Within the past year I have started to teach my children to cook. Currently they are 11, 9, and 4 and we started out with easy recipes to teach them about flavors and cooking techniques. The older two quickly learned how to adapt a recipe based on the flavors they like or dislike and have grown exponentially in the kitchen because of these times. Our rule is that everyone has to at least try the new creation, and if it is not a favorite we discuss how to alter a dish to make it more enjoyable for us all or simply decide that it is not something we would like to try again.
This natural progression for cooking in our home made me very excited to check out The Anti-Cookbook from Shelley Onderdonk and Rebecca Bloom. Once I had read the book description (below) I was intrigued to see how they presented the art of cooking. Covering everything from toast to a basic crepe recipe and kitchen basics to meal planning, The Anti-Cookbook is a delightful way to help teach people to get creative and become confident in the kitchen.
Obviously we aren’t against cooking! Instead, we are inverting the idea that cooking is simply about following a recipe. A “cookbook” method of completing a task implies a mundane, thoughtless process. Our book seeks to do the opposite—to inspire readers to think creatively about making meals, and independently about the deeper issues surrounding food and nourishment. We’re hoping to provide readers with a template for thoughtfulness around the way we feed ourselves. It’s much more than measurements, heat and chemistry and that’s what we unfold.
Tomorrow morning I’m making their recipe for Chilaquiles as my breakfast because after years of loving a well made plate of chilaquiles I finally found a recipe that is simple enough to attempt at home in a short amount of time. Even better? The recipes sprinkled throughout all the tips in the book encourage you to try new flavors and flavor combinations, but to also make things that you enjoy eating.
Whether you’re looking to be a more confident cook or to help your children become more confident cooks I recommend The Anti-Cookbook. In fact, I think a copy would make an excellent gift to any high school graduates as they prepare to leave the nest.
