The book
The Way To Cook differs from her previous book
Mastering the Art of French Cooking in numerous ways. While
Mastering was a collaboration that co-authors
Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle had gotten underway before Child's involvement,
The Way To Cook was a solo work written entirely by Child during the late 1980s. Another difference was that
The Way To Cook did not focus entirely on French cuisine, on which her reputation had been built, but added a substantial number of recipes for traditional American dishes, especially those of New England, where Child's mother had come from and where Child had spent much of her life. In this, the book reflected the diversification of the cooking repertoire on Child's television show,
Julia Child & Company, that had taken place since its premiere in 1978. The book provided a focus on "master recipes"—that is, recipes that illustrate broad principles in cooking—with other recipes provided as variations on those same themes. The book also made use of improved cookware designs and of new technology such as the
food processor, of which Child was a major proponent. ==See also==