I needed more basic. Didn't have much info for poultry. No turkey, no cornish hens, pigeon, etc.

Well done! Great for beginner cooks. All the basics, clearly and plainly explained.

Recommended by Pai of Hot Thai Kitchen: "A true cooking 101 book with lots of photos. I find it refreshing to have this book for when you want to be inspired by 'the basics'."

The nice thing about Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything: The Basics is that for a novice cook, everything is spelled out for you. It's a collection of good, basic recipes, but the emphasis in the book is on technique and defining terms that new cooks, and even some more experienced cooks, might not know. There are a lot of pictures that show step-by-step cooking, which is a real plus to me. I've been cooking for a while now and don't need a lot of the explanations, but I also found things in the book that I didn't know and bought my own copy to use as a back-up reference. There were also a few recipes that I want to try. Also, a nice feature is that for each recipe, there are one or more variations you can use to change things up. Recommended.

This book was really helpful for starting out in the kitchen. This edition doesn't appear to be as comprehensive as the newly expanded & updated edition, but it is very simply and easy-to-follow recipes covering the usual range. There aren't many recipes in each section, but that's to be expected in a 200-page cookbook.

A great cookbook for a beginner or someone who wants some help with techniques and basic flavors. The recipes are simple, and the techniques adequately explained with beautiful color photographs.
I wouldn't mind owning this one!

641.5 B6245 2012

Really great book for someone wanting to learn a little more of the why in a simple concise way with lots of photos to improve confidence. I’ve outgrown the recipes but highly recommend. And there are a few I’ve done so many times I don’t need the cookbook anymore. Or, I’ve found an alternate online I like better after years of trying a variety!

The recipes in this book are amazingly simple and result in great tasting dishes! As a novice, this book made it easy to get started with the right equipment, principles and ingredients. Although GREAT cooking is an art that takes years to perfect, I still felt like a GOOD cook after trying out some of the recipes in the book!

I have loved Mark Bittman's cookbooks since before he was famous. I would recommend this book to anyone who's getting started on cooking and wants great photographs to help them along the way with the tricky parts. It has tons of great recipes as well, and is organized intuitively.

The best book for learning how to cook. Definitely the most detailed one and the simplest one to understand and use everyday.

This is to a new generation of cooks what Betty Crocker’s Cookbook was to my generation. Highly recommended!