Finding Cookbooks For Beginners Of All Ages

By Rhea Frazier


Books always make good gifts, especially when thoughtfully chosen. Although not everyone is a great reader, most people do like to eat. Preparing food for oneself and for others is not an innate skill; it must be learned. Cookbooks for beginners are useful and never need to be boring, since there is a wide variety available.

There are literally more cooking guides than anyone could use, because this is such a popular subject and an important part of life. One of the great classics, like the Joy of cooking, makes a great wedding present. The huge volume has recipes from all over the world, but it also has a lot of basic information. Novice cooks can learn what makes bread rise and how to get a crust on a French baguette, how to substitute one ingredient for another, and why sifting flour makes a cake better.

Classics of another type - exclusively American - are the many volumes from the Betty Crocker kitchen. These books - which include those for children, for family cooking, and for special holidays - specialize in quick, easy-to-prepare dishes. Chocolate chip cookies, hearty stews, macaroni and cheese casseroles, meat loaf, and apple pie are perennial favorites.

A cookbook can have a theme. Some may feature only casseroles, others may contain recipes made with canned soup, and others may be compiled by ladies' clubs, fire department auxiliaries, or churches. Southern hospitality, Texas barbecue, New England seafood, or New Orleans Cajun cuisine are examples of regional fare that those from other parts of the country or the world may be novices at preparing.

Today there are lots of specialty diet books, which tell people how to cut the fat but keep the flavor, make desserts without sugar, be a healthy vegetarian, or make low-carbohydrate meals. If you or someone you know is starting a lifestyle-changing regime, a targeted cookbook can be a thoughtful and appreciated gift. Eating like a caveman, like a rabbit, or like a fruit-bat is not instinctive for humans, after all.

There are many fun cooking guides for kids, with safe recipes to make alone like no-bake cookies or easy ones to fix under supervision, like grilled cheese or jello squares. Older people who meed to change their eating habits will appreciate new ideas. Healthy eating may be hard for those who can't tell spinach from lettuce or who have never broiled anything. All of these people could benefit from the right cookbook.

A gift of a crock-pot makes a great housewarming or wedding present, and if a specialized cookbook is included, it's even better. Blenders or panini grills are also fun, and many people have never experimented with them. Guidance in using any new appliance will always be appreciated. Even those who have all the gadgets will enjoy new ideas on using them.

Everyone should learn how to prepare food for its flavor as well as its nutritive value. We all could use some new ideas to get out of the food ruts we're in. The right introduction to new foods, new methods, or new implements can make a useful, thoughtful gift that keeps on giving.




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