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James Beard's American Cookery
From the James Beard Foundation:
Listen to Beard describe his own book, which included some 1,500 recipes, from Blushing Bunny (tomato rarebit) to Cracker (mock apple) Pie: “This is not a book of regional cookery, it is not a collection of family recipes, it is not primarily a critique of American cuisine. It is simply a record of good eating in this country with some of its lore.” Beard went on to express the hope that “we are now in another epoch of gastronomic excellence.” In a New York Times review, Nika Hazelton praised the book as “the value of the year, and as good for us as it will be for our children. The author, who has done more than anybody else to popularize good food in America, puts a lifetime of experience into the page.”
Book history:
1972 published
1975 new cover *unable to verify date
1980 new cover
1996 new cover
2009 released as an e-book with new cover
note about the author:
Books would be released not only as "James Beard", but also "Jim Beard" and "James A. Beard". "Jim Beard" is what his books were first published under.
Listen to Beard describe his own book, which included some 1,500 recipes, from Blushing Bunny (tomato rarebit) to Cracker (mock apple) Pie: “This is not a book of regional cookery, it is not a collection of family recipes, it is not primarily a critique of American cuisine. It is simply a record of good eating in this country with some of its lore.” Beard went on to express the hope that “we are now in another epoch of gastronomic excellence.” In a New York Times review, Nika Hazelton praised the book as “the value of the year, and as good for us as it will be for our children. The author, who has done more than anybody else to popularize good food in America, puts a lifetime of experience into the page.”
Book history:
1972 published
1975 new cover *unable to verify date
1980 new cover
1996 new cover
2009 released as an e-book with new cover
note about the author:
Books would be released not only as "James Beard", but also "Jim Beard" and "James A. Beard". "Jim Beard" is what his books were first published under.
896 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
188 people are currently reading
2238 people want to read
About the author
James Beard
60 books95 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: James Beard.
James Andrew Beard, an expert, wrote several authoritative cookbooks, focusing on American cuisine.
James Andrews Beard, a chef, teacher, and television personality, pioneered shows, lectured widely, and taught at his namesake school in city of New York and in Seaside, Oregon. He emphasized preparation with fresh, wholesome ingredients to a just aware country of its own heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty times, and annual awards of his foundation honor his memory.
source: Wikipedia
He published his first books under Jim Beard.
Please see: James Beard.
James Andrew Beard, an expert, wrote several authoritative cookbooks, focusing on American cuisine.
James Andrews Beard, a chef, teacher, and television personality, pioneered shows, lectured widely, and taught at his namesake school in city of New York and in Seaside, Oregon. He emphasized preparation with fresh, wholesome ingredients to a just aware country of its own heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty times, and annual awards of his foundation honor his memory.
source: Wikipedia
He published his first books under Jim Beard.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 7, 2014
I picked this up to see whether I wanted to cull it from my giant cookbook collection, and it turns out that no, I do not, even though the style is basically the polar opposite of how we eat. It's like a snapshot of ideas about food in 1970, which makes it super interesting as a historical object.
The trend is definitely toward the super-heavy. For instance, the salad section has subsections for various kinds of fish, poultry, and meat; many of the salads therein are basically meat napped in homemade mayonnaise, often with additional mayonnaise for garnish. This sounds more than horrible if the mayonnaise you know is shelf-stable store-bought whipped hydrogenated oil. But then you think about what this salad could have been with a freshly-made emulsion of egg yolk and olive oil, and it's suddenly a believable dish.
I found the section on bacon-wrapped cocktail appetizers especially interesting, considering the recent ZOMG BACON EVERYTHING trends especially since Beard cites the bathtub gin parties of the 1920s as their origin. There are bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, bacon-wrapped jalapeno peppers, etc. But then you realize that the first recipe is for bacon-wrapped crackers. Crackers? Yes. And it really is the 1920s, and bacon and crackers really are a believable dinner, gin optional.
I'm not going to be cooking from it very much, but that's ok. This cookbook is for reading.
The trend is definitely toward the super-heavy. For instance, the salad section has subsections for various kinds of fish, poultry, and meat; many of the salads therein are basically meat napped in homemade mayonnaise, often with additional mayonnaise for garnish. This sounds more than horrible if the mayonnaise you know is shelf-stable store-bought whipped hydrogenated oil. But then you think about what this salad could have been with a freshly-made emulsion of egg yolk and olive oil, and it's suddenly a believable dish.
I found the section on bacon-wrapped cocktail appetizers especially interesting, considering the recent ZOMG BACON EVERYTHING trends especially since Beard cites the bathtub gin parties of the 1920s as their origin. There are bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, bacon-wrapped jalapeno peppers, etc. But then you realize that the first recipe is for bacon-wrapped crackers. Crackers? Yes. And it really is the 1920s, and bacon and crackers really are a believable dinner, gin optional.
I'm not going to be cooking from it very much, but that's ok. This cookbook is for reading.
