Joy of Cooking or Food Preparation for the Professional

Joy of Cooking: A Compilation of Reliable Recipes with a Casual Culinary Chat

Author: Irma S Rombauer

In 1931, Irma Rombauer announced that she intended to turn her personal collection of recipes and cooking techniques into a cookbook. Cooking could no longer remain a private passion for Irma. She had recently been widowed and needed to find a way to support her family. Irma was a celebrated St. Louis hostess who sensed that she was not alone in her need for a no-nonsense, practical resource in the kitchen. So, mustering what assets she had, she self-published The Joy of Cooking: A Compilation of Reliable Recipes with a Casual Culinary Chat. Out of these unlikely circumstances was born the most authoritative cookbook in America, the book your grandmother and mother probably learned to cook from. To date it has sold more than 15 million copies.

This is a perfect facsimile of that original 1931 edition. It is your chance to see where it all began. These pages amply reveal why The Joy of Cooking has become a legacy of learning and pleasure for generations of users. Irma's sensible, fearless approach to cooking and her reassuring voice offer both novice and experienced cooks everything they need to produce a crackling crust on roasts and bake the perfect cake. All the old classics are here -- Chicken a la King, Molded Cranberry Nut Salad, and Charlotte Russe to name a few -- but so are dozens of unexpected recipes such as Risotto and Roasted Spanish Onions, dishes that seem right at home on our tables today.

Whether she's discussing the colorful personality of her cook Marguerite, whose Cheese Custard Pie was not to be missed, or asserting that the average woman's breakfast was "probably fruit, dry toast, and a beverage" while the average man's was "fruit, cereal,eggs with ham or bacon, hot bread, and a beverage," the distinctive era in which Irma lived comes through loud and clear in every line. Enter a time when such dishes as Shrimp Wiggle and Cottage Pudding routinely appeared on tables across America.

The book is illustrated with the silhouette cutouts created by Irma's daughter Marion, who eventually wrote later editions of The Joy of Cooking. Marion also created the cover art depicting St. Martha of Bethany, the patron saint of cooking, slaying the dragon of kitchen drudgery. This special facsimile edition contains both Irma's original introduction and a completely new foreword by her son Edgar Rombauer, whose vivid memories bring Irma's kitchen alive for us all today.

Library Journal

This is a facsimile of the original 1931 edition of what has become a standard. A good many of the recipes probably aren't as health-conscious as consumers prefer today, but the book will definitely find an audience.

Interesting book: Cisco Access Control Security or Picture Yourself Creating Digital Scrapbooks

Food Preparation for the Professional

Author: Beth Sonnier

Completely revised and updated- the definitive text on food preparation for the foodservice manager.

A comprehensive working knowledge of the principles, skills, and techniques necessary to prepare food for production is as critical for the aspiring foodservice manager as it is for the culinary arts student. Food Preparation for the Professional, Third Edition, targets the needs of career-oriented students who aim to manage the back of the house rather than prepare food on the line. Covering all the basics-cooking methods, food preparation, safety and sanitation, storage and handling, equipment, and menu planning-as well as addressing contemporary cuisine preferences and dietary trends, the book provides managers with the skills needed to run an efficient kitchen successfully in any type of foodservice operation. Fully revised and updated, the new edition of this classic text now includes:

• Troubleshooting information boxes that identify common problems, their causes, and solutions
• A nutritional analysis of each recipe and nutrient profiles
• New sections covering the emerging interest in grains, pasta, legumes, and vegetables

With its singular focus on food preparation for foodservice managers, this latest edition of Food Preparation for the Professional continues to be an indispensable tool for this rapidly growing area in the hospitality industry.

Table of Contents:

The Kitchen.
Sanitation and Safety.
Prepreparation.
Cooking, Equipment, and Measurement.
Menus, Nutrition, and Recipes.
Building Flavor, Body, and Texture.
Soups.
Sauces.
Vegetables, Grains, and Pasta.
Meat Cookery.
Poultry Cookery.
Fish and Shellfish Cookery.
Breakfast, Beverages, and Dairy Products.
Pantry Production.
Hors D'Oeuvres and Food Presentation.
The Bakeshop.
Desserts.
Glossary.
Bibliography.
Indexes.