The Cook's Companion
by Stephanie Alexander
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A fully updated edition with new recipes and entries celebrating 30 years of Australia's favourite cookbook - over half a million copies sold. 'Anyone who cooks - or eats - needs this book.' Nigella Lawson. 'A must-have' Jamie Oliver.Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
I bought this when it first came out and then I bought the second edition as well. Perhaps this will speak better than words as to the estimation with which I hold The Cook’s Companion.
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
I bought this when it first came out and then I bought the second edition as well. Perhaps this will speak better than words as to the estimation with which I hold The Cook’s Companion.
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
I bought this when it first came out and then I bought the second edition as well. Perhaps this will speak better than words as to the estimation with which I hold The Cook’s Companion.
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
Still. I like words, and I’m a bit shocked to discover that I’ve never written about this book. It is, in my opinion as the chief household cook, as a person who loves to read cookbooks, and as a bookseller of cookbooks over the years, one of those classics which will be with us in a hundred years’ time.
The aim of the author was to appeal to ordinary folk and so it is full of things that anybody can do. Its Australian bent discusses food from that local perspective, ingredients by class, what one should and shouldn’t, can and can’t do with show more them. Its generous layout permits margin notes, small ideas which are as important to the book as the more lavish recipes which take most of the page. Grate apple, says one such note. Breakfast is strong toast, generously buttered, with the apple on top. Cinnamon, of course. I discovered this in a period where I didn’t eat sugar and it was a revelation as a simple, healthy dessert breakfast. Alternatively, I discovered, mash banana and have it the same way instead. This book is not about slavishly follow it, you will also think for yourself. One thing will come from another.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/the-cooks-companion-by-st... show less
A classic. If there's something I fancy making and I don't how to do it, this is the recipe book I go to first. Organised by ingredient, it is thorough and easy to use.
I love this book. It is the greatest cook book in my collection. When I have an excess of say, carrots, in my garden, I don't stress about what to do with them, I simply open this book at carrots and I have a huge variety of yummy and interesting dishes to try my hand at. This is a great book for new cooks and old.
Wonderful recipes from "down under." Although we don't have a lot of kangaroo in the US, she provides a wonderful variety of recipes from the best of Australian cuisine plus the taste of other ethnic cooking from Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim. I bought this just as we moved back from Australia to the US and have not regretted having it.
In the words of Keith Floyd:"Totally Brilliant". This is the one book all chefs in Australia would have on their bookshelf. It does not claim to be an encyclopaedia but it is difficult to imagine what might be missing. Next to the Shorter OED this is a book for the desert island.
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Author Information
35+ Works 1,495 Members
Stephanie Alexander ran the acclaimed Stephanie's Restaurant, which was the recipient of many national and international awards and regarded as an essential Melbourne experience, for twenty-one years. She closed the restaurant to concentrate on new ventures and writing. With her daughter Lisa Montague, friend Angela Clemens and cheese expert Will show more Studd, she opened the popular Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder in 1997 show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1996
- Dedication
- In memory of my mother, Mary Burchett
- First words
- I learnt to cook at my mother's side, and the images of her that have stayed with me(and that still bring a feeling of loss almost 20 years after her death) include Mum bent in front of the Aga oven scooping baked potatoes in... (show all)to her apron, shaping bread rolls for dinner, forking rough troughs in the mashed potato on top of the shepherd's pie, slipping a slice of butter under the crust of Grandma's bramble cake, or in full beekeeper's outfit setting out to gather the honey from the hive.
- Disambiguation notice
- There are two different editions of The Cook's Companion - the first edition from the 90s with an orange cover (ISBN 0670863734 / 9780670863730/ 0670911828) and second edition with the striped cover (ISBN 1920989013 / 1920989... (show all)005). There are significant differences in content between the 2 editions.
Classifications
- Genres
- Food & Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 641.300994 — Applied science & technology Home economics & family management Food, Cooking & Recipes / Meals, Picnics Food History, geographic treatment, biography
- LCC
- TX349 .A233 — Technology Home economics Home economics Nutrition. Foods and food supply
Statistics
- Members
- 255
- Popularity
- 126,638
- Reviews
- 8
- Rating
- (4.74)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 1
