The Cook's Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master Everyday Cooking

by Bri McKoy

This foolproof, upbeat, and at times humorous kitchen companion helps home cooks go beyond recipe reading, giving them the skills they need to master the art of confident cooking.

Helping everyday home cooks master the art of cooking with joy and confidence

Tired of food blogs and cookbooks that look impressive but lack practicality? Find yourself Googling to figure things out while cooking? Could you pull a meal together with only the ingredients you have on hand?

Introducing The Cook's Book, your guide to mastering cooking with joy and confidence.

More than just a collection of recipes, The Cook's Book is your ultimate kitchen companion. Filled with engaging lessons, techniques, and strategies--as well as delicious go-to recipes, food and wine pairings, and a beginner bar cart guide--this resource teaches you what you need to know to create and share great food with the people you love every day.

Learn how to:
● add flavor to any dish
● stock your pantry
● care for your knives
● make sauces and soups from scratch
● cook flavorful, juicy meats
● pick the perfect side dish
● stock a basic bar cart

Plus . . .
● go-to recipes
● must-have kitchen tools
● flavor layering techniques
● delicious food and wine pairings
● sensible solutions to common problems

Perfect for graduates, newlyweds, new homeowners, and new parents, The Cook's Book is everything you wish your mother had taught you (if she hadn't also been brought up in a time of pricey packaged convenience foods and too-busy schedules). Strap on an apron and get ready for flavorful meals with fabulous company.

"An excellent resource that budding home cooks will turn to time and again."--Publishers Weekly starred review

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

304 pages, Hardcover

Published August 29, 2023

About the author

Bri McKoy is an accidental home cook, recipe developer, and people gatherer. She is the author of Come & Eat and The Cook's Book.

She loves to give people the skills and recipes they need in the kitchen so they can bring more people to their table.

She is the creator of The Everyday Kitchen Masterclass, a five-week online course that teaches people how to become more confident home cooks. Find stories and recipes on her food blog at BriMcKoy.com or watch her videos with recipe tips and tricks and read her reflections on Instagram @brimckoy.

Reviews

[Jer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never anticipated a cookbook being fun to read, but this one had me at page 1 - entirely unexpected and delightful! Every home cook should read this. 🙂

Having recently read another cookbook with foundational knowledge about how to cook ("Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat), 👉 I should have started with "The Cook's Book" because it follows my own story of becoming more interested in home cooking more closely than that of a restaurant chef. This is clear from the beginning, as Bri details her own journey as a home cook (from living on Thai take-out to many misadventures to truly feeling confident in her kitchen).

The book also resonated because I want to be able to make amazing food at home and not have to get a culinary degree or invest in a professional kitchen's worth of gadgets. The author very reasonably (and encouragingly) calls out tips and opportunities to start simply and grow according to experience, which just feels like 💯 what every cook book should be doing (and yet, this is the first I've seen that does so).

While many cookbooks have yummy recipes and pretty photos (this one certainly has those in spades), 🔖 "The Cook's Book" differentiates itself by opening the kitchen door to not just a certain type of recipe, but all types, including wine and cocktails, using a skills-based approach to build experience and self-confidence.

💡 The whole concept of a "Home Cook's Manifesto" (and resounding theme that "You are the most important item in your kitchen") really drilled home to me that starting with the idea of my kitchen or some recipe being "in charge" of my cooking experience is just silly (though I never would have thought of it without the help of the author's stories and examples).

Overall, I'm highly impressed by this book and got both Kindle and hard copy (which actually lies flat!! I almost couldn't believe it). 😍

The simplicity and joy that Bri brings in her writing along with the awesome recipes (🌮 "Tacos in a Blanket"?! C'mon!) and gorgeous photos make it a really wonderful "team book" for a cooking duo to learn together. I imagine a lot of folks will be gifting it, as the gold foil honestly looks so nice compared to many of the books we have laying about. Seems like a lot of others already agree!

Now, time for a cocktail. 🥃

[Mallory Balnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to hate cooking. I mean I really hated it...I knew how to make a couple of recipes that my mom taught me when I was a kid and that was it. If something went wrong, I had no idea how to adjust, so I just got frustrated. How is my chicken both burning and not up to a safe internal temperature?? What even is the point of trying???

