Joy of Cooking

Starred review from November 3, 1997
First self-published in 1931, Joy of Cooking became an American classic over time because of its reliability as a resource of basic information, not for its culinary daring. The sixth revision, the first in 22 years, advances that tradition with distinction and some calculated flair. Its 2500 recipes reflect how broadly the mainstream of American cookery now flows. New recipes range from Dashi (Japanese stock of kelp and dried bonito flakes) to Grilled Pizza Margherita, Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken in Red Pepper Sauce) and a very simple Vitello Tonnato (cold veal napped with tuna-laced mayonnaise). New desserts are as everyday as Blueberry Cobbler (though this one is flavored with lime zest) or as richly extraordinary as Alice Medrich's Chocolate Cheesecake. Medrich was one of many chefs (including Rick Bayless, Patricia Wells, Jim Dodge and Deborah Madison) consulted for this edition. Modernisms are everywhere, from varietal coffees to a vastly larger sampling of pastas. Appealing new chapters include Grains; Dried Beans and Soy; and Little Dishes, which covers tapas, dim sum, meze and other international specialties. Although cautions against excessive fat intake are included, the taste for deep-frying is answered with Buffalo Wings and No Fail French Fries. As to physical changes, the two-column format remains, but Laura Hartman Maestro's 1000 new illustrations (e.g., of fruits and pasta shapes, as well as of such techniques as cleaning hard-shelled crabs) are more attractive and helpful. Organization is also improved: Stocks and Sauces are collected in one section rather than scattered; Salad Dressings now follow Salads rather than cropping up a few hundred pages later, as in the previous edition. No longer sans serif, the type is chunkier, with ingredients no longer bold-faced. Symbols within recipes (pointers to success, blender, etc.) have been sensibly eliminated. While many expository sections echo the previous edition and the royal "we" still appears throughout, much of the quaint gentility that marked Joy's past tone has been pared away. Nostalgic purists may object; others won't miss the somewhat patrician air. While attempts to be internationally and nutritionally au courant tend to be a bit self-conscious, Joy still contains a vast wealth of invaluable, and now updated, information. BOMC main selection; Good Cook and QPB selections; first serial to Family Circle.

Starred review from October 7, 2019
Irma S. Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking, first published in 1931, gets a massive overhaul in this impressive, timely volume by Becker, Rombauer’s great-grandson, and his wife, Scott. The authors hope to recapture the original’s “vital spark,” they write in their introduction to this ninth edition, which includes more than 4,000 updated recipes and 600-plus new ones. The result is both familiar and refreshing as it globe-trots to include Jamaican curried goat and fiery Indonesian tempeh. The signature method of interweaving ingredients with instructions remains, supplemented with rich troves of information, like a three-page spread on mixing and matching salad greens. There are recipes for items as elementary as popcorn and as complex as a gingerbread house (complete with diagrams). The recipes range from classics to more unusual options: the shellfish chapter covers turtles, and ostrich and emu fillets appear under poultry. Helpful charts abound, and contemporary devices and techniques are incorporated so seamlessly that it’s difficult to spot new bits: for example, the grains section includes recipes for Instant Pots, and, tucked in the breads chapter are instructions for using gluten-free doughs. Becker and Scott have improved upon a classic without bending it so sharply that it will feel dated in a decade—quite an achievement indeed.

Starred review from October 1, 2019
The pillar of American cookbooks for generations, Joy of Cooking appears anew for the first time in over a decade, fully revised by Rombauer's great-grandson, John Becker, and his wife, Megan Scott. Those who esteem Joy as the indispensible home-cooking guide will rejoice that this new edition expands on and brings their favorite up to date in ways that will excite its old fans as well as a new generation of home cooks. This revision adds several hundred new recipes, but, more importantly, it gives its readers access to even more basic data on cooking than previous iterations. Huge sections define and describe spices both common and not-so. As ever, the sections on freezing, canning, drying, and other preservation methods are meticulous with technical instructions to ensure food safety. Current fascination with foraged foods earns a place, with advice on avoiding toxic wild plants. New technologies like electric pressure cookers and sous-vide cooking are explained. Cooks in high-altitude locales will appreciate the advice on adjusting all recipes, not just baked goods. Even the effects of climate change are addressed in expanded guidelines on sustainable fish selection and cooking. The explosion of interest in all sorts of ethnic cooking has greatly expanded the inventory of recipes?mapo dofu from Sichuan, sushi from Japan, curried goat from Jamaica, pavlova from Australia, and more. Classics from snickerdoodles to sponge cake retain their place. Yes, this is a virtual necessity in any kitchen that does more than pop frozen dinners into the microwave, and an astonishing value at its list price.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 1, 2019

In the 13 years since the last edition of the classic Joy of Cooking, the national food landscape has changed dramatically, with ingredients and techniques that were previously considered novel becoming commonplace in home kitchens. John Becker, great-grandson of Irma Rombauer, Joy's original visionary, and his wife Megan Scott have revised and expanded the famously comprehensive cookbook. Gelatin salads are out, miso and quinoa are in, and the range of more than 600 new recipes addresses vegan and gluten-free diets, trends such as artisanal cocktails and home fermenting and canning, and a broad range of international flavors and techniques. Perhaps the most significant update is the addition of gram weights in all the baking recipes, a definite boon for avid home bakers. Long-time readers will recognize Joy's familiar two-column format and inimitable "action method" for recipes, but the overall effect is less prescriptive and more vibrant and inspiring. Neither Becker nor Scott are professional chefs, and their book keeps the viewpoint of novice cooks at the forefront. VERDICT In an era when thousands of recipes are at our fingertips online, this classic collection proves its worth as a source of dependable culinary guidance and reliable recipes; a first purchase.--Kelsy Peterson, Forest Hill Coll., Melbourne, Australia

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 26, 2002
Part of Scribner's "All About" series, adapted from the Joy of Cooking cookbooks, this volume includes dozens of cookie recipes, divided by type: drop, bar, rolled, filled, and the like. The recipes span the traditional-Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chip both make an appearance-to innovative entries like Chocolate-Coated Mocha Biscotti. The recipes are easy enough for even a fledgling baker to follow, and they're accompanied by inspiring full-color photographs. Becker, the grandson of the founder of the Joy of Cooking franchise, includes tips on how to package cookies for travel, how to turn Christmas cookies into ornaments and even how to bake cookies at high altitudes. But the best proof of how all-around useful Becker wants this resource to be is that he includes low fat, and delicious, versions of most of his popular cookies.