What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers -- book just came out, but she has a pretty extensive Substack with recipes and a weekly email with a new recipe. I've had success with her recipes -- they tend to be pretty simple, use a minimum amount of dishes, and I've learned some new techniques (e.g., roasting gnocchi on a sheet pan with dollops of italian sausage and veggies in various combos -- easy and delicious!)

I learned to cook from The New Best Recipe Cookbook by Cook’s illustrated. It explains EVERYTHING and breaks it down into step-by-step science. Never had a bad meal from that book (and when I started I didn’t know how to boil an egg.)

“Twelve Recipes” by cal Peternell

Dad’s Own Cookbook— it’s absolutely excellent. I’ve given copies to several people who wanted to learn to cook well, and they’ve liked it.

Molly Baz - Cook This Book. She’s annoying, but her recipes are pretty easy to follow. The book even has QR codes pointing to videos of different cooking techniques.

Anonymous wrote: Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. America's Test Kitchen.

Yep. I never learned to cook either, and the Bittman book is what I've learned from.

Anonymous wrote: Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. America's Test Kitchen.

I can't cook and read Mark's How to Cook Everything book and it was too advanced for me. I needed to read a book that comes before that one. Like a dummies edition.

I agree with How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

I also like old cooking shows from Jacques Pepin, Giada DeLaurentiis, Nigella Lawson, and Ina Garten.

I'd recommend some YouTube Videos. I like the ones that focus on showing what you do with your hands like Food Wishes or Basics with Babish.

Hands on cooking is the best start. Try Cookology, Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table.

Anonymous wrote:Take cooking classes

I’ve considered this! Any recommendations for classes? I am aware of Cookology in Ballston.

When I was starting I learned a lot following Alton brown recipes. His stuff is simpler and more about the methods rather some silly over complicated way of doing things.

Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. America's Test Kitchen.

Take cooking classes

I never learned to cook growing up, and it was not until earlier this year that I have taken a real interest in it and have started getting more comfortable cooking a solid rotation of meals from scratch. (Spurred by a weight loss journey and a new job that gave me some more free time in the kitchen, as well as my oldest reaching an age where I’d like to make family dinner a priority.)

Despite having a good set of recipes my immediate family enjoys, I am not that confident in cooking for other people / for holidays / etc. I would love a good book to help me improve my skills and better understand the fundamentals.

I saw Salt Fat Acid Heat recommended in another thread. Other books or resources people would suggest?