From School Library Journal:
Grade 5-7-Fannie Farmer has come a long way from the creamed eggs and stewed vegetables of yore. As Scobey writes in the introduction, "The world of food has changed dramatically...." There are new tools, products, and attitudes; there is more interest in international cooking and more attention being paid to health. What's left of the original book's approach is the good description of basic principles and recipes. "Cooking know-how" includes a helpful discussion of ingredients (including amounts of meat and fish recommended per serving), tools that may or may not be needed, terms that may be misunderstood by beginners, handy tips, and safety pointers. All are clear and to the point; the author understands that readers want to get to the preparations as soon as possible. The 119 recipes and their variations are all made from scratch, and are healthy without being extreme. Microwave instructions are given not as a way of life, but as a possible contribution to the goodness of the dish being prepared. Patience Brewster's pen-and-ink drawings are a pleasant addition. Sara and Zachary Williamson's Kids Cook! (Williamson, 1992) is a comparable, current cookbook for this age group. It's more folksy and fun, but not as basic and comprehensive as this one.
Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist:
Gr. 6-10. Scobey has adapted one of the bibles of basic good cooking to reflect today's busy life-styles and time-saving techniques. With new young cooks in mind, she has taken particular care to define and illustrate cooking terms and various appliances, baking pans, and other kitchen tools. She also thoughtfully includes precautions and miscellaneous but valuable cooking and menu selection tips. Recipes for classic soups, pie crusts, biscuits, baked chicken, and chocolate chip cookies share space with instructions for making pesto, pasta sauces, hot dogs, and hamburgers to cover a range of traditional and contemporary tastes. All recipes begin with a list of necessary ingredients and equipment, followed by numbered steps for successful preparation. Most of the dishes are quite simple; a few, such as "Vegetable Lasagna Roll-ups," require numerous steps but are nonetheless tempting and achievable. The attractively designed pages are laced with delicate drawings of herbs, flowers, fruits, and other foods, a tantalizing enhancement to a promising cookbook. Ellen Mandel
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