Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed by Shirley Corriher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed
Book Review: A very good addition to the cookbook shelf
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a very educational book for anyone who likes to cook, but often wonders why something didn't turn out as it should. It is easy to read, well thought out and the personal anecdotes add a warm touch. I enjoyed just thumbing through it when it arrived. A bigger enjoyment was making the recipe for Touch of Grace Biscuits and having them turn out perfectly!Book Review: A classic reference for anyone who enjoys cooking!
Summary: 5 Stars
An excellent addition to any cooking library, this book was written for cooks who not only enjoy cooking, but also strive for perfection. Have you ever had a great recipe that could be improved if only you could add just the right ingredient or change the cooking process to achieve the desired effect? CookWise will not just tell you how, but it will also explain why. With its abundance of recipes and clear explanations, you will want to make room on your bookshelf next to your favorite cookbooks for this soon-to-be Classic reference. Shirley Corriher has written the "engineering manual" for the art of cooking.Book Review: Terrific!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is designed for the person who wants not just some good recipes, but also is interested in learning the "whys" behind the various techniques described. Why are sauces cooked in this or that way? What properties of certain vegetables affect their shelf life and usage? How does the chemistry of an ingredient affect the preparation of a dish? If you'd like to know the science (no, not the baccalaureate kind) behind what we do in the kitchen, this is one great book. I never thought I'd READ a cookbook, but I did. It succeeds on both levels.Book Review: Disappointing book that fails through lack of organization
Summary: 2 Stars
I was looking forward to reading Shirley Corriher's Cookwise, but I have found her book to be very disappointing. The book's organization is very strange--it may make sense from a biochemical standpoint, but not from a cooking standpoint. For example, while having a chapter on fats may make sense chemically, having information on pastry doughs, deep frying, and sauteeting all in the same chapter makes no sense for the home cook. Admittedly, Corriher does provide a conventional index for her recipes, but the organization of the book is so confusing that I find it takes me far longer than it should to look up information. While I do think that she gives some useful factual information, the recipes she provides are less than helpful. Corriher has tried so hard to make recipes that are foolproof that she loses sight of what the typical cook has in the pantry. As a frequent breadmaker, I found her approach to breadmaking especially strange in this regard. I have never before seen a bread recipe which calls for Vitamin C tablets, and while I have no doubt that the recipe works, I doubt that many of us have it available in the kitchen. It would be far easier for me to try to make bread without Vitamin C and crushed ice and risk a failure (which is rare in basic breadmaking) rather than go to the trouble that Corriher goes to. In fact, very few of the recipes are feasible unless you have duplicated Corriher's pantry--a bread recipe which calls for four different flours plus flax seeds (?!) may work well, but is not helpful for the cook who wants to make bread NOW and is lax enough to only have two types of flour on hand. On the whole, I would much rather be reading Harold McGee's The Curious Cook or Anne Willan's La Varenne Practique.Book Review: She will tell you things about cooking that you never knew
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay. I haven't read it yet.
But I will.
I heard Shirley on 'Fresh Air' on NPR a couple nights ago. She understands the chenistry behind baking. It sounds boring, and I'll never do it justice. However, if you've ever wondered why your muffins rise way up there, then fall to nothing, you should buy this book.
Plus, this will get me major brownie points with my wife...