Enter Bri McKoy. I took her online Everyday Kitchen Masterclass, which not only taught me some delicious recipes, but crucially taught me the "why" behind what I was doing every step of the way. It has completely changed how I feel about cooking. I went from a usually frustrated "Hello Fresh sometimes works okay for me" type of cook to someone who enjoys going to the store and seeing what looks good and then searching for recipes using in-season ingredients to try.

She has translated that class and much much more into this book and I cannot recommend it highly enough! Everyone who has learned to cook by just trying their best to follow recipes NEEDS this book. I guarantee you, it will change your life in the kitchen in the best way.

Along with super valuable cooking lessons, she also has a ton of absolutely delicious recipes in here, plus a whole section on wine pairing that has made me at least appreciate wine more if not totally converted me into a wine snob.

There is a margarita recipe in here that is literally the best margarita I have ever had, and my husband, who is VERY picky, absolutely cannot get enough of it.

On top of all the incredibly valuable information in here, this is also just a beautiful cookbook and will make a nice addition to your shelf. I can't say enough good things about this book, but this review has to end sometime, so just do yourself a favor and buy this book immediately!

[Clarissa Unruh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes please I want this one.
Already we’ve had the shepherds pie and the one to serve to strangers :). Both so loaded with flavor.
Borrowed it from the library.

[Claire Caudill Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book after pre-ordering it, and the recipes are every bit as wonderful as I expected! Bri McKoy is my cooking BFF 😍 Instructive enough for brand new chefs, but quality enough for a seasoned home cook like me ❤️ this is my new go-to wedding and housewarming gift! Everyone needs this book!

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun cook book! Not only delicious-looking recipes, but an awesome resource for tips and tricks around the kitchen. I learned so much. I first borrowed it from the library, but quickly realized I wanted my own copy and with my birthday a few days off, quickly added it to my wishlist. I've made a few of the recipes so far and have been trying some of the tricks, such as testing out the stove burners to see which part of your pan is the hottest (to help decrease burning), testing the oven while cooking bacon to see if your oven runs hotter than normal, and how to slice an onion so the slices aren't moving all over the place. This is a great resource for a home cook that wants to level up their game and learn new things. From becoming more in tune with your five senses while cooking, to deglazing pans to liven up your sauces, to flavor layering, cooking methods of meat, and wine pairing, this book really has so much. Bri's explanations are non-pretentious and easy to understand; no cooking school certificate required. Her humor and overall passion for cooking comes out, making this book a fun way to bring a pep in your step in the kitchen.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bri McKoy set out to create the cookbook she wishes she'd had when she was first married and trying to figure out to feed herself and her husband every night. This book is designed for the beginning cook, but I think even an experienced/confident cook could find some good recipes and information here. Unlike most cookbooks that have somewhat standalone chapters for types of recipes, McKoy encourages you to NOT skip ahead because the sections and recipes are building your skills as you go. The whole first section of the book is all about making your kitchen work for you - recommended appliances and kitchen tools, pantry staples, etc. There is also a chapter on wine pairings and another on building your bar cart. Other than a few woo-woo things like a section on creating a vision statement for your kitchen, I really liked this one. There are several recipes I'd like to try as well as lots of great tips throughout the book. This would be a great gift for newlyweds or someone out on their own for the first time.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great cookbook for anyone with little to no cooking experience who wants to be a more confident cook. Experienced cooks are likely to already be familiar with many of the techniques and dishes presented but, excepting oenophiles, may appreciate the section on wine pairing with food.

Written in a positive, you-can-do-it tone, the book provides a great deal of helpful foundational cooking info before getting to the recipes, which are well written and easy to follow. The chapter on wine offers a nice introductory overview of the 8 grape varieties and suggestions for how to pair with food.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok if you are one of my family members or the 5 other people that follows me on this app you will immediately understand that I got two cookbooks for Christmas and yes these two reviews are similar in that I haven’t actually cooked anything from this book either. HOWEVER, again, I read this cover to cover and LOVED it. This book is designed for people who don’t really know how to cook and are just learning about flavors and cooking techniques. I am not that person, but I still picked up A LOT. Though I know how to cook and am good at following recipes, I’m not always sure what I’m looking for and generally lack the confidence to make changes to the ingredients or cooking times. This book was incredibly helpful in giving names to flavors and concepts I generally knew about but had never really been taught. It pairs recipes with these lessons so you can try out the things the author explains and learn as you go. There’s also an incredibly helpful food/wine pairing section at the end - I learned a ton and already had at least preliminary knowledge on this topic. Like the other review, stay tuned for updates after I actually cook from this book, but for now, highly recommend.

