How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition)

( 92 )

Overview

Today's Favorite Kitchen Companion—Revised and Better Than Ever

Mark Bittman's award-winning How to Cook Everything has helped countless home cooks discover the rewards of simple cooking. Now the ultimate cookbook has been revised and expanded (almost half the material is new), making it absolutely indispensable for anyone who cooks—or wants to. With Bittman's straightforward instructions and advice, you'll make crowd-pleasing food using fresh, natural ingredients; simple ...

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How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition)

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More About This Book

Overview

Today's Favorite Kitchen Companion—Revised and Better Than Ever

Mark Bittman's award-winning How to Cook Everything has helped countless home cooks discover the rewards of simple cooking. Now the ultimate cookbook has been revised and expanded (almost half the material is new), making it absolutely indispensable for anyone who cooks—or wants to. With Bittman's straightforward instructions and advice, you'll make crowd-pleasing food using fresh, natural ingredients; simple techniques; and basic equipment. Even better, you'll discover how to relax and enjoy yourself in the kitchen as you prepare delicious meals for every occasion.

"A week doesn't go by where I don't pull How to Cook Everything down from the shelf, so I am thrilled there's a new, revised edition. My original is falling apart!"
—Al Roker

"This new generation of How to Cook Everything makes my 'desert island' cookbook choice jacked up and simply universal. I'll now bequeath my cookbooks to a collector; I need only this one."
—Mario Batali

"Mark Bittman has done the impossible, improving upon his now-classic How to Cook Everything. If you need know-how, here's where to find it."
—Bobby Flay

"Mark Bittman is a great cook and an incredible teacher. In this second edition, Mark has fine-tuned the original, making this book a must for every kitchen."
—Jean-Georges Vongerichten

"Throw away all your old recipes and buy How to Cook Everything. Mark Bittman's recipes are foolproof, easy, and more modern than any others."
—Isaac Mizrahi

"Generous, thorough, reliable, and necessary, How to Cook Everything is an indispensable reference for both experienced and beginner cooks."
—Mollie Katzen , author of the Moosewood Cookbook

"I learned how to cook from How to Cook Everything in a way that gives me the freedom to be creative. This new edition will be my gift to new couples or for a housewarming; if you have this book, you don't really need any others."
—Lisa Loeb , singer/songwriter

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher
Bittman's How To Cook Everything , originally published in 1998, became an almost instant classic and has sold close to two million copies. This new edition has been reorganized and includes 500 new recipes and many more step-by-step illustrations. Each chapter now opens with "essential recipes" that should be in every cook's repertoire, and there are dozens of new charts and lists throughout. Vegetarian recipes are marked with a special icon, and quick recipes-Bittman also writes "The Minimalist" column for the New York Times -and those that can be made ahead are similarly denoted; prep times are also given for all recipes. Since he wrote the first edition, Bittman has published The Best Recipes in the World and How To Cook Everything Vegetarian ; in this tenth anniversary edition, there are more recipes from cuisines around the world and more vegetarian recipes than in the original. Valuable as both a reference and a cookbook, this is an essential purchase. (Library Journal, September 15, 2008)

“…the best-value all-in-one volume available...even with more of everything to cook, this massive tome is navigable. Whether the first edition is on their shelves or not, home cooks of all skill levels will want to get this one.” (Publishers Weekly, September 1, 2008)

Publishers Weekly

Ten years have brought many changes to the U.S. culinary landscape, and Bittman's new edition of his contemporary classic reflects that, with hundreds of recipes added, out-of-date ones banished and few lines from the holdovers left untouched. The opening chapter offers invaluable new tips on basic kitchen equipment and techniques, and in the wake of the recent vegetarian version of the book, produce and legumes are now featured earlier and with more inspired meatless recipes. Overall, Bittman's globe-trotting palate shows even better than it did in the already quite international first edition, with intriguing recipes from every corner of the world. Considering these expansions, the most important change has been to the book's user-friendliness: a proliferation of charts, lists and boxes makes much more information immediately available-hardly a page goes by without an eye-catching sidebar about technique, a handy table organizing the basics of an ingredient or dish or the myriad suggestions of variations and new ways to think about a recipe that make it the best-value all-in-one volume available. At-a-glance coding to indicate what is fast to make, what can be made ahead and what is vegetarian, plus highlighted recipes that Bittman considers essential, help ensure that even with more of everything to cook, this massive tome is navigable. Whether the first edition is on their shelves or not, home cooks of all skill levels will want to get this one. (Oct.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Library Journal

