Recipes Every Man Should Know Review: Good Gift?

Recipes Every Man Should Know (Quirk Books, Stuff You Should Know series)

Photos coming soon.

The short version

Buy it if

First time apartment dwellers and students learning to cook
Gift givers looking for a small, light hearted stocking filler
Cooks who want hearty, familiar comfort food without fuss

Skip it if

You already cook confidently and want new techniques
You want a full size cookbook with many recipes

What owners like

Recipes are short, simple and work for real novices
Light, humorous tone makes it a fun read
Compact size makes it a popular gift
Cooking times and serving sizes help with planning a meal

Common complaints

Recipes are basic and not very sophisticated
Some recipes call for ingredients a beginner may struggle to find, such as gruyere
US cup measurements can trip up readers elsewhere, though conversions are included
The men only framing is a running joke some readers may not enjoy

Based on Quirk Books and Google Books listings, Barnes and Noble, three blog reviews (Mostly Food and Cocktails, Ephemeral Digest and One for the Table) and the Amazon listing..

Research scores

Does the job 7.0 simple comfort food recipes that novices report cooking successfully

Quality 6.5 basic recipe set with a dated, jokey framing

Ease of use 8.0 short recipes with times, servings and a primer on basics

Value 7.5 low cost pocket hardcover that works well as a gift

Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.

Ownership

Times bought1

Price range$

Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.

What it does

A pocket sized hardcover cookbook of simple, hearty recipes and kitchen basics, aimed at beginner cooks.

Five sections: breakfast classics; sandwiches, burgers and snacks; meat and potato dinners; beer, bacon and bar food; and desserts
A short guide to kitchen tools, techniques, terms and measurements
Comfort food recipes such as chili, bacon wrapped meatloaf, bacon brownies and a no bake cheesecake
Recipes list cooking times and serving sizes
Pocket sized hardcover that fits a jacket pocket or a stocking

A fun, low cost gift for a new cook moