The Way to Cook

by Julia Child

Original publisher: Knopf

Date of publication: 1989

ISBN: 0679747656

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Recommended by

Frances Bissell

Food writer

If I were to recommend one book to an aspiring cook, this is it. Each section has a master recipe, several examples, with variations, notes on equipment, on ingredients and on time planning, as well as Julia’s cheery prose which entices us to cook. It is so comprehensive that there is plenty here, too, for the experienced cook. This is the book Julia was working on when I first met her, after which I had many happy hours with her in her kitchen in Cambridge, as well as on shopping expeditions to farmers markets. With this book, anyone can “master the art of French cooking”.

Ben Starr

Blogger

Julia churned out plenty of cookbooks in her lifetime, but this one is my favorite. So perfectly illustrated, with step-by-step photos on how to debone or truss a chicken, how to "French" green beans and store fresh greens. And her editors didn't interfere with her conversational writing style, so as you read, you will literally hear that distinctive voice of hers, as if she was sitting across the kitchen drinking a glass of wine and guiding you through your first filleting of a whole fish. A classic that will never be obsolete.

Anna Thomas

Screenwriter, filmmaker and author

And anything else by Julia Child! What a teacher. And such a generous spirit – she really did want us all to know how to get it right, and she approached every single recipe with that purpose: clear, thorough, smart. And though she spawned food TV, she would probably be horrified by what it has become.

Makiko Itoh

Blogger of Just Hungry and Just Bento

This is by far my favorite cookbook in English, for standard dishes in the French-American sphere. It has everything from my go-to recipes for Boston Baked Beans to pizza dough to choux pastry and more.

Geraldene Holt

Professional food writer and broadcaster

After the structured recipes and formality of Mastering the Art of French Cooking this book is a more personal and enjoyable volume, Julia's wonderful joie de vivre is still a delight.