Customer Reviews

The Minimalist Cooks at Home: Recipes That Give You More Flavor from Fewer Ingredients in Less Time

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

These are great cookbooks (this and his other minimalist cookbook). Not only are the recipes fast, delicious, and simple, the flavors are clear, interesting, and distinct. My husband tends to cook dense, stew-like, Moosewood Cookbook concoctions, which I don't like at all. Now he cooks from Bittman's cookbooks, and dinner is much more interesting. We have tons of cookbooks, and these are definately my favorite.

I have constantly butted heads with any whisper of authoritarian tone, especially in regards to the kitchen. Since I don't work in the sizzling madness of a four-star restaurant under an iron gaze, I prefer a more relaxed ambience in my kitchen.

The fabulous thing about this book is that it dissects the fundamentals of good cooking - no matter what the cuisine. Ingredients that are in their prime and of the highest quality, a basic understanding of what's staring at you from the kitchen counter or refrigerator, and the willingness to experiment and trust your innate (yes, we all have to a certain degree) gastronomic intuition.

Cookbook authors are most often restaurant professionals whose idiosynchratic personalities make them interesting points in the culinary universe, but all too often intimidate the average cook with a heavy-handed emphasis on tradition/precision and mind-boggling lexicon. Bittman's casual approach and culinary flexibility put the reader at ease enough to enjoy the actual process and the significant results from their modest efforts.

For the seasoned cook in purusit of a new perspective or for the willing amateur, approach the recipes without the obligatory pre-recipe tension. Bittman will effortlessly guide you along the way with useful insight on his triumphs and errors and how to make do with several options, even if it seems like you can't.

The only cookbook that I regularly use, which makes it the best I have ever purchased by a long way. "Minimalist at home" works because in the process of stripping dishes down to their essentials, Bittman can explain how the dish functions. By this, I mean that he explains the roles of the different ingredients, and why leaving one out doesn't work. Once you know the basic function of an ingredient in the context of that recipe (e.g. vinegar as acid to balance sweetness), his recommendations for substitutes now make sense.

The result is a book that not only suits weekday cooking (because you can typically use what you have in the fridge), but also increases your confidence and flair as a cook. You build your confidence by successfully substituting ingredients, and coming up with your own ideas for enhancements to dishes. This is a cookbook where you learn structure and principles that can be applied to all cooking -- unlike most cookbooks where you must slavishly follow the ingredients and method without understanding why they work.

A book that strips recipes to their essentials does rely more on the quality of the ingredients. The extra expense to buy good, flavorful free-range chicken, for example, rather than the cheaper-but-flavorless anaemic supermarket version really pays off. If you are not prepared to do this, you will not get as much out of the book.

I have cooked a large number of the recipes from the book and only a couple were misses -- "Chicken with vinegar" was disappointing, for example. But friends who come round for dinner rave about dishes like "Chicken under a brick", which is fantastic as well as being quick and easy to make.

I have bought copies of this book for friends who like to cook, and they love it too. You should buy it!

This book has the same appeal as Bittman's NYTimes column. It's great when you want a different and quick recipe, but don't want to pore through a thick cooking encyclopedia to find one. This is a handy, small volume in keeping with the handy, small recipes it contains.

I'm a busy person who used to love to cook for hours on end. It didn't matter if dinner was served at 9:30 p.m. if it was going to be really good. Then I had a baby. I don't do prepared foods (too scary) or have many options for take out (small town). Bittman's book is a godsend for busy people who still want flavorful food cooked with care in a short period of time.

Most helpful are his suggestions at the end of every recipe that let the cook know which ingredient substitutions or spice/flavoring substitutions will work with the master recipe. He also understands that we do not always have every exotic ingredient on hand, so he makes reasonable suggestion on how to maximize flavor and still get dinner on the table in time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am buying a few copies for friends who share my passion for good food and don't have as much time for preparation as they would like.

for someone like me whose eyes glaze over when there are more than 4 ingredients. The recipes in this book are simple but elegant. I want to try nearly all of them and I hate to cook! The key is flavorful food without tedium. There are lots of alternatives to try with each recipe. I'm off to find his other books!

I've picked up a lot of cookbooks over the years and put them down when I realize the authors think I'm interested in committing HOURS to making dinner, or that I have a two page list of ingredients ready and waiting in the pantry.

All culinary excellence aside (see below) these recipes give a clear idea of prep time, cooking time, and interesting substitutions. In the year that I've owned this book I've made at least 30 recipes from it. None have been too tricky for my low-to-middling skills, and none have given me an ugly surprise. That is commendation enough!

However, lest I leave this book with that pale recommendation, let me say that Bittman is endlessly interesting; I've learned a lot from him, especially from the suggested substitutions after each recipe. If you like a recipe one way, he offers ingredients to toy with - other meats to try the same spices on and other spices to substitute.

I really love Mark Bittman's approach to cooking, in general, and to cooking a quick and delicious dinner, specifically. My copy of this book looks much older than it is, thanks to the wine and broth stains on its pages, the notes to myself ("this was superb!! serve it with fresh cantaloupe and a green salad"), and the dog-eared pages. Everyone who cooks just for him- or herself needs to have it on the cookbook shelf, and it is a great resource for families too--whether you are a working family who needs to get something wonderful on the table very quickly, or whether you have the luxury of someone staying at home. I've satisfied my family with weeks of dinners out of this cookbook, and impressed a friend with a gourmet dinner made from these recipes. I think I've tried all the recipes in this book and loved them all, with one exception. The spaghetti cooked in red wine just looked like earthworms.....sorry, Mark. I guess you can only nail it 99.999999% of the time. What a great cookbook.

Nearly all these recipes can also be found in his big yellow book "How to Cook Everything," but it's worth buying this one for itself. There are extra notes on dressing up the recipes in dozens of ways, and some recipes can only be found here and not in the yellow book. With Bittman on your shelf, dinner will be wonderful, fast, and healthy. Guaranteed.

Mark Bittman does a wonderful job of bringing interesting ingredients and simple techniques together to make great-tasting dishes in a minimum amount of time. He fosters a spirit of experimentation with his suggestions for quick variations on the recipes. Most importantly, his "minimalist" approach demonstrates the truth about great cooking: the best flavors are in the food; don't muck around much with it and you'll do OK.

Mark's clear writing style makes the recipes easy to understand and his introductions often show the thought process he went through in stripping an idea for a dish down to its minimalist presentation.

I've often pulled this book off the shelf, paged through to find three or four recipes that sound interesting, made a shopping trip and threw together a fantastic meal in an hour or so. With the help of this book and implementing Mark's philosophy in other dishes, I've increased my reputation as a great cook among my friends.

Many have suggested Mark's "How to Cook Everything" book. I found that book too daunting upon first perusal. I don't want to cook "everything." I just want a few dishes that I can turn into consistant favorites. This book was perfect for me and I highly recommend it. Perhaps when I'm looking to expand into some odd dishes, I'll pick up "Everything;" for now this book holds more than enough.

I am a cookbook enthusiast. I love cookbooks, love to cook. Plus I work and have a 2 year old. I have no TIME to cook - therefore making this book a fairly good pick for me.
Bittman presents fairly simply but flavorful recipies that can be easily produced in short order. Many recipies include ingredients that are easily kept on hand or found quickly at the store. My favorite aspect of the book is the variations that can be quickly and easily selected to vary the recipie. For example, Linguine with Garlic and Oil; variations: with chickpeas... with chiles... with parsely... with olives... with fresh herbs...
Not every recipie is everyday (Lobster? for my 2 year old?) - but there is opportunity for company entertaining there.