James Beard's Theory & Practice of Good Cooking

Shop Notes:
What I love about this book is that Mr. Beard - a very notable cooking instructor who helped transform American cuisine into what we know it as today - transforms cooking into something approachable, fun, and creative. The illustrations are marvelous, the writing is a pleasure, and the recipes are interesting and approachable. This is one of those cookbooks that is greater than the sum of its parts.

From the Publisher:
As its name suggests, James Beard's Theory ; Practice of Good Cooking explained "the hows, the whys, the techniques, the basics as well as the subtle nuances of good cooking." Each chapter tackled a basic cooking techniqueboiling, roasting, sauteing, and so forthand gave a set of recipes that put the theory into practice. The book was based on Beard's cooking classes, and from the very first sentence, readers could rest assured they were in the hands of a master: "Cooking starts with your hands, the most important and basic of all implements. They were the earliest tools for the preparation of food, and they have remained one of the most efficient, sensitive, and versatile. Hands can beat, cream, fold, knead, pat, press, form, toss, tear, and pound." Prose like this makes us want to get into the kitchen.

Release Date: 1977 (Book club edition)

Condition: Very good, dust jacket has light age wear, the edges have marking from use and having been in storage, some minor moisture damage on the back board. Text is clean, free of notations, and the ink is bright.