as cross referencing multiple recipes online for my target style to see what has worked well for others. I usually try and keep things as simple as possible, usually no more than 3 or 4 grains. Then it's just iterate and revise until I like it.
Cooking by James Peterson is a good resource. Very readable with plenty of illustrations, recipes, and techniques shown step by step.
Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques is on my Christmas list.
The greatest cooking encyclopaedia though has to be the Larousse Gastronomique. One of my very favourite possessions and something that I refer to more than any other book I own.
Agree with the Professional Chef
If you want something a little lighter I'd recommend Essentials of Cooking or Cooking by James Petersen
http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Cooking-James-Peterson/dp/B000I2J1ZU
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-James-Peterson/dp/1580087892
Not a cooking appliance per se, but a GOOD knife sharpening system and taking the time to learn about how to sharpen a knife and what it entails. What got me started was this book for the knowledge, and I ended up using an Edge Pro Apex, but a more economical alternative to that is the AGPtek on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Kitchen-Ultimate-Guide-Knives/dp/0061188484/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1527779143&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=an+edge+in+the+kitchen
https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1527779055&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=edge+pro+apex&amp;dpID=41kOlJo6D4L&amp;preST=_SY300_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch
>magari comprare uno di quei kit con tutti gli ingredienti non freschi
Poco si sposa con la frase precedente sul farlo alla perfezione :-)
Comunque dalla mia esperienza farlo bene bene è veramente difficile e ci vuole tanto lavoro e tentativi. A Milano recupero quasi tutti gli ingredienti di base nei vari market asiatici ma rimane comunque un'approssimazione. Ho ad esempio difficoltà a trovare il fresco, tipo le ossa di maiale da usare come base per il tonkotsu. Ti consiglio di leggere questo libro per farti un'idea.
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Qualche altra fonte che ho usato:
Here ya go.
I like to have a physical book on hand when brewing and designing recipes. Seeing the book while brewing always reminds me to take notes and nothing beats having everything in one place. It's a little expensive, but I love the design and quality of this brew Journal
I also keep all my recipes on a app in my phone called brew log. Its super simple and isn't cluttered with stuff you don't need.
I have struggled with the same difficulty for many years. Instead of plugging a specific knife, let me recommend this book:
An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives -- How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro
http://amzn.com/0061188484
It will answer the question you asked and 20 other questions you didn't think to ask but need an answer to.
Ivan Ramen (https://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Ramen-Obsession-Recipes-Unlikely/dp/1607744465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519661816&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Ivan+Ramen) is the best English ramen cookbook I've found.
I used Ivan Orkin's recipes from his cookbook, making some modifications - I simplified the dashi recipe to just rely on konbu and bonito, based on a recipe I got from a chef while in Tokyo. I also changed the noodle recipe, using buckwheat and bread flour instead of the prescribed flours. This was quite an undertaking; I think in the future I may try to use a less time-intensive shio tare recipe as well!
It's a bit outdated (1990) but I've gotten a fair amount of mileage out of Matt Kramer's Making Sense of Burgundy which is around $10 with shipping if you buy used.
He breaks down the ownership of all the Grand Crus and a good chunk of the premier crus. His data is from the late 1980s--so again, a little outdated--but many times you can still follow along the ownership trail (via Google) with parcels being split up among family heirs or domains sold.
But for around $10 it is pretty good starting point.
If you're intimidated by big thick books like JOC, try my favorite beginner's guide, Dad's Own Cookbook. It's actually intended for kitchen-phobic fathers to bond with their kids over food, but it can be used by anybody.
If you go searching for learn-how-to-cook tutorials and get stuck making some boring ass chicken recipe but don't even like chicken, you'll make the food correctly but have trouble enjoying the results. It's homework. You won't last making food you don't like.
To stay interested, follow the foods you already love.
For me, it was pasta. I went nuts. My first year or so learning, I was making an insane amount of pasta and was always stoked to eat the results, even if they sucked.
Too many recipes have one-off ingredients you'll never use again. You want to learn how you can improve your food with what you already have (i.e. Don't worry about the imported, smoked, Himalayan pink salt yet).
A person who understands food will give you so much more than a checklist and directions can. Understanding trumps a recipe every time. And you'd be surprised how little you need to make great food. A good cook knows how to do this.
I was really fortunate to have a roommate who's Italian grandma was an amazing cook. He knew his shit. He would coach and correct everything I was doing with my horrible attempts to make pasta. It was fun and quickly showed me how to improve--all with no recipes. It showed me you can taste as you go.
