Kitchen Survival Guide

June 15, 1992
The thought of her grown son unarmed in an empty kitchen prompted Brody ( Cooking with Memories ) to write this wisecracking encyclopedia of first-kitchen recipes and advice. In part one, ``Welcome to Your Kitchen,'' she leads neophytes through the basics of appliances, organization and equipment in sections that discuss how to defrost a refrigerator (with trays of hot water, not a hair dryer); when bulk shopping is not cost-effective; how to clean lettuce; and why the first great Rule of the Kitchenstet is ``Everything has its place.'' Unfussy charts on meat temperatures, cooking terms and substitutions are useful, providing easy access to information that even practiced cooks forget. Part two, ``135sic Recipes to Get You Through Life,'' spans a family's lifetime repertoire, from macaroni and cheese to brisket. More modern recipes include brown rice Creole shrimp and strawberries with raspberry sauce. This is a good supplement to the traditional first cookbook, which may daunt a new cook. The only drawback may be Brody's tone: her brassy one-liners and admonitions will seem either amusing and practical or talky and slightly condescending.

May 15, 1992
"Kitchen illiteracy" is on the rise, and Brody's guide could serve as the perfect antidote. Designed for those with little or no cooking knowledge, her book describes appliances as basic as the refrigerator (how to defrost the freezer), discusses how to shop (buy the ice cream last), describes setting the table and washing dishes, and explains how to begin to cook (how to measure, read a recipe, and tell when "it's done"). The recipes are correspondingly uncomplicated, usually for those on a limited budget, and accompanied by checklists on preparation and making ahead, freezing, leftovers, and more. There are other basic cooking guides around, but this is a particularly engaging one.

Copyright 1992 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.