Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I don't have a story like SilverSage's but I also started with a BH&G cookbook at my sister's house when I spent the summers with her.

SS,
Wow, thanks for sharing. I had an old green cookbook(alot like the ATK notebook style) and also the BHG(around the 1978 version; it looks the same).

Great story SS,

Along that line, I do not recommend the Nick Jr. cookbook for any child over 6.

Tim, if you get that Heston book let us know how it is. the reviews on amazon didn't give me a feeling either way.

I actually have orders in for both the Heston book and the Marion Cunningham book. I found very inexpensive used copies of both and am curious. I will have to get rid of two books from my shelf to make room, but I'm carrying some dead weight (this isn't so much because of limited space as my own rule for myself-I have too many cookbooks). I promise to report back on both.

SilverSage-thanks for sharing your story. I asked for advice exactly because I want to avoid dumbing it down. I basically learned to cook from JoC as a kid because I wanted to learn. I want to offer my kids the experience you got with a somewhat gentler approach. There are thousands of cooking with kids books, most of which are awful. What I'm looking for is good information, presented simply, and a list of recipes that they are likely to want to eat, all in one place. A guy on another board actually suggested fresh pasta as a great kid-friendly dinner. I would never have thought of it, but I absolutely agree. With egg pasta, you've got your starch and protein already, plus it is very much like playing with play-doh, which every kid has experience with. And you get to say you made your own noodles. The two books I ordered looked like they might fit what I am looking for-good, modern recipes for things kids might want to eat.

I can tell you that fish meuniere is another thing I am going to teach them. I keep Tilapia fillets in the freezer because they are quick to thaw and make a quick, healthy meal that the kids just love.

SilverSage,

Great story, you should send it to Lenore Skenazy over at Free Range Kids. I bet she'd love it.

Send it to BH&G!

Tim, I was at Costco tonight and saw this book http://www.amazon.com/River-Cottage-Family-Cookbook/dp/1580089259/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300329946&sr=8-2 and it looked good. I regret not getting it, will have to go back and grab one. What I particularly liked was it had a lot of side stories and in depth technique explanations. reviews on amazon look great too.

I have received both of the books now and am actually very pleased with both.

The Marion Cunningham book is very simple, and written as a tutorial. She starts with a very simple recipe (vegetable soup) and works her way up to roasting chicken, baking a pie and a cake, and some other more complicated things, using each as a vehicle to teach technique. The book is written at a level that an average 5th grader should have no trouble reading it and focuses on simple, kid-friendly foods.

The Heston Blumenthal book is much more technical, clearly written for the parent, and actually very interesting. There is a great section on the science of taste. The recipes are much more adventurous and are good for stretching a child's palate (he has a picture of his daughters eating mussels, for instance).

I am not sure how many of the recipes from these books I'll end up using. For instance, the Cunningham book has mac and cheese and pizza recipes. I have other recipes that I prefer and would probably use if my kids want to make those things. But I like having the books to give them for brainstorming. Our first cooking night last week was a huge success. They wanted to make tacos and each had ideas of what they wanted in them so we had MYO taco night. I am collecting the recipes that we make together. I made a cookbook for family once (mostly slightly altered versions of published recipes), and I am considering trying to write something some day. Even if I never publish it, having recipes written down in digital form makes sharing much easier. And it is the recipes I make up as I go along that are the hardest to remember to include when I do something like that, so writing them down is a great help.

I just need to remember to take Amy's advice and take lots and lots of pictures...