Bittman's How To Cook Everything , originally published in 1998, became an almost instant classic and has sold close to two million copies. This new edition has been reorganized and includes 500 new recipes and many more step-by-step illustrations. Each chapter now opens with "essential recipes" that should be in every cook's repertoire, and there are dozens of new charts and lists throughout. Vegetarian recipes are marked with a special icon, and quick recipes-Bittman also writes "The Minimalist" column for the New York Times -and those that can be made ahead are similarly denoted; prep times are also given for all recipes. Since he wrote the first edition, Bittman has published The Best Recipes in the World and How To Cook Everything Vegetarian ; in this tenth anniversary edition, there are more recipes from cuisines around the world and more vegetarian recipes than in the original. Valuable as both a reference and a cookbook, this is an essential purchase.

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780764578656
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Publication date: 10/20/2008
  • Edition description: Anniversary
  • Edition number: 2
  • Pages: 1056
  • Sales rank: 19,626
  • Product dimensions: 8.50 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 2.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Mark Bittman

MARK BITTMAN is one of the country's best-known, most widely respected food writers. His award-winning How to Cook Everything books, with more than one million copies in print, are a mainstay of the modern kitchen. He wrote the New York Times column "The Minimalist" for 13 years, and now writes for the Times' opinion section as well as the New York Times Magazine, and is a regular on the Today show . Learn more at markbittman.com or howtocookeverything.com.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Kitchen Basics.

Sauces, Condiments, Herbs, and Spices.

Appetizers.

Soups.

Sandwiches and Pizza.

Salads.

Vegetables and Fruit.

Beans.

Grains.

Pasta, Noodles, and Dumplings.

Fish and Shellfish.

Poultry.

Meat.

Eggs, Breakfast, and Dairy.

Bread.

Desserts.

Menus.

The 102 Essential Recipes in This Book.

My Top 100 Fast Recipes.

My Top 100 Make-Ahead Recipes.

My Top 100 Vegetarian Recipes.

Sources.

Index.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 92 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(21)

4 Star

(22)

3 Star

(19)

2 Star

(20)

1 Star

(10)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 92 Customer Reviews

  • Posted December 7, 2008

    Overall a very complete collection!

    With 2,000 recipes packed onto over 1,000 pages this is a very dense and serious cookbook. No color photographs or pictures of the author to catch your eye and the recipes are packed in one after the other. Initially I had a hard time reading this cookbook and processing so much information. Then I found the lists in the back: "My Top 100 Fast Recipes" was my favorite. These lists provide a nice way to take the book in bite-sized chunks. The recipies I've tried:<BR/>Real Popcorn - My mom used to make popcorn like this (on the stove) and I had forgotten it. It is a fast and easy way to make more flavorful popcorn.<BR/>Poached Pears in red wine - holy cow these were good! Very elegant, easy to do, and light and healthy for when you mght be maxed out on rich, heavy desserts. This is a recipe I will make over and over.<BR/>Cranberry Relish with Orange and Ginger - Fresher tasting then cooked cranberry sauce and I loved the addition of ginger. This was a big hit at Thanksgiving.<BR/>Braised Potatoes with Kielbasa, Cheddar, and Beer - very tasty, one pot meal. The beer gave the whole dish a nice flavor. This is perfect comfort food for a COlorado winter!<BR/>Peanut Brittle - my only loser so far from this collection. It was such a complete failure that I think being at high altitude was the problem.<BR/><BR/>Overall a very complete collection! There are still many recipes I would like to try and I know many of the illustrations will come in handy in the future (how to clean squid, roll sushi, bone a chicken...). This cookbook would be a great gift for an avid cook.

