Cookbooks

[lotusbiosm]

So, with the remaining money on my Barnes and Noble gift card, I was thinking about buying myself a cookbook. What do you think:
The Joy of Cooking or The Betty Crocker Cookbook?

EDIT: Based on A) the votes here and B)the fact that my father will be bringing a (probably very old) copy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook when the parents come to visit, I have ordered a copy of The Joy of Cooking from Barnes and Noble online, and it is being shipped to me.

Comments

[shaysdays.livejournal.com]

The Betty Crocker Cookbook comes in handy for recipes, the other for theory. Take yer pick!

[lotusbiosm.livejournal.com]

Well, I talked to my Dad, and we have the Betty Crocker Cookbook at home (granted, probably an old edition), and so he's bringing it next time the parents come to visit (as well as some other cookbooks), so it looks like it's going to be The Joy of Cooking. I think I'd rather have theory anyway- I often change recipes because there are ingredients I don't want. I like recipes for giving me cooking times and temperatures, as well as a general idea of ratios and such. And for the first time making something so that I know what it should look like and such. E.g.- I made a cucumber yogurt sauce and used a recipe the first time, but I wouldn't need it to make it again.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I have a couple of the old-school Betty Crocker ones, and they're weeeiird after, like, 40 years. They've got captions like, "This is the way men like their onions," and honestly? They're fun to read, but the one I have, I don't think I'd make anything in it. My friend got me a page-a-day Joy of Cooking calendar this past Christmas, and that's true, it is better for instruction. Both're fun, though. :-D

-Kellie

[loungeact.livejournal.com]

joy of cooking is way classier and more classic. clear choice.

*e.

Joy of Cooking

[eredien]

Joy of Cooking is more generally helpful: want to try a new cut of meat and don't know how to cook it? Joy will list the ways that meat can be cooked and what it does to the taste and texture of the food and then gives you wonderful changeable recipies if you need to even look any up. Other cookbooks, I have found, tend to say, "in this recipie you roast the meat, in this one you fry it."

I like also just reading Joy; it's one of the best cookbooks for actual education about food I've seen (I've read a lot of cookbooks; it's an occupational hazard for the kind of person who always needs to read something in the morning and often doesn't have a new book in the house).

[drdeadringer.livejournal.com]

I think you will cook with joy, with Joy Of Cooking. I vote this. Now this is Law, Good and True.

By This We Shall Live, Harmony And Peace.

[audreybelle.livejournal.com]

I have Betty Crocker, and pretty much use it for basics- how long to steam what veggies etc. I would probably get Joy of Cooking- seems like it would be a better long term bet.

[(Anonymous)]

joy of cooking
and you'll be a joyous cook with it!

[lotusbiosm.livejournal.com]

Hello anonymous commenter. Who might you be? (The magic IP logging isn't helping)