James Beard

Recipes for every occasion from barbecues to formal dinner parties.

viii, 337 p. : 24 cm

Letters written by James Beard to his close friend and fellow chef Helen Evans Brown, offering an intimate look at American culinary and social history.

Abstract: The fundamental principles of cooking are presented for beginners and expert cooks alike. Each chapter is built around a method of preparation rather than a category of foods, and begins with a detailed description of several techniques, spiced with anecdotes, cooking tips, preparation methods, and equipment descriptions. Thus, the chapter on "Boiling" discusses simmering and reducing, making and using court bouillion, and then launches into the recipes that put these techniques to practical application. Other chapters feature braising, grilling, baking, thickeners, chilling, etc. Kitchen tools are discussed and illustrated; a check list includes everything from aluminum foil to electrical appliances. A chapter on "Noncooking" describes dishes made from raw meats, fruits, and vegetables (e.g., seviche or gazpacho). The "Concordance" is an invaluable shopping guide to food varieties, cuts of meat, seasonings, and where and when to find the best quality.

For over thirty years, when Americans have cooked fish, they have turned to the classic James Beard's Fish Cookery, Now, in this completely revised and updated edition, the world famous cooking authority introduces a dramatically simplified cooking technique that takes the guesswork out of your kitchen and puts a variety of scrumptious seafood delicacies on your table. You'll find a wide selection of tantalizing new recipes, featuring such irresistible entrees as Sautéed Crabs Grenobloise and Fillets of Sole Duglere. You'll also enjoy Beard's imaginative new suggestions for serving leftover fish, his updated guide to the most appropriate domestic and imported wines to serve with each course, and his time-saving tips that make cleaning and dressing fish easier than ever before. Whether you broil, bake, braise, sauté' or poach, you'll make every mean a masterpiece with James Beard's New Fish Cookery.