Product Description

Seventy-five years ago, a St. Louis widow named Irma Rombauer took her life savings and self-published a book called The Joy of Cooking. Her daughter Marion tested recipes and made the illustrations, and they sold their mother-daughter project from Irma's apartment.

Today, nine revisions later, the Joy of Cooking -- selected by The New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important and influential books of the twentieth century -- has taught tens of millions of people to cook, helped feed and delight millions beyond that, answered countless kitchen and food questions, and averted many a cooking crisis.

Ethan Becker, Marion's son, leads the latest generation of JOY, still a family affair, into the twenty-first century with a 75th anniversary edition that draws upon the best of the past while keeping its eye on the way we cook now. It features a rediscovery of the witty, clear voices of Marion Becker and Irma Rombauer, whose first instructions to the cook were "stand facing the stove."

JOY remains the greatest teaching cookbook ever written. Reference material gives cooks the precise information they need for success. New illustrations focus on techniques, including everything from knife skills to splitting cake layers, setting a table, and making tamales.

This edition also brings back the encyclopedic chapter Know Your Ingredients. The chapter that novices and pros alike have consulted for over thirty years has been revised, expanded, and banded, making it a book within a book. Cooking Methods shows cooks how to braise, steam, roast, sauté, and deep-fry effortlessly, while an all-new Nutrition chapter has the latest thinking on healthy eating -- as well as a large dose of common sense.

This edition restores the personality of the book, reinstating popular elements such as the grab-bag Brunch, Lunch, and Supper chapter and chapters on frozen desserts, cocktails, beer and wine, canning, salting, smoking, jellies and preserves, pickles and relishes, and freezing foods. Fruit recipes bring these favorite ingredients into all courses of the meal, and there is a new grains chart. There are even recipes kids will enjoy making and eating, such as Chocolate Dipped Bananas, Dyed Easter Eggs, and the ever-popular Pizza.

In addition to hundreds of brand-new recipes, this JOY is filled with many recipes from all previous editions, retested and reinvented for today's tastes.

This is the JOY for how we live now. Knowing that most cooks are sometimes in a hurry to make a meal, the JOY now has many new dishes ready in 30 minutes or less. Slow cooker recipes have been added for the first time, and Tuna Casserole made with canned cream of mushroom soup is back. This JOY shares how to save time without losing flavor by using quality convenience foods such as canned stocks and broths, beans, tomatoes, and soups, as well as a wide array of frozen ingredients. Cooking creatively with leftovers emphasizes ease and economy, and casseroles -- those simple, satisfying, make-ahead, no-fuss dishes -- abound. Especially important to busy households is a new section that teaches how to cook and freeze for a day and eat for a week, in an effort to eat more home-cooked meals, save money, and dine well.

As always, JOY grows with the times: this edition boasts an expanded Vegetables chapter, including instructions on how to cook vegetables in the microwave, and an expanded baking section, Irma's passion -- always considered a stand-alone bible within the JOY.

This all-new, all-purpose anniversary edition of the Joy of Cooking offers endless choice for virtually every occasion, situation, and need, from a 10-minute stir-fry on a weekday night to Baby Back Ribs and Grilled Corn in the backyard, or a towering Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. JOY will show you the delicious way just as it has done for countless cooks before you.

Even after 75 years, the span of culinary information is breathtaking and covers everything from boiling eggs (there are two schools of thought) to showstopping, celebratory dishes such as Beef Wellington, Roast Turkey and Bread Stuffing, and Crown Roast of Pork.

