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The 1997 Joy of Cooking: member book reviews

(5 reviews)

This book is a standard reference for me and I really like the variety of recipes and cuisine. It's criticized for being chef-y, but I truly don't need the mushroom-soup type shortcuts. Recipes are clearly written and the chapter organization makes more sense to me than earlier editions.

But how I wish that they had used a better type face! Fractions are hard to read, the contrast between bold ingredients and normal instructions is not as clear as in the earlier 1975 version I have, and I very much miss the bold main headings in the index. It's such a big cookbook and such a big index, making headings and subheadings more visual would have been a great help.

And because it is so different from earlier (and later editions) I'm glad that I still have multiple editions of Joy.

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There has been quite a lot of bad press about this particular edition of Joy of Cooking. Recipe selection mostly. But that aside, the recipes that are in this edition are well-written and they work. The extra descriptions on how to do things in the kitchen exactly are extremely helpful. With all the new encyclopedic cookbooks being published, this is still one of the first I reach for when I don't know how to do something or where to look for a recipe. It rarely disappoints.

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As an American living in China, it can be difficult to source ingredients in the same way that most cookbooks and websites expect. Besides the fact that The Joy of Cooking will teach you how to boil water if you don't know how and take you all the way to using ice cubes in your pie crusts for a flakier texture, this book really provides a resource for me unavailable most other places. An example: I recently wanted to do a roast chicken. Here in Beijing a whole chicken is no problem. However, a whole chicken properly plucked with gizzards removed and wrapped in butcher paper? You're joking. Book taught me how to singe off remaining feathers, pluck and wash the bird, etc (the butcher thought I was nuts for giving him back the feet and head). This book is my bible.

(edited 30th March 2010) report

This is the "go to" resource in my kitchen. Utility trumps beauty but sometimes utility is exactly what I need. Superb reference section and reliably delicious recipes. The range of cuisines, ingredients, and techniques included is incredibly broad.

And I know I harp on this in every book review, but I love a binding that you don't have to fight with to keep the book open to the recipe.

(edited 14th January 2010) report

This is THE cookbook i go to for cooking anything!!! especially something new. I have never had anything turn out bad when using this book and have SO many favorites...It is an essential to any home kitchen and a great gift for wedding showers in my opinion. I have had many conversations about various recipes in this book with others who also love it and them....no wonder it's been a classic for so many years!

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