Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Cooking the Books Kitchen Canon: Joy of Cooking vs. The New York Times Cook Book
Posted by Carrington Fox on Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 5:05 AM
This weekend my mom walked into my house, where I was perusing my grease-stained Joy of Cooking in search of applications for the buy-one-get-one-free London broils I had just acquired at Harris Teeter.
I can't remember her exact words, but they were laced with dismay, contempt and a hint of betrayal. Mom and my beloved late father had a running cookbook rivalry. Dad was a Joy of Cooking man, while Mom was a New York Times Cook Book snob. For as long as I can remember, they would bicker over whether the venerable Rombauer family or upstart Craig Claiborne was the final authority on any culinary matter, from the formula for Hollandaise to the pronunciation of Welsh rarebit.
It just so happens that I married a Joy man, and since I brought no particular cook book dogma into the conjugal kitchen, we've enjoyed the tranquility that comes from being of one mind--in terms of home economics, at least.
But I'm curious, in this era of so many culinary authorities--from Ina and Nigella to Mario and Lidia--is there a single canonical work, a go-to guide, a founding document, if you will, upon which any kitchen--or any marriage--should be built?
Comments (17)
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My mom and I used to have this same discussion: she couldn't abide the Joy's technique of referring to other recipes. She used Southern Living/Progressive Farmer instead. I love the way the Joy intersperses ingredients and technique, and own and insane 5 editions of it because they're all different. But every time I cook from the NY Times Cookbook, I think, Dang this is a great cookbook."
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I've never used the Times Cookbook, but I couldn't do without my Joy of Cooking. It's almost like a magic box: if I run across the phrase "country captain," I can just reach inside, and there it is. The recipes are wonderfully accessible to someone as instruction-averse as I am.
I can't comment on the NY Times Cookbook, but I do own a copy of Joy of Cooking and use it everytime I need a recipe that you just can't find in Mario or Lydia, or Nigella (one of my personal faves). Like the other day when I needed to make a sweet potato pie for a party. Once again, it did not let me down and never has. It is a required cookbook in my opinion. I even named my blog after it at the risk of legal action by the publisher. Kidding --they can't sue me for my name, can they?
Joy, that's just what I'm sayin'. I made that sweet potato pie the other day too. Or more precisely I converted that pumpkin pie recipe into a sweet potato pie recipe. Either way, JoC is the core doc as far as I'm concerned. Honestly, when I started dating my husband, I thought it was sexy that he had it in his kitchen. I think I'm going to start giving it as a college graduation gift.
I am a How to Cook Everything devotee. It's got all the basics and then some more "modern" basic preparations for things like fish, chicken, pasta...Bittman's never failed me!
I have the Joy of Cooking, I just don't use it at all. I haven't ever made a thing out of it. But it's on my shelf. I'm with Liz. How to Cook Everything has been my go - to since it came out.
I'm with Liz. I have Joy of Cooking as well as a ridiculous collection of other cookbooks new and old (including one with illustrations by a young Andrew Warhol!), but when I really need help, it's Mark Bittman who tells me what I need to know. And I don't even have his special vegetarian edition!
I'm definitely a Joy of Cooking gal. Sometimes I just open it up to see what new and interesting thing I can learn about. I know other people are fans of the red checkered Better Homes & Gardens cookbook as well.
I'm a Joy of Cooking person, but another goto for our household is the Cooks Illustrated "Best Recipe" books - have very good basic recipes along the lines of the Joy of Cooking, but with a bit more explanation.
"But I'm curious, in this era of so many culinary authorities--from Ina and Nigella to Mario and Lidia--is there a single canonical work, a go-to guide, a founding document, if you will, upon which any kitchen--or any marriage--should be built?"
A computer in the kitchen and Google.
BH&G is point and shoot, JoC is rhapsodic. You will learn to make the quintessential apple pie with BH&G's recipe, but you will find the pie's soul - and your own will be better in the long run - by reading JoC's discourse on fruits in pies, pie crusts, flour for pies, and their family history of pies.
Can't speak of the Times book - it was apparently such a non-event in my 'nursery' kitchens in the West that I've never even heard of it or its author. But the real cooking cradle for me was my mother's notebook and HER cookbooks, with her notes. Dates of when something was tried, results, modifications. Apparently, reading now, I didn't like new recipe night. Which in our household was, I think, Tuesday. I'd have converted to a new religion if they'd had their meetings that night...
if you're into italian that book would be " the silver spoon". it was just recently translated into english and it's an invaluable resource in my kitchen.
Silver Spoon is a Mecca. Only flaw is at friggin' 100lbs its a bit large for cookbook holders!
"but when I really need help, it's Mark Bittman who tells me what I need to know"
Only if you need help striking out with Spanish actresses or finding out what not to do on public TV.