October 16, 2018
It took me three years off and on but I read this wonderful book cover to cover. Beard's weighty tome is as much story telling and history of the influences of American foods as it is anything else. Written in the early 1970s, it gives a recorded glimpse of food techniques that would later be lost to impatience and modernization. Looking forward to cooking more recipes from this book.
May 25, 2017
Love how he wrote and the recipes are delicious.
January 21, 2016
Since it's a cookbook, I didn't actually read it from page 1 to the end, but I owned and used it for so long that I certainly have to feel I know it pretty thoroughly. The book is fun to cook from. I often used the recipes as a resource or spring board for creating my own version, but I knew I could rely on the good taste of Mr. Beard to get me through all kinds of meals. I felt confident using him as a source for traditional American cooking, so vastly different from the various European cuisines I also enjoy so much.
January 15, 2010
I have the original printing of this book. It is a fabulous collection of American recipes. It is a great book to compare how recipes have changed over the years. For example, the recipe for Sloppy Joes has almost no tomato and is not near as sweet as the recipes we use today. It is a great historical book as well as a great practical book for anyone interested in American cooking.
January 22, 2019
Best cookbook I have ever owned. It was the first cookbook I remember using, and the first cookbook I bought for myself when I moved to my own place. I've stuck with the first edition this whole time. This is one of the essential books for me. If I could only keep one book that I own, it would be this one.
December 6, 2010
This is my all time favorite cookbook. Beard traces the origins of old American favorites and is quite honest in his assessment of some recipes. He combines "down home" cooking with some more extravagant recipes.
December 8, 2010
You cannot go wrong in having this on your shelf. James Beard was a charming writer, a distinguished scholar, and a good teacher, and America has produced a fantastic heritage in her food. This is among the best collections of either of them.
April 26, 2021
Amazing tour of America's culinary history. Inspiring, interesting, historically delicious recipes.
November 9, 2020
Quite a tome and a little dated but like the Joy of cooking, a classic and not to be missed. he has a lot of good cooking techniques and advice.
January 16, 2021
If you're looking for a cookbook to help you through the pandemic, this is a good one.
November 30, 2023
What can you say? A timeless classic!!
November 9, 2011
This is another amazing historically rich culinary history of American cuisine. Yes, it is a cookbook with a great deal of historical commentary. Gastronomically inspired authors such as James Beard have filled a nitch in the non-fiction market writing about lost culinary techniques inspiring foodies to pick up their wooden spoons with new respect for the American house wife as a substantial force in the molding of American life through the kitchen. I sat up many nights greedily taking in page after page of delicious details of technique and tradition of the blossoming of our diverse nation through a culinary vantage point. Many of these recipes give the reader an idea of the day to day lives of the early American family.
This book included a recipe for Brown Bread, which requires cooking the bread in a coffee tin sitting in a water bath for three hours. James Beard carefully explains the method of the water bath and also how this recipe has evolved over time to using “whole-wheat flour instead of rye flour” (Beard 792). As a hopeful author of non-fiction, I see the importance of giving a clear narrative of the past and its transformation into the present in order to make it relevant to today’s reader depending on the subject. This book is an excellent guide through traditional American gastronomy through its young history.
This book included a recipe for Brown Bread, which requires cooking the bread in a coffee tin sitting in a water bath for three hours. James Beard carefully explains the method of the water bath and also how this recipe has evolved over time to using “whole-wheat flour instead of rye flour” (Beard 792). As a hopeful author of non-fiction, I see the importance of giving a clear narrative of the past and its transformation into the present in order to make it relevant to today’s reader depending on the subject. This book is an excellent guide through traditional American gastronomy through its young history.
November 7, 2010
James Beard's American Cookery is an 800+ page book giving not only the recipes that define "American" cookery (as opposed to French, Irish, Italian etc.) but also the history of American cuisine along with basic cooking tips--like how to cook various vegetables.
Each two-page spread has recipes on the outside of the pages while the inside of the spread is dedicated to giving the instructions for the recipes or telling the reader about the recipe or about the history of that food. The book was originally published in 1972 and besides a new preface, no revisions are noted.
Overall the recipes in the book appear to be the type of food real people make using ingredients found in the average grocery store. Most do not appear to be complicated to assemble, but the directions aren't always as clear as they could be. While there are a few line drawings, there are no photographs of the food.
I'd like to thank Anna Balasi at Hachette Books for sending me a complimentary review copy.
Each two-page spread has recipes on the outside of the pages while the inside of the spread is dedicated to giving the instructions for the recipes or telling the reader about the recipe or about the history of that food. The book was originally published in 1972 and besides a new preface, no revisions are noted.
Overall the recipes in the book appear to be the type of food real people make using ingredients found in the average grocery store. Most do not appear to be complicated to assemble, but the directions aren't always as clear as they could be. While there are a few line drawings, there are no photographs of the food.
I'd like to thank Anna Balasi at Hachette Books for sending me a complimentary review copy.