Today there a more books telling you what to do, and less telling you why you do it. The latter is the key.
These two books really opened a lot for me regarding understanding food and how to make it better:
I'm Just Here For The Food: Food + Heat = Cooking
Cooking (James Peterson)
Honorable mention:
Ratios: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
Cheers, and best of luck. Now go eat!
My defining moment was a pretty scary moment in my life. And in my sister's life. But it was when I learned that I need to be able to be in control during life's crises...and I learned that I can be.
When I was 11, my sister had a seizure while we were home alone. I was actually on the phone with my dad when it happened, and I told him, "I think [sister] is having a seizure, I'm going to hang up and dial 911". He beat the ambulance and we all went to the hospital together.
It's small, but I stayed in control enough to make sure what needed to happen, happened. After I called 911, I pulled anything hard away from my sister so she wouldn't hurt herself, and I helped her when she came around.
Long story short, she's fine, we're all fine, but it was eye-opening. I know that I did the best I could, and that by staying calm in an emergency, you can do the most good. And, it really highlighted for me the importance of family.
One item I really want off my wishlist right now is this
I_Define_Me
Ivan Orkin wrote a book, [Ivan Ramen,] (http://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Ramen-Obsession-Recipes-Unlikely/dp/1607744465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1408377883&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ivan+ramen) which has his famous Chicken broth based recipe. It doesn't take as long as pork based either!
Cooking by James Peterson is good. It has tons of recipes of varying levels of difficulty. It also goes over techniques with pics. Worth looking at, anyway.
That’s a nice one. I’m loving all the pics from u/Turtleramem and Pamn, but in case anyone didn’t know already, there are loads of waffle cookbooks out there too. This was a fun one:
https://www.amazon.com/Will-Waffle-Irresistible-Unexpected-Recipes/dp/0761176462/ref=nodl_
Love the idea!
Maybe add some cookbooks too. I love these two in particular for history, variety and recipes that consistently taste great.
Ramen Fusion
Ivan Ramen
Accessories
Ingredients
I’m sure there are other items too but those are all things I’ve collected over time (except the katsuobushi- I just use the lower quality packets)
What an awesome and creative gift though. I might borrow that idea sometime too!
I have no problem with swearing in general. It is not to my taste, but it is not something I am against. This particular book is not just full of swears, it is specifically imitating the cadence and language that it supposes urban black people use. And that is the sole "joke" of it, the juxtaposition of fancy vegan food and "hood" language. The authors concealed their identities for a long time allowing readers to think they were something other than who they are.
I never said that white people should not be allowed to cook whatever they want to or that it wouldn't be good food. In fact, I recommended Thug Kitchen as a book that I have heard good things about and that my friends really enjoy, with the caveat that I have never personally tried it for those reasons.
Yes, I do know that many restaurants hire chefs and cooks that are of varying ethnicities and I did say appropriation is not about any individual person cooking food, but is about profiting and power dynamics. I would rather support a vegan cookbook by an actual black person like Bryant Terry or Makini Howell than Thug Kitchen. Similarly I would rather financially support PoC owned restaurants rather than white owned restaurants that get more recognition and praise and are able to charge higher prices. I say white because white people are the majority where I live and are in a position of power over people of color. That doesn't mean that the white restaurants don't serve good food, it means I recognize that they aren't operating on an even playing field.
You can call me a SJW, it doesn't bother me. My passion for social justice lead me to veganism because I believe all living beings deserve respect, consideration, opportunities and just treatment. Veganism should be intersectional.
Ivan Ramen kirja haltuun ja eikun keittelemään.
https://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Ramen-Obsession-Recipes-Unlikely/dp/1607744465
I have seen this book in every brewery I've worked in. It's a great resource. Can get a little technical at times but overall it's a book you'll keep going back to.
If you want to choose for him, you absolutely should get yourself a copy of An Edge in the Kitchen and read it first. If you're even slightly interested in knives or at least a little nerdy you'll probably enjoy it for its own sake, as well as learn why you should or shouldn't buy certain types of knives.
I will suggest a specific honing rod. That thing is the tits.
Will it Waffle?. A waffle iron is basically the same thing...
Didn't feel like reading far enough to see if this book came up. Saucier's apprentice by Raymond Sokolov. Great book to have in the kitchen.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sauciers-Apprentice-Modern-Classic/dp/0394489209
Anything by James Peterson. Cooking.
I think subscribing to cooks illustrated as well. I still get it and learn something new every time on the science side.
It's hard to choose but my favorites atm are: Vegan Yum Yum, Vegan with a Vengeance, and Vegan Family Meals.
Dad's own cookbook As a single dad, we were eating frozen Costco meals five times a week. I checked this book out from my library and renewed it three times before I finally bought my own copy. I've given as a gift many, many times. Get this book!
Read through this article: eGullet - Knife Maintenance and Sharpening
And this article: eGullet - An Edge In The Kitchen (which is an excerpt from the book he literally wrote on the subject)
Congratulations! You now know more about cooking knifes than 99.99% of the population.
It's all about balance and feel, so it's hard to give a "one size fits all" recommendation. However, make sure you read the part about "forged" knives and how many of the more well known brands have been mailing it in for a while. For the price, it's hard to beat those Forschner/Victorinox knives.
You might consider Matt Kramer's Making Sense of Burgundy.
Full disclosure - I've only gotten through like 15 pages of it, and I'm not sure if it's in print anymore (and therefore, how up to date it is), but I bought an old copy for a couple bucks off Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Burgundy-Matt-Kramer/dp/0688086675
I would suggest you get this first: http://www.amazon.com/An-Edge-Kitchen-Ultimate-Knives/dp/0061188484
It's a great book and teaches you all about knives, how to sharpen, different cuts, etc. I use whetstones/waterstones to sharpen and it doesn't take long to learn. I see you have a Wusthof knife. Those typically have an edge at 22 to 25 degrees. Euro chef blades are the easiest to sharpen.
Take the blade and gently put it at a perpendicular (90 degrees) placement to the stone. Then tilt it 1/2 the way. This is now 45 degrees. Now go 1/2 of that. Now you are at 22.5 degrees, which is a good angle for a euro chef knife. Sharpen using that angle. It's not hard, and you can always do the 1/2 - 1/2 method.
I only use 320 grit when I get a knife that is quite damaged and has chips in the edge. Otherwise, I use 1000 grit. Either way, even after 320, the edge should cut paper like a razor. All the other grits just put a nice polish on the edge to help it glide through food easier.
If you start to take the angle down to 20 or even 15, you hit japanese knife territory. You'll find that they have a finer edge, but that edge doesn't keep as well, and frequently requires a hone or steel to keep the edge in shape. Google "the sharpie sharpening method" to see how you can use a sharpie to see if you have the correct angle as well.
I keep most of my blades between 23 and 25 degrees and only my Japanese sushi knives at 16 degrees edge angles. All my knives will shave hair off your arms easily. It makes working in the kitchen much easier. Besides, I usually cut myself with dull blades using too much force than with a sharp blade. Again, get the book I mentioned. it will help a LOT.
Some great tips here. "Dumpster diving" can indeed be a good way to get cheap furniture when you're young. Use common sense; literally diving into dumpsters isn't the best idea, but a lot of people who live in apartment complexes will 'throw away' stuff they know someone else could use by just setting it near a dumpster, so keep your eyes open. This is particularly true in places where college students live at the end of a semester, so the next few weeks are really a prime time to cruse college neighborhood dumpsters.
Yard sales (aka garage sales or tag sales depending on where you live) are also a great way to get all kinds of things for cheap. They're also a great way to get to know your neighborhood. Take a Saturday morning and either look for signs posted around, or pick up the newspaper and check the classifieds for the yard sale section.
It's generally a good idea to get one credit card while you are young, to build your credit. The credit rating companies can't give you a score until you've done something they can base it on, and just getting one card and being responsible with it does the job. Use it sparingly, and when you do use it pay off the entire balance every month. That way you don't have to pay any interest on it.
I highly recommend this cookbook (or one like it). Most cookbooks make a lot of assumptions about what you already know, and this one gives you the basics. Cooking tip: always read the whole recipe before you begin, to make sure you have all the equipment you will need and that you've done any chopping or the like that needs to happen before things start to cook. You don't want to have a pot of something boiling when you realize that the next ingredient needs to be finely diced before you can add it.
Is also free in the UK, here :)
This book called Ivan Ramen. One of it's author's is also the author of one of my favorite recipe books. It's on preorder right now. I want to get a bunch of recipe books on my kindle so I can cook and read without worrying about getting stuff on the pages.
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0761176462/ref=pe_942660_130088660_em_1p_0_ti#mediaMatrix_secondary_view_div_1420402374047