Quote:
Originally Posted by Faluzure
Modernist cuisine is pretty much goat if you are scientifically minded and curious. It delves deep into the essence of cooking and covers a wide variety of subjects. The recipes mostly might not be too accessible though, haven't read the at home edition, but I suspect those are better.
Despite feeling like Tim feriss is a huckster of sorts, the 4 hour chef is pretty good for basic info and some easy recipes.
Really? A $500 book for a beginner?
Quote:
Not necessarily a recipe book, more just a book on general cooking principles...maybe some recipes too
What exactly do you mean by "general cooking principles?"
If you're referring to scientific principles, then McGee's book is far and away the best book to start with AINEC, but it's not really a cookbook.
If you want to learn a good foundation of general culinary techniques and don't care as much about the scientific principles behind them, I would suggest
The Professional Chef. The title can be misleading, it's not a book written for pro chefs, it's a book written for culinary students. It's the textbook used at the Culinary Institute Of America, the best culinary school in the country. It's a book designed to teach noobs all the fundamentals of culinary technique. There are lots of recipes, but they're mostly in quantities too large for home cooking, so you'll just have to reduce them. It's a great book to have as a knowledge reference and a cookbook.
If you really want a book intended for home cooking, I would suggest
Jacques Pepin's New Complete Techniques. Pepin is a little old fashioned, but that's a solid book of basics.