On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 09:52:29 GMT, "Paul M. Cook©®"
> wrote:

>
>" BOB" > wrote in message
...
>> sf wrote:
>> > On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 04:23:02 GMT, Wayne >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> "Paul M. Cook©®" > wrote in
>> >> :
>> >>
>> >> > I'm just curious here. I have both JC and NJC. Am I the only one
>who
>> >> > has consistent bad results with their recipes and techniques? I
>mean
>> >> > I fancy myself an able cook, not a chef by any means, yet I always
>> >> > seem to have to make a JC recipe a couple of times and make changes
>to
>> >> > it to get it to come out right. I have so much better success with
>> >> > other cookbooks it seems.
>> >> >
>> >> > Paul
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Must be you, Paul. <G> I've used an early 70's edition for years and
>have
>> >> absolutely never had a problem or failure, save a few that were in
>fact my
>> >> own fault.
>>
>> Like substituting un-like ingredients? Like changing *anything* the first
>time
>> trying a new recipe?
>> Been there, done that. *NOT* the fault of the cookbook or the recipe at
>all.
>>
>> >
>> > Ditto
>>
>> Me three.
>>
>
>Ok guys, be fair. But I do make all recipes exactly the first time - to the
>very letter of the recipe. I don't claim to be a chef but after making a
>recipe in JC I know I might like a tad more of this or a tad more of that
>the next time I make it. Substitutions take longer of course. I'm talking
>cooking here, not baking which as we all know is more like chemistry.
>
>OK for example, the JC has dozens of chicken dishes. One of them is
>smothered chicken. Cooked to their recipe the dish is flat, bland and not
>too good. I hazard to guess it may be like a lot of food cooked in the 30's
>and 40's. Now when I add some seasoning, much more olives, pan fry the
>chicken first to a high degree of crispiness rather than just brown it, plus
>use 1/2 the liquid they call for, I get a really nice dish that pleases
>anyone who eats it.
>
>Now for some of the breakfast foods. Their pancake recipes suck. They
>really do. Their sour milk pancakes have no body, are flat and generally
>tasteless. I use extra eggs, more salt, and less baking powder and I get a
>really great pancake - thick and light and full of flavor. It is still very
>much the JC recipe though with just a few minor changes that make a huge
>difference.
>
>Then there is the roast category. Cooked the way they instruct the roasts
>turn out dry and ruined. I used to think it was just me until I tried Alton
>Brown's method. Now I can make a roast to serve royalty. So I have
>abandoned their roasting techniques.
>
>Now don't get me wrong. JC is a fine cookbook. Where else can you get a
>decent pineapple upside down cake recipe these days? But it is not perfect.
>My hunch is it is based more on some cooking techniques from 70 or more
>years ago.
>
>Paul
>

as you can see from the responses to your posts Paul, you have been
making references to "The Holy Grail of Cookbooks" in the United
States of America. I would think most modern Chefs jazz up their
entree's more than what you would do going by a Joy of Cooking
recipe...


Bill