[Faith Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly highly recommend this beautiful book to anybody who is new to cooking. So many insights into cooking and what it means to more then just exist in a kitchen of your own.

[Anna K Baskaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe my favorite cookbook to date. Really approachable and the right amount of handholding for me in this moment 😂
Guacamole = 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑
Excited to try other recipes 😋

[Haleigh J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cook’s Book is not only for the beginner home cook, but also the one looking to expel extra flavor from any dish. With a course built into the book, Bri guides all of us who love the kitchen (and those learning to love it) through practices that build skills and end in delicious food. After years of cooking I still learned techniques from this book that I will use regularly. Recipes that have the max amount of flavor are important to me and Bri teaches how to get amazing flavor out of the food you cook (try deglazing the pan - yum!). I’ve tried many of her recipes and haven’t been let down once, I don’t expect that to change now. As she says “you are the most important item in your kitchen.” A great cookbook and a delicious read!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wisdom and encouragement that Bri McKoy shares in her cookbook The Cook's Book is a true gift. Utilizing what I learned from her took me from being just a good recipe follower to a knowledgeable cook. In The Cook's Book, Bri McKoy helped me asses what tools my kitchen needed to help me achieve food making success. She taught me how to cook with my senses. She educated me on the different types of salt. Let the reader of this review know, I had not been living my best salt life. I am now. A few of my favorite recipes are the Welcome Home Pot Roast & Chicken Pot Pie Soup...oh and the salsa! My daughter eats it by the spoonful.

[Courtland Wagoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will change your life! No matter how good or bad of a cook you are, Bri has information in this book for everyone! While this is a cookbook, full of yummy recipes, this book is also truly the cook’s book! It is jam packed with the how and why of various cooking techniques. Bri teaches you how to use your recipe as a compass, guiding you to an end result, and helps you know out what to do to save your dish when things go south along the way. When I use this book, I feel well prepared to create an amazing meal I know my family will love! I wish I could give this 20 stars!

[Sydney Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading cookbooks! This one was probably my favorite one! This book gives you confidence in cooking not just sharing recipes. I liked the depth of technique given to cooking. I’ve already enjoyed making some of the recipes for my family and they all have been winners around our table!

[Kayla Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great concept of a cookbook. This book had sections of learning (like kitchen tools, cooking techniques, how to taste your food, meats, wine pairing, and so much more) followed by recipes to reinforce what was just taught. I loved getting to learn a couple things about cooking and finding a couple new recipes to try.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this cook book. I consider myself a better than average recipe follower, and this book was a wonderful learning experience about flavors and experiments and things to try in the kitchen.

A fun read all the way around. Now I only need $1k to buy all the best new utensils and pans and kitchen tools.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book! I borrowed it from the library and decided that I needed to buy it! There's loads of information, tips, and tricks for making cooking a fun experience! The recipes sound amazing, and I can't wait to try them!

[Savannah Van Loon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love Bri McKoy. She has taught me *THE MOST* about cooking. I cook the most out of this cook book. This is my most gifted cook book. I still do not like cooking, but Bri has done the most to alleviate my stress and anxiety in the kitchen.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the cook book I’ve been needing! I’ve learned so many useful tips to use while cooking the amazing recipes included. Great job, Bri!!! 🤍

[Libbyloreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had this in 2009 as a newlywed. Sooo helpful and fun!

[LaurenFrame · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this book and when it arrived this book did not disappoint!! Bri’s cookbook is FULL of very helpful tips for a home cook at any level. Her recipes are easy to follow, full of flavor, and make you WANT to cook takeout at home (ban mi sandwiches, anyone). Do not sleep on this book, you will love filing your home, kitchen, and feeding your friends with these amazingly delicious recipes!

[Patty Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Bri makes it all feel so simple and accessible, teaching specific things like the difference between all the salt options, cuts of meat and knife skills. She is funny, reminds you to be kind to yourself while you learn and makes it all seem so fun. I can’t wait to incorporate all these recipes into our rotation!

