The Kitchen Companion

This book was a gift to us from a few years ago. We refer to it all the time for cooking times, temperatures, etc. My favorite part is the substitutions list. Very informative, very helpful. It's a staple of our kitchen. We liked it so much, we bought it as a wedding present for some friends.

A mark of a good cookbook is how worn it is (and how splotchy, flour-y and bendable) My Kitchen Companion is covered with flour, oil spots, and opens right up to the Basic Pancake recipe.Polly Clingerman is a marvel at explaining the most simple recipes without being patronizing (like for scrambled eggs) and the most ingenious delicacies without being complicated (like delices savoyardes). This book has saved me many frenzied trips to the grocery store because she includes many substitution tables (how to convert all-purpose flour into self-rising flour, for instance). It's also saved many meals that could have been ruined by adding too much salt or baking too long (she recommends adding a lot of whipped cream to burned desserts!).All in all, this has been a tremendous resource in every sense of the word, filled with over 100 yummy recipes and many more cooking tips. I can't wait to see what else she has written.

I love this book. I've been cooking for 20 years, but found there were still plenty of gaps in my knowledge. This book fills those gaps. It's a terrific reference on everything from correct temperature to cook the "new pork" to microwaving to herb substitutions. I'm buying a copy for my sister for Christmas. I know this is one gift she will love.

I got this book as a gift and it's been such a wonderful resource in my own kitchen, that I've given it to several people as well. Almost any kitchen question you may have is answered in this terrific book.

This book taught me more about cooking than 20 years experience had. It contains discussions and explanations of problems that can arise, along with solutions (or disguises, if there are no solutions). Each type of food is covered in a separate chapter, rather than being an alphabetical listing of short tips like the "Tiptionary". An excellent reference for any cook, and a great read for those interested in WHY the souffle falls ...