Happy Anniversary, JOY!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #183 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1152 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. They say mother knows best, but in the case of this classic cooking volume, first published 75 years ago, the adage might be more accurately "mother—and grandmother—know best." For while some previous editions of Joy have embraced passing fads and shunned the earlier versions' old-school charm, this time, the editors (led by Irma's grandson and Marion's son, Ethan) have stayed true to the spirit of the original. Fond of its forebear's quirky phrases ("There is nothing simple about these uncomplicated-looking fungi" or "a pig resembles a saint, in that he is more honored after death than during his lifetime"), the new narrative of Joy is one of, well, joy. Its recipes will prompt readers to bound into the kitchen; their range and depth is such that there really is something for everyone. Enchiladas, sushi, bagel chips, smoked brisket and corn dogs make their first appearance, while ice cream, nut butters and beef fondue return after some time away. The use of "we" throughout the text will reassure those skeptical of, say, preparing game (a section that, incidentally, has been expanded), and the overall feeling of the kitchen as a place of empowerment and enrichment makes this an essential work for all cooks. (Oct. 31)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In recognition of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the publication of Joy of Cooking, a new edition of this classic work appears. For this landmark, the editors have returned to Joy's 1975 edition, rejecting the controversial last edition's perceived foray into 1990s chef-driven fads. This change in editorial viewpoint doesn't necessarily signal a narrower vision. This new Joy acknowledges that American tastes have broadened by including a selection of cocktails and basic introductions to beer and wine. Drink recipes range from unassailably classic libations, such as the martini and Fish House Punch, through the current obsession with tequila-based tipples. Canning and jam and jelly making also reappear, reflecting the ubiquity of urban farmers' markets and a return to a food-preservation technique that avoids energy-consumption issues inherent in freezing. That quintessential emblem of middle American cooking, the casserole, finds restoration. Detailed line drawings that gave Joy's earlier editions their distinctive appearance bestow continuity. Whether or not the simultaneous release of a new line of cookware bearing the Joy of Cooking imprimatur compromises the book's integrity remains to be seen, but a list price of $30 marks it as a bargain for the consumer. The new Joy maintains the title's role as backbone for any library's cookery reference collection, its nearly 4,000 recipes defining essential American home cooking. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"The Joy of Cooking has always been a very important book. When it was first published, it made a great impression on American cooking. It is, and should continue to be a staple in any good culinary collection because Irma's voice is there with you in the kitchen giving guidance and encouragement and friendly tips and reminders. The why's and how's are carefully explained, and that's what makes Joy a fundamental resource for any American cook!"-- Julia Child, June 2004

"I highly recommend this book as a must-have in your kitchen. Chock full of great information, this book takes all of the guess work out and leaves no stone unturned."-- Paula Deen

"Joy of Cooking is the ultimate reference guide that I have been using for years. It's timeless and packed with perfect recipes for the home cook that stands up to the test of time."-- Tyler Florence

Customer Reviews

Cook up some classics!
Originally a self-published book in 1931, and no less than nine revisions later, this thick volume of recipes (it's got to be at least 3 inches thick) is a great addition to anyone's cook book library.

But wait! This book is not merely just a collection of recipes- although with 4000 classic recipes and an additional 500 new ones, that would make it worth buying alone. No, this cook book stands heads and shoulders above the rest because its what I call a "teaching" cook book. It contains recipes for just about every dish or food category you can think of which are arranged in various sections throughout the book. Then, at the beginning of each chapter, there is a kind of introduction which goes into detail about that category. For example, the section on grains starts off with an almost encyclopedic explanation of the types of grains, their anatomy, how to combine them, and so on.

A handy, informative cook book with plenty of choices, there is sure to be something for everyone and even healthy eaters will find a great section on what makes up a healthy diet, how many calories you need, etc. Also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator for readers who need more motivation to eat healthier and have trouble changing their diet habits.

A Valued Classic
This is a book that is great for the novice to the advanced chef. There is information on techniques and how to solve problems. This book offers not only great recipes, but the basics to techniques for the novice.

Finally Cooking Again
When i got divorced 20 years ago my ex took the cookbook. The Joy of Cooking had been a wedding gift from me to her.I can honestly say it was used every day and is still being used by my ex. Well i finally got my own and have started cooking again.It is the greatest cookbook in the world in my opinion , with not just recipes but pages of useful tips and instructions on all manner of food items and ways of preparing them along with copious amounts of information concerning diet and food nutritional value. P.S. I got 2 so i could give one to my daughter so she can experience using a truly exceptional cookbook.