you're not a cop-out either

[reflectedeve]

Hey flist, hey! How are you, bbs

Comments

[rhipowered]

Mark Bittman pisses me off, but this has been a handy reference for me here in the UK.

[reflectedeve]

Ooh, a smaller version? My mother gave me How to Cook Everything a couple years ago, but I don't use it much - actually find it a bit intimidating, and anyway it's pretty meat-focused. I will definitely have to look into The Basics, thanks. :)

[rhipowered]

Funny, I asked for the BIG one and this was the one I got! But it really is pretty basic without being condescending or dumbed down, so if you can look at it in a store or something, I'd recommend doing so.

They've got a How To Cook Everything for veggies now, incidentally.

[reflectedeve]

Yeah, that sounds pretty fantastic; I'll check the unofficial Harvard bookstore tonight.

I know, but I find I just prefer finding my recipes online for some reason. And those basic ingredient tips might come in handy if I ever get around to learning how to cook meat. I'm not actually veggie; I just cook like one (for now). :)

[theschimmel]

I second that, though I use "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." It isn't a how-to though, more of a reference for when you find yourself with something, like celeriac, that you have no idea how to prepare.

[reflectedeve]

*nod* Yeah, the only time I use my copy of Everything is actually when I need info on a specific ingredient; I almost never get my actual recipes from books. No clue why.

[reflectedeve]

Oh, I like the sound of that; I might have to check it out for myself sometime. ;) I'm not sure my brother's ready for intuitive, involved stuff just yet (it's a bit of a step between 'ack must feed myself' and 'I enjoy cooking for its own sake,' I've found), but if I can find it in a store I'll definitely give it a once over.

[lateforthesky]

I got the Better Homes and Gardens Fast Fix: Family Food with over 400 recipes a few months ago and love it. There is a section on staples to stock the pantry with and lots of "this is how your mom made it and it took her 2.5 hours - now here is how to get the same thing in 30 minutes or less" recipes.

[reflectedeve]

That sounds kickass! My only reservation is that "family" recipes tend to be a little hard to cut down to one-person meals? But I'll have to check it out.

[stealstheashes]

It really is the shower! Although the bath is better if I actually want to write something. I mean, obviously. The paper would get soggy in the shower.

It would be kind of awesome if they made a shower curtain that you could write on for those fits of inspiration.

[reflectedeve]

Ooh, yes, that would be pretty fantastic. :D It could also double as a way to leave difficult-to-avoid notes for roommates with opposite schedules.

[stealstheashes]

lol my sister and I used to use dry erase markers to leave each other messages on the bathroom mirror. It worked REALLY well except we noticed that when the mirror steamed up you could still see the messages later, no matter how you cleaned, so we stopped. But when the mirrors aren't steamy, it works really well.