Sky wrote:
> Steve Wertz wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:03:54 -0700, Kent wrote:
>>
>>> One of the most incredible things I find about the "Joy of Cooking"
>>> is that I've never encountered a bad recipe, nor one where an
>>> ingredient seemed to be too much or too little.
>>> Has anyone encountered something you woudn't make again??
>>
>> Many things. Some recipes are just plain dull. I use it as a
>> basis for a recipe, then modify it and go from there.
>>
>> Part of the reason may be because she had better ingredients when
>> those recipes were written. Nowdays you go to a store to buy a
>> tomato (for example) and you get a red ball of mush. And a
>> chicken had much more flavor back then, too.
>>
>> -sw
>
> I don't disagree JoC is good for beginners who might not be daring
> enough to substitute this for that to modify any recipe to taste.
> When I need quick information (and I don't want to Google!), then I
> use the JoC. Very rarely do I find it doesn't has the answer I
> wanted to find. There are other excellent books, primers if you will,
> available for novice cooks. As always, GIMF**.
>
> With regard to ingredients and their quality, chicken and pork aren't
> the same as they used to be either!! Especially pork, with all of its
> injected "enhancements." Well, perhaps the mass-marketed versions
> that is. Luckily, the "real stuff" is usually available from small
> family enterprises at farmers' markets.
>
> Sky
>
I started out cooking with Betty Crocker (the 1950's version cookbook) then
a Good Housekeeping (1970's) cookbook. I've never owned JOC and don't feel
the need to now. Of course, at my age I don't need a "beginners" cookbook,
which is what people here seem to think JOC is. Why bother when you can
already make stock, sauces, etc?

Jill