Reddit reviews On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (3rd Edition)
We found 6 Reddit comments about On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (3rd Edition). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
If you start by learning some basic cooking techniques or basic recipes, as you progress it will become easier for you to build on those basics and to start improvising meals or to create your own recipes. In addition to watching videos, I also bought a used copy of a culinary school textbook.
For some solid videos/shows, I recommend the following:
Edit: Also, not sure what kind of kitchen equipment you have, but you definitely want a decent chef's knife.
Get yourself a copy of this used.
It's the book they would give you at culinary school. This edition is old, but it has all you need to learn in it. I've had my copy now for like two years.
buy On Cooking if you're feeling out of the loop. read it through a few times. will set you on the right path
Maybe others who actually finished their degree can chime in here, but there are a few basic textbooks that'll be of good use to you.
This was the intro book we used; it's a solid textbook and covers WAY more than one or two classes' worth of info. Feel free to buy dirt-cheap just like you would with any textbook, it's expensive as hell just because they know students need it... so get an older edition and get it used; brand-new it's damn pricey (and there's even been a few newer versions since then, wholly unnecessary for your needs)
You should also get a ServSafe book eventually; if you get it used it should be REALLY cheap (they make their money by including the required test sheet with the book, it's of no use to formal culinary students without it so students will resell for 1/10 the price without the test materials) You'll want to get a fairly new edition though, as food laws are constantly updated. That book is less important unless you get a job where they want you to get ServSafe certified, and if so they really should pay your expenses for that anyways.
If you want to get into baking, I'd recommend On Baking from the same people as the On Cooking textbook. Again, tons of info, very pricey so buy used and buy an old edition.
Actually, you said your uncle went to culinary school; maybe he still has textbooks packed away somewhere? Obviously reading alone is no substitute for actually doing it in a commercial kitchen; but you can learn a hell of a lot in your own kitchen, such as proper cuts and whatnot (which WILL require a LOT of practice!) that you'd never know without a bit of knowledge first. Feel free to PM me if you're curious about anything specific and I'll try to help, or make a post as there are definitely more knowledgeable people here than I am :) Good luck!
Get a textbook which explains the basics instead of a shitload of specific recipes. Once you know how to make a sauce thicken and a dough rise, cooking becomes a beautiful, creative hobby instead of a chore.
Try e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Textbook-Culinary-Fundamentals-3rd/dp/0130452416