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifteen years ago, when Bri McKoy’s husband suggested one night over takeout that perhaps they should learn to cook, she laughed in his face. Bri grew up with a mother who cooked but had always prided herself on her INEXPERIENCE in the kitchen. But Bri took her husband’s suggestion under consideration and headed to Barns & Noble, returning home with a copy of The Cooking Light Cookbook (because she assumed that this meant the cooking would be light, as in easy). Before long she had cooked through the book and mastered the art of following a recipe, yet she still lacked confidence in the kitchen. Over time she learned that there was more to cooking than copying a recipe: “a recipe is an excellent compass, but when we step into the kitchen we become the navigators. The compass is only helpful if we know how to navigate our own kitchen.”

In The Cook’s Book, Bri shares her hard-earned wisdom on learning to navigate a kitchen. She begins by helping home cooks create a functional kitchen with suggestions for tools, appliances, and pantry staples every cook needs, as well as a framework for helping kitchen newbies cast a vision for their real kitchen. In subsequent sections Bri teaches us necessary tricks, such as how to deglaze a pan and cook food without having it stick (I needed this section!); how to use all five senses when cooking; and how to select and use a proper knife. There are also sections on meats, soup, sides, sauces, flavor building, and food & wine pairings, with each section providing a varied selection of recipes in addition to important tutorials on things such as selecting the right cut of meat and knowing which sauce to use with which food items.

I enjoyed the conversational tone of this cookbook and appreciated Bri’s gentle, informative approach for helping newbie chefs gain confidence in the kitchen. Like Bri, I taught myself to cook from a cookbook shortly after getting married, but I still find myself at the “read the recipe” stage and had several helpful takeaways about how to begin branching out with my cooking. This book, which I would recommend for home cooks with at least some familiarity with cooking (this is not really a beginners cookbook) was just my speed and would make a great housewarming or wedding gift for other new-ish cooks wanting to up their cooking game.

While I loved the premise and setup of this cookbook, I would have liked more photographs (including some step-by-step photos of some of the more difficult recipes). And though I’m sure many will appreciate the books detailed tutorials on stocking a home bar cart and paring wines with various dishes, these chapters were of no interest to me as I do not drink or serve alcohol. (I did learn some interesting wine trivia, though!)

While this won’t be a forever favorite cookbook for me, I enjoyed reading it cover to cover and have already bookmarked quite a few recipes to try in my own kitchen.

My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Print

[Stacey Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bri's approach to home cooking is to teach the skills first and then apply them to a recipe, and The Cook's Book does just that, taking her years of cooking classes and making them available in a single volume format. From knife skills to cracking the code on salt, Bri teaches lessons not found in most cookbooks, and they are the lessons home chefs needs to take their skills to the next level. I learned salt and flavor, wine pairing, and crafting the perfect cocktail from Bri. And every recipe I've set down in front of my family has been a hit. Beyond her recipes, I've taken the skills I've learned from her and can apply them to other recipes, improving flavor and overall success. The fact that Bri is the kindest and most joyful home cook and The Cook's Book is absolutely beautiful is just icing on the cake...or maybe salt on the margarita rim. Cheers!

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you follow Bri McKoy on social media, you already know she is delightful. This book has such a strong, kind voice; Bri's voice. If you haven't found her on YouTube, watch one of her videos now.

OK - about the book. I got it from the library and returned it almost immediately. This is the kind of book you need to own, to open over and over, to enjoy and practice with. I LOVE it!!

[Prairie Sky Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a non-fiction or how-to book where one of the tips or teachings inside just stood out to you, and you were like “if that was the only thing I gained from this book, it would still be totally worth my time and money”? Well this was the case for me with a new guide to cooking - but I kept saying this same thing over and over and over again about nearly every page! Which means, basically, that this book is priceless and should be read by everybody who intends to ever cook anything in their lives…

“The Cook’s Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master Everyday Cooking” by Bri McKoy is an amazing volume that I am so thankful to now have on my shelf - and one that I’m not sure how I got along without for this long! It would make an amazing gift for newlyweds, or young people just moving out, or anyone else who would like a crash course on cooking with zest, heart, and excellence.