    11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 15, 2010

    Good basic cookbook with tons of information

    I got this cookbook as a gift and it has become my go to reference book. This cookbook gives information on everything related to cooking - from must have kitchen tools to cooking techniques. In addition to thousands of recipes, the cookbook provides detailed information in each chapter on choosing and preparing herbs, vegetables and meats. I particularly like the how there are basic recipes with alternate ingredient suggestions. It's always easy to find something to cook because the recipes use basic ingredients that are usually in your pantry.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 9, 2009

    How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman/Tenth Anniversary Edition

    I enjoyed this book, but many of the good recipes from the original cookbook were missing. The "original" cookbook that they were now toting as the original was about 1/3 of this book. I no longer have the original cookbook so I was hoping this cookbook would have some of the recipes I no longer had, but it didn't -- like the bread. His cookbook, however, is very good and simple and the recipes are tasty. I would recommend it to anyone; I am 66 and my daughters are in their 30's and we all refer to the recipes in it and have for years.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 26, 2010

    Go back to Joy of Cooking!

    Bittman does update the classic in that he enjoys and includes world cuisines and ingredients in his recipes. However there is a big problem: many of his recipes are either wrong or not very good. The best examples are is basic lobster boiling instructions. As a long-time New Englander I know how to cook a lobster. We boil small ones 7-8 minutes and large ones maybe 10-12. He suggests boiling a large lobster for 15-20 minutes. Trust me: if you do you will have just ruined a $30-40 dinner. Totally rubbery. I just can't understand what he's thinking.
    Another example is his banana bread - a staple. He adds a good deal of coconut to his recipe. Not really appropriate, and really a cheap trick, since the coconut is a borrowed interest best left out.

    1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 14, 2010

    Really, how to cook Almost Everything!

    Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything has been my "go to" book for some time now. It's especially good for inspiration for good weeknight dinners. He's the "Minimalist Cook", so his philosophy is to create the best taste with the least amount of fuss. I love to cook, but there are times when I don't want to make a big project of it. That's when I turn to this book. His recipes are so approachable; you read them and think, "I could do that!" And they are GOOD! My husband didn't think he liked hummus until I made Mark's flavorful version. It's so quick and easy with a food processor! Other recent favorites have been Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice--good enough for company), Roast Chicken Parts, Lentil Soup, and Roasted Carrots with Cumin. (The carrots were actually amazing, and so simple to do!) This week I tried his Shrimp Scampi; it was the easiest, and the tastiest, version I have ever made. If you like to eat well, but don't want complicated recipes, I think you will enjoy this cookbook.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 26, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Giada's Family Dinners
    The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition
    Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen

    Perfect gift for friends learning NOT to follow recipes

    I read this book cover to cover and loved that it introduces the variations to the recipes. If it can teach my old roommate to cook for a dinner party of ten, it can help anyone. Even without photos, it is very informative and goes through the basics that starter home chefs need to know and gives old dogs some new tricks.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 16, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    I'm Just Here for More Food
    I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking
    Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition

    Not quite everything, and not always well laid-out, but nonetheless useful

    Many of these recipes have appeared in the New York Times food section, or on the author's "Bitten" blog on nytimes.com. There are a lot of decent recipes in here (cooking various grains, meats, vegetables, etc.), but the book overall suffers from the way the pages are laid out. Frequently, recipes will be partially printed on both sides of a page, which makes using the tome as a cook book interesting at times. Chapters are ordered in a strange manner, too (apple pie will be at the start of the chapter, but the pie crust at the end of the chapter). Be prepared to flip around a lot.

    There are a few illustrations here and there in this massive (it's 1000+ pages all together), but no photos. Sometimes, more illustrations/photos would have been nice, especially with the less-familiar cooking methods/ingredients.

    If you live outside of a very large city, some of the ingredients called for will be tricky to find unless you buy online. This is particularly true of most of the Asian cuisine and specialty vegetables.

    This book is a good general cookbook, but for specific things (like say, breads and baking), you might be better off with specialty books. I'm not sure the audience for this book--many of the recipes are written to imply advanced cooking techniques and equipment, but Bittman seems to be aiming for a populist audience. It's a good reference and source of information.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 3, 2009

    Best OVERALL COOKBOOK ever !!!

    Grew up with a mother who NEVER cooked. Needless to say, I never learned family recipes or how to cook from my mother; I learned in my adulthood. This cookbook -- HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING -- has been a godsend with the overall description of anything and everything you would need to know in order to cook anything in your kitchen. My suggestion; BUY IT!! Easy to understand recipes and basics throughout. EVERYTHING I have EVER attempted to cook or bake from this cookbook has turned out exact.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 12, 2012

    Good book to have

    This is a good starting point if you don't know much about cooking or need to relearn the basics. I find that after all these years I have started to the same dishes all the time. This is helping learn new techniques and ideas for menus.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 20, 2012

    Best cookbook ever. Period.

    If I had to limit myself to one cookbook, this would be it. Bittman really does have excellent recipes for almost everything one will actually cook, including variations of dishes that change flavor but not technique. His Best Food in the World is my second favorite.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 3, 2011

    Excellent for Beginning Cooks

    After several failed attempts at learning to cook, this was the cookbook that finally helped me through the process. It doesn't assume you know the basics, or that you have a kitchen full of standard ingredients, or that you're interested in going grocery shopping every time you want to try a new recipe. Instead, it goes through techniques, tells you what seasonings and staples you should have on hand, and offers multiple variations on recipes to allow for flexibility.

    Unlike a lot of other beginning cookbooks, it also offers some inspiration for a beginning cook. Although the size of the book is intimidating, paging through reveals how the simple, basic recipe cooked for dinner one night can later become a complex, modern, stylish dish that could be served to friends. Throughout, the book focuses on fresh ingredients and healthy eating, without being too strident about things overly snobby about reasonable shortcuts like frozen vegetables. I found it to be a refreshing take on the genre, and it's still the cookbook I use most frequently.

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  • Posted May 8, 2010

    Tons of great information

    How to Cook Everything is incredibly thorough. There is a chapter for each kind of cooking, from sauces to poultry. Every chapter starts with what he calls basic recipes, with lots of ideas for how to use them and what to put with them. After those recipes, he gives information on the various ways to cook those items, meal ideas, and then additional recipes. There are also specific sidebars throughout. The amount of information he provides can at times be overwhelming. However, I plan to take it just one recipe at a time, and eventually I just may be able to cook!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 22, 2010

    Great gift idea for a new household

    I first bought Bittman's 'Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking' book after borrowing a copy from a friend because I liked it so much. In addition to great recipes, I learned a lot about fish and seafood.
    So after following his column in the NY Times for a while, I realized that I liked his approach to cooking and his philosophy about food. The new edition of 'How to Cook Everything' had recently been published so I bought it and find that I use it regularly. I am now eating foods I never ate before. I am not an intuitive cook so Bittman's explanation of variations and herb pairings are valuable to me. The recipes are simple and easy to follow and I have expanded my repertoire of healthy dinners. I especially appreciate the alternatives recommended with many recipes. That way if there is an ingredient I don't eat or don't have, or I just want a change, I can still use the basic recipe.

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  • Posted January 24, 2010

    Not EVERYTHING, But Who Cares???!!!

    How To Cook Everything isn't the encyclopedic guide for which you've been waiting, but it IS the armchair reader you need this winter! It will keep you entertained for hours, and give you plenty of ideas for both entertaining and week-night dinners.

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  • Posted February 23, 2009

    He's not kidding!

    It may be big, but it is everything. A great reference with ideas and explanations for things you've seen and those you haven't. I find his focus on flexibility makes it easy to riff on the basic recipes. Well worth having in the kitchen.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 18, 2010

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    Posted May 2, 2011

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 27, 2009

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    Posted February 22, 2012

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    Posted September 15, 2010

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