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From: withrow@tonto.DEC (Robert Withrow)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: cookbook suggestions...
Message-ID: <1034@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Oct-85 12:51:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1034
Posted: Thu Oct 24 12:51:44 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Oct-85 03:43:55 EDT
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Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
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>Probably the ultimate "safe" cookebook is the (in)famous "Joy
>of Cooking".  It has taken many lumps over the years for being
>"bland", "uninteresting", "overratted", but it is safe, safe, SAFE.

I disagree!!!  I have a love-hate relationship with that cookbook, because
while it has many excellent features (the `about' sections and the `foods
we eat' and `foods we heat' sections) I've found that it has quite a few
errors (both typographical and other) that can destroy a dish.  And many of
these errors seem to persist from edition to edition.  Therefore I wouldn't
recommend serving anything from it to anyone important unless you have cooked
it once before.

Not long ago, late one night after a long session of programming, I was making
a pate brisee from the recipe in Joy, and (while it seems dumb now) I followed
the instructions and added 3 cups water to 3 cups flour (look it up, it was
still in the editions I saw in a book store recently).  After surveying the
mess I calmly ripped the beautiful hard bound book into several pieces, threw
them away, and went to the local tavern.

Strictly from the criterion of `safety' I have found vintage '55-'65 Betty
Crocker books to be the best, although they always seem to over cook things
by 20%.