It is definitely a book that should be read from beginning to end, despite how counterintuitive that might feel with a cookbook. But, it’s worth it in the end, trust me. The beginning lessons are so much fun, and I am delighted to announce that I have been training my five senses by making guacamole! The next thing on the list is creating salsa the wrong way, and then fixing it using the skills and knowledge we have been learning about. And the entire book is like this - learn a new skill and then hone that skill using an actual recipe. It is ingenious, if you ask me, and that is why I love this book so much.

So, yep, that’s my two cents. This book is a must-have for anyone who likes to eat good food, wants to be more comfortable in their kitchen, and also doesn’t want to go broke buying takeout all the time! So therefore, “The Cook’s Book” is for you! :)

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to cook. I have been doing it for many years. I also love to entertain. My evolution of cooking ability has been a long one. I have a bookcase of purchased cookbooks, bits and pieces of magazines and the cooking sections from newspapers all arranged in carefully sectioned notebooks.I have watched the cooking shows on TV and made careful notes to add to my notebooks.

Right away, this book had me, when it begins with the discussion of a cook’s ability to not just read a recipe to be a good cook. And this book perfectly fits it’s title, A Cook’s Book.
Here is a beginning for new cooks, a refresher course for those of us who have been cooking for years. The format, makes sense, page layout has the right amount of text. Photographs are colorful and appetizing. There are helpful Icons for adding extra flavor or a hint about preparing a dish. Easy to read and easy to use.

Laid out in sections that begin with making your kitchen your own, the author, Bri McKoy, takes readers step by step into understanding the way every part of the cooking process comes together to make a delicious meal. McKoy explains what to do when your recipes don’t go as planned, she adds the sides, she explains the meats and she shows you how to make sauces to compliment everything. Her soup and sauce sections are excellent. Her wine knowledge and pairings add the perfect accompaniment to her down to earth recipes of foods with ingredients that are easy for home cooks to find and prepare.

I highly recommend this book. It will be a very useful addition to your kitchen.

I wish Bri McKoy liked to bake, I would love to see her do a cookbook for baking!
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.

[Clwseattle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about The Cook's Book. On one hand I learned much minutiae I didn't know about using ordinary ingredients more effectively. The wine section is particularly informative.

However, I don't like that the recipes are tucked in between the instructional advice. With all the advice, clearly The Cook's Book is geared toward the new cook, which I think is great and much needed. With the author’s belief that “A recipe is a compass, not a GPS” I understand why the recipes are only in volume however, I believe a new cook could use the precision of weight before making personal adaptations.

Unfortunately, I found very few recipes in The Cook's Book that were not versions my family happily enjoys already. I'm thrilled about the Cream of Mushroom soup because, as the author says, "it's especially perfect for substituting in recipes that call for canned cream of mushroom soup." That's important to my family because we're trying hard to eliminate eating things that include or are made with seed oils which canned does. We'd love to see a cookbook author write recipes without them.

I'm not sure why the author needed almost 140 sous chefs to test 103 recipes - eleven of which are drinks!

3 Stars for The Cook's Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master Everyday Cooking.

[Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Bri McKoy several years ago and have learned so much from her. This cookbook is a culmination of tips and techniques Bri has gleaned over the years and shares to make you a better cook along with absolutely yummy recipes! My family raves about Chicken Piccata when I make it using Bri’s recipe. My picky husband says it's even better than what he could get at a restaurant. And my family inhales it when I make her creamy coconut rice! Her Shepherd’s Pie recipe that includes savory sweet potatoes is the ultimate in comfort food. Every recipe I’ve tried from Bri McKoy has been a homerun.

But this is not just a cookbook. It has tips and techniques to make hesitant cooks more confident in the kitchen. Bri’s bright, fun personality also shines through in the stories told in this book.

Want to take your cooking to the next level? Read and/or buy this book!

[Melanie Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know how to feel comfortable and confident in your kitchen and have a seemingly endless recipes of flavorful and easy meals, this book is for you! The Cook's Book by Bri McKoy is all of the above: it teaches you how to be a confident home cook, how to cook (rather than just how to follow a recipe), and invites you to use food as a source of community and connection. Bri's wisdom and humor in the kitchen is relatable and helpful to cooks of all levels. Her chicken piccata and Greek meatballs are regular rotation in my kitchen, and don't get me started on her cocktails- they've ruined most bars for me forever. This book gets alllll the stars!!