I'm very interested in learning more, mostly tips and techniques, shortcuts, basic principles, sauces, and some baking chemistry. I'm not interested in a food service career.

I've checked the culinary academies in the greater Los Angeles area and have not found one that is geared to people like me. For obvious reasons, they all offer full-time programs for people who intend to go into the profession. I'm retured and just want to be a better cook and baker.

I would make do with books, if I knew what to buy, but the professional ones, the ones that are used in the academies, aren't available to consumers like me.


Any suggestions?

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:13 pm: Edit

Adelie, this is a very busy week for me but give me until mid-week next and i'll get back to you.
we are in the same town.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:13 pm: Edit

Uhhh - make that "retired" - sorry!

By Adelie (Adelie) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:14 pm: Edit

Thanks, Spike. I'll look forward to your response.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 08:33 am: Edit

Spike is just trying to get leads you know??? So beware!!!!

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:18 am: Edit

lol manny.
You probably won't find a basics course like you are wanting to take. I too looked into that before, and w/ no luck(dallas area). Books will do nicely, but hands on is waay better. Have you tried looking at some smaller colleges and not the "name brand" culinary schools?

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:27 am: Edit

Check out Vocational schools

By Adelie (Adelie) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:48 am: Edit

OK, I'll widen my search. Any suggestions for books to search out?

Thanks for the tips!

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 06:06 pm: Edit

On Cooking, Professional; Baking are both good

By Adelie (Adelie) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 07:13 pm: Edit

I'm sorry, Manny - I don't understand if those are names of two books or...? "On Cooking"? "Professional Baking"? Are those the titles? Where can I find them?

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Yes, those are the titles, they are text books.
Check on the web they are cheaper then at stores!
Amazon, E-bay....etc.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 02:05 pm: Edit

Wow - a search for "On Cooking" generated more than 3500 hits - who is the author?

And "Professional Baking" came up with about 35 hits, with lots of them by Wayne Gisslen - no way of knowing what the differences are between the ones that sell for $20 and $64.

This may be more complicated than I thought!

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 02:26 pm: Edit

Labensky and Hause wrote On Cooking
Gisslen wrote Pro. Baking
The difference in price is that the book may be used.
The book comes with a workbook, sometimes sold bundled or separately, check the one you buy; $65 is the price for the On Cooking, new.
The workbook is about $20
The baking book is about $40-55

By Adelie (Adelie) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 02:53 pm: Edit

OK, thanks for the information!

By Kinglear (Kinglear) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 08:52 pm: Edit

You should also check out "Cookwise" by Shirley Corriher. She gives you a real understanding of why foods behave the way they do and recipes that can give you that extra edge. It's written so that anyone can understand the priciples and apply it to their cooking.

By Corey (Corey) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 09:40 pm: Edit

I have some leftover college edition cookbooks from when I was teaching. I still have these titles, the Pro Baking and Pro Cooking have workbooks, and the Pro Cooking also has a cdrom with it.

Here is what I have left:
CIA - Professional Chef, 7th Edition
Gisslen - Professional Cooking, 4th Edition
Gisslen - Professional Baking, 3rd Edition

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 10:33 am: Edit

Adelie,
here is one, it's basic, it most likely has stuff you already know but i think it will take you to the next step.
Paula Beck, "The art of fine baking"...you can get this cheap in fact theres one on e-bay right now for about 3.00 bucks.
I don't know if you want to know chemistry of baking, or if you want to learn in the depth that a pro. learns. not that the books the guys have been telling you to get are wrong, I don't know the gisslen line of books nor do i know shirley corrihers book, but i have always tried to get a wide selection of books and writers. it also matters to me if the people writting the books have cooked or baked and at what level they did it at. another good line is the gourmet mags. if you have the money, try to get the past years before they got all glittzey and pompus. gourmet was excellent in the 70's and early 80's.
if you want to read some good books on different foods from a great writer, find books from Mary Fisher, she wrote about her travels, ect and did a nice job writting about food she had from other countries. if i think of more i'll let you know.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 11:52 am: Edit

Wow - lots of resources here. I'm interested in the professional resources because I think that's where the chemistry and hard information lie - you certainly don't get it in the books in my kitchen. I assume that when you go to culinary school, you learn what this does and what that does and what the impact of this is on that and what works and what doesn't... That's what I want to know, without having to commit two years and $25K to it. Most of the cookbooks aimed at the consumer level don't contain that kind of information. Beranbaum's "Cake Bible" comes closest, but even that doesn't have it all.

I have all of Mary Frances Fisher's books and have read them all; she's an amazing writer and her food sensibilities (and writing ability) are what I aspire to.

Corey, are you selling your books?

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 11:43 am: Edit

Oncooking Labensky Hause 3rd edition. That's what I got last semester at school. I'm sure the baking book of the same name is just as great. These books provide everything you want to know. My book came w/ a study guide and a cd-rom to stick on the comp. The cd-rom is awesome as well...
I'd definatly purchase these on the net as you will save a bundle. The school charged me 100bucks or something ridiculous

By Corey (Corey) on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 11:44 pm: Edit

sure, I think I have 6 or more of each left.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 01:01 pm: Edit

OK, Corey, so I sent you payment on Feb. 5 and still don't have my books, and you haven't responded to my last four e-mails in which I asked for either a refund of my $58.75 or the UPS tracking number.

What's up with that?

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 01:10 pm: Edit

Oooohhhhhhhh!!!!!!