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This weekend I had a very interesting conversation with my Mom. Mom has never really liked cooking all that much, but wanted to start learning a few of the basics. So we went to Borders to check out some beginner cookbooks. I was surprised by how few and far between good beginner cookbooks there are in bookstores. The two that I have seen that I thought were pretty good were How to Boil Water from the Food Network and the new Williams Sonoma Tools & Techniques. But…the funny thing was how my Mom saw them. We had a great conversation and I could hear what she was saying loud and clear. These two books are great for explaining the terms, tools, and tricks, but when it comes to making the recipes they are limited. Well, the Williams Sonoma one isn’t really about the recipes, but How to Boil Water definitely is. The issue my Mom had is they didn’t give photos or step-by-step instructions for new comers. Mom said it was difficult as a new cook to understand the terminology and reading the glossary was a big help, but it really worked much better if she could see the actual recipe as it was being made. We wound up finding a book for her, but I still thought it was limited. It didn’t have the classic recipes that everyone wants to know.
I never really thought about how the lingo in cooking really makes it difficult for new cooks to start out. I have taught myself that basics along the way, but I did it so long ago that I can’t remember how I got there in the first place. My first food memories are from when I was very small child and I decorated cakes with my much older best friend. I know cookbooks have been a great help to me, but trial and error is probably your best teacher. I know when I royally screw stuff up I learn not to do it again the next time. What suggestions do you have for someone just starting out? Do you have any really great basic cookbooks to share with beginner cooks?