I’m a huge fan of Harold McGee’s classic On Food and Cooking : The Science and Lore of the Kitchen so I was excited when I heard Harold McGee was bringing out a new book. Keys to Good Cooking presents modern scientific understanding of cooking. McGee takes you step-by-step from market to table, teaching, for example, how to spot the most delectable asparagus (choose thick spears); how to best prepare asparagus: peel, don’t snap, the fibrous ends; broiling is one effective cooking method for asparagus and other flat-lying vegetables; and how to present it: coat with butter or oil after cooking to avoid a wrinkled surface. Rather than just a collection of recipes, Keys to Good Cooking shows you how to be a better cook and how to prepare more delicious meals. If you know someone who loves to cook, give them this book for the holidays and they’ll thank you year after year! GRADE: A
I don’t know if my kitchen shelves can take another cookbook–but this sounds like a good one.
BTW, I’m an asparagus snapper. After 30-plus years of doing that, I don’t suppose I’m going to change. I always roasts my asparagus: Toss asparagus with olive oil, thinly-sliced garlic, salt, pepper, roast at 425 for 20 minutes. Yum! (Works for brocoli and brocolini too.)
You’ll be glad if you pick up KEYS TO GOOD COOKING, Deb. Plenty of great tips on food preparation. Your asparagus with olive oil does sound yummy!
Sounds good although Phil prefers to get his recipes from Diner, Drive-ins and Dives.
I like the recipes on DINERS, DRIVIN-INS & DIVES, too, Patti. But KEYS TO GOOD COOKING is full of great information as well as the recipes.
When it comes to the science of cooking, I’m an Alton Brown fan.
Art Scott is an Alton Brown fan, too, Rick. He has both of Alton’s fat cookbooks.