Am I wasting my time doing this

[culinarian247]

I went out and got a few books. In addition to Professional Cooking and Professional Baking (school books) I have Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques. I can confidently say I have half of Professional Cooking memorized. I just read it like any other book except I won't turn the page until I KNOW what I just read. My goal is to know these books front to back, inside and out. My question is do you think it's wasting time trying to memorize these books? If not I am moving on to The Sauce Bible and Garde Manger: The Art and Craft if the Cold Kitchen next. My order of study is:

1: The Professional Chef and Professional Baking (school)
2: Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques
3: The Sauce Bible
4: Garde Manger

I wish I had 150 cookbooks too but I'm working on it.

Good luck paizan @ CIA. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Suzanne]

Ya know, you're gonna get awfully confused at some point, when the book you're memorizing now says the exact opposite of the one you memorized last week. And, trust me, it won't be long until you hit that. Read, and think, but unless memorization is the best way for YOU to learn, don't try to. Get a good feel for the material, then move on. Besides, nothing makes COMPLETE sense until you actually have to DO IT. Then it's a huge

AHA! NOW I GET IT!!

Although the Pepin book, hmmmm, now that's one to memorize. But again, until you get the work into your hands, it won't make as much sense.

PS: don't worry about what the eGulleteers might expect of you. They mostly just want a good conversation about good food! And anyway, you DO know a lot of stuff.

[paisan]

Hey there!!! OK....so most books are a matter of opinion. If you are going to school....just try and go by what they tell you, it will make life a bit easier on you. There are some rather helpful ones out there though that will tell you the WHYS of cooking...ie; On Fodd and Cooking, The science and Lore of the Kitchen by McGee, and Cookwise, by Shirley O. Corriher. Instead of giving you "interpretations" of recipes, they tell you how and why things happen, ie. why your hollandaisse breaks or why a pie crust isnt flaky. Suzanne is right too....no amount of reading can make up for the time you spend in the kitchen. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, as long as you learn from them!!!!


Ciao.....paisan