The Fireside Cook Book: A Complete Guide to Fine Cooking for Beginner and Expert

This cookbook is a reprint of a 1949 cook book may bring back memories for you. I like this book as it includes the original artwork from this time and this really brings a lot of charm to this book. This aside, you can take a glimse into what made James Beard a man to be praised. I like this book because there is a lot of extra information in this book. As he discusses each ingredient he tells you different ideas and different styles for the same ingredient. I find this helpful is gathering new ideas for cooking. Now some recipes are definately no longer contemporary, but they are often tasty. This book is definately scratch cooking at its best. This book is worth picking up if you want to expand your cooking repitoire.

I found this masterpiece in my local bookstore today and could not pass it up. The recipes look like lots of fun; the illustrations are lively, amusing, beguiling and perfect companions to James Beard's straight forward, down-to-earth presentation. The book itself, originally published in 1949, serves as a time-capsule full of insights into both yesterday and today's culinary worlds. As an added bonus, tonight I discovered that the book jacket is folded double and opens up into a large poster of farm/food/tidbits! I've never seen that before! The un-jacketed book looks lovely with artwork from the illustrators on the cover. This is a delightful, interesting, and absolutely useful book.

Okay, folks, the message here is clear and completely Beard. If you don't get it by now, starting at James' beginning may not help. The recipes are dated, yet some are so classic, we just need to be reminded how much fun tradition CAN be. However, if you don't get his theme - always use the freshest, highest quality in season ingredients to get outstanding results, don't waste your time and money on this nostalgic trip. If you admire the man, his message and your memories, get the book and just read it for the historical pleasure, but beware, his siren song is seductive and the techniques are too easy and clearly written to pass by without a try. Is this book necessary in your library? Perhaps not, but it IS fun, quite well-written and worth the perusal as an homage to a simpler time of entertaining in the earlier 1950's.

In my opinion this is one of the greatest cookbooks out there. What I especially love is the quirky illustrations that go along with the recipes. The cover opens up to a 4 panel chart which is also great! This would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys food and/or art.

This wonderful edition of The Fireside Cookbook is a reprint of the book that made James Beard famous. Would be chefs will rejoice with the illustrations provided by Alice and Martin Provensen."