This cookbook is notable for a couple of reasons. It was the first trade paperback original cookbook ever published in the U.S. (1956) and of all of James Beard's 20 or so books, the most popular according to the James Beard Society website. Since its original publication it has been revised a few times and is now in it's third edition.

Sometimes less is more, especially when you're a novice cook who doesn't want to spend an inordinate amount of time on complex recipes. I have a number of large, hardcover cookbooks I have bought over the years but I have on more than one occasion opened them and become so overwhelmed with the sheer number of recipes, the sheer minutae of information and the complex nature of some of the recipes that I have quickly put them back on the shelf and gone back to making some standard dish of mine I had already made many times before. The impressive this about Beard's book is that you will find the basic, standard recipe's for such Italian dishes as polenta and risotto (for example) described in the simplest manner possible without being overwhelmed with an entire chapter on the history and variations of that dish as some books confront you with. There is a time and place for such detail but I'm finding this is the cookbook I pull of the shelf most frequently when trying out a new dish.

There is an excellent entry on beans that can be applied to practically any legumes out there from garbanzos to pintos to gigantes (giant Greek beans). Once you have the basics committed to memory you can start experimentng with more complex variations. The same can be said for most of the other chapters.

Beard writes with wonderful clarity and wit and I can now see why this cookbook has such avid fans. My only regret is that Beard himself (a closeted gay man) didn't live to experience a time when he could feel comfortable stepping out of his own personal closet.

Everyone ought to have at least one cookbook that covers basic recipes for just about anything you may have to cook. And this is the one I recommend. You can be staring at a cut of meat, or a fish fillet. Or wondering what cheese and wine to serve with fresh fruit. Or trying to guess how to make a cheese fondue. Or a pie for dessert. This is the book that will help you do it all. The recipes are not particularly fancy, nor are they exotic, but they're safe.

I really wanted to add a James Beard book to my collection of cookbooks and this one always got great reviews. It does have some excellent recipes, mostly classical dishes and some old world classics like Moussaka and Hungarian Goulash. It explains the techniques very well. Where I was dissappointed was in the number of recipes; there are too many variations and too few unique recipes. Also, some of the recipes are very very basic, such as omelette making or a London Broil. I would have liked some more interesting cuisine. Still, I am keeping it as it is a good reference book with some standard classical dishes in one volume: Pot au Feu, Yorkshire Pudding, Goulash.

Still using a small-format paperback copy of the original edition that we got 25 years ago! We are now replacing that copy with a better one, since our old eyes are having a little trouble with the small print, and since we want a book that lays open more easily when we are cooking.

Beard, along with Mark Bittman, are the the only two cookbooks for Americans that tell you how to do virtually any common task. If you aren't sure how to fix a particular food (or dish) they will tell you very clearly and quickly. Recipes are not particularly slavish, but suggest ready substitutions.

Some of the first things we learned from Beard how to make were omelets with herbs, red pasta sauce, chili with beans, and steaks seared in a hot frying pan. We know these sound very basic, but we still find them to be staples in our household and for company because they are so delicious.

When we first married, we used the Better Homes and Garden cookbook successfully to get started (it has pictures!) but Beard and Bittman are better for cooks with even the slightest experience (i.e., those who can find the kitchen!)

We have (and have discarded) lots of other cookbooks, but Beard will always be right at hand for quick reference.

Although the cover fell off my copy years ago, I still use the book. It only makes sense there's no cover. After all, my cookbook is a first printing from about forty years ago, and was passed on through at least two other families before making its way to me.

This book covers the basics of North American/western European cuisine. I learned how to make killer omelettes (plain, or oven-puffed with cheese sauce) with this, and my terrified-of-the-kitchen hubby learned to make a delicious ham supper. Whenever I'm sick and can't cook but we're expecting company, he always goes for this particular cookbook. If he can't find it, he whinges ferociously. None of my other books are as clear and concise, I guess.

The James Beard Cookbook is an excellent book for anyone. For the absolute novice, it details the best ways to cook bacon and eggs. For the kitchen maestro, it explains numerous sauce and souffle techniques. So, if you're looking for a good basic cookbook for yourself or for a lost-in-the-kitchen bachelor(ette), I strongly recommend this book.