March 2, 2015
My mother passed on her "American Cookery" to me when she was no longer able to cook. It's filled with her notations and comments that only add to the humor and insight that James Beard shared in this ode to American Cooking. It's taped together and falling apart but I just can't seem to replace it with a new version. When in doubt, I find myself returning to this foundational piece of cooking advice and direction. Throughout the book, you can hear his voice embracing good food, well made and with local, seasonal ingredients long before "local" was a catch phrase. Now that I'm living in Oregon, where James Beard grew up, I am delighted that I still have my mother's original "American Cookery" with me to check out what James would have done with all of these wonderful local ingredients.
November 13, 2010
This book arrived this week and I've been pleasantly surprised as I've stareted to look threw it. Initially I was daunted by its size. I'll probably never read the chapter on veal. I enjoyed reading the forward by Tom Colicchio (of Top Chef fame) and the introduction by James Beard. From there I skipped to his thoughts on cooking green beans (page 475) to compare to what ai tried last night. I enjoy his historical spin on things. I may try his recipe for Joe's Green Beans with garlic, lemon juice, and Parm cheese later this month. This will be a great reference along side www.allrecipes.com
October 30, 2010
I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaway Contest....and I am thrilled to own this wonderful cookbook. Over 1500 recipes are included in this huge volume of Beard's collection of American dishes. The recipes are surprisingly simple and use a manageable number of ingredients. Originally published in 1972, this new edition is definitely not for those looking for low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt, new-fangled fare....this book is for those who love scrumptious, delightfully rich and filling, old-fashioned meals. This book would be a great gift for a new bride or newly independent cook. Definitely a classic cookbook!!
November 14, 2010
...4.5 Stars...
From my book review blog Rundpinne ...."This book truly impressed me which takes quite a bit as I am a disaster in the kitchen and would be hard pressed to name more than three famous chefs. As an avid reader, and I realize one does not usually look to cookbooks to be read, I found James Beard’s American Cookery to have a fabulous selection of historical stories regarding American cuisine."....My full review may be read here.
From my book review blog Rundpinne ...."This book truly impressed me which takes quite a bit as I am a disaster in the kitchen and would be hard pressed to name more than three famous chefs. As an avid reader, and I realize one does not usually look to cookbooks to be read, I found James Beard’s American Cookery to have a fabulous selection of historical stories regarding American cuisine."....My full review may be read here.
April 20, 2025
Great book in paper, not so good in Kindle
Beard's knowledge of and love for American cookery its enormous, and I feel his treatment of the topic here is outstanding. However the publisher's treatment of the book is abysmal. There is no index, no cross referencing, and no way other than paging through each chapter to find the 1500 recipes that are covered if you do not already know the recipe name. This is a very shabby treatment of a classic and almost indispensable cookbook
Beard's knowledge of and love for American cookery its enormous, and I feel his treatment of the topic here is outstanding. However the publisher's treatment of the book is abysmal. There is no index, no cross referencing, and no way other than paging through each chapter to find the 1500 recipes that are covered if you do not already know the recipe name. This is a very shabby treatment of a classic and almost indispensable cookbook
November 16, 2010
I won this book through the Goodreads First-reads program. When I received this book I was a little overwhelmed at first, but soon relized that it was a very easy cook book to navigate through. James Beard's knowledge of American cooking is extraoridary. This is a great addition for anyone's cook book collection.
November 1, 2010
I thought the amount and variety of recipes in the cookbook was phenominal! It had a recipe for literally everything. The recipes were also easy to follow and well written. The only reason for my giving it four stars instead of five is because of the lack of pictures. I am a very visual person and I rarely buy cookbooks without pictures (I won this one on a giveaway).
February 5, 2023
An essential bookend cookbook when paired with Joy of Cooking.
Cooking you way through both, or either, will bring you a lot closer to the real world.
Cooking you way through both, or either, will bring you a lot closer to the real world.
February 27, 2009
The first cookbook I ever owned. Reading Beard, his comprehensive understanding of American food and the history of the development of American taste, was fascinating to me. The recipes, though, seem very much stuck in time.
December 14, 2010
I know I should love this more. I am fascinated by James Beard and the recipes are all fantastic, it's just not the way I normally cook. So my rating is purely based on the historical significance and role James Beard has played in American Cuisine.
October 28, 2010
My aunt gave this book to my mom, I stole it from her. I haven't tried anything out of it yet. But I have enjoyed flipping through it and there are plenty of things I want to try...I'll update when I do try recipes out of it.
October 8, 2010
This is a fantastic tome! I love the way it's arranged, and there are so many wonderful looking recipes. The best thing about the layout is that the recipes and ingredients are on the edges of the page, and the details are near the spine, so flipping through this book is a breeze.
July 29, 2011
I think htis is a great cookbook to look at because it captures a period of time in American cooking--where it had potential to go, but was not there--and I am not sure Beard was a man who could have taken it there, but his viewpoint is a good one to be familiar with
January 7, 2008
One of my cooking bibles. Wish this great American cook was still with us.
May 27, 2009
This is an ongoing read that I'm finding myself coming back to whenever I'm really thinking about meal planning and wanting to get into the origins and basics of american meals.
November 22, 2008
A very good cookbook that can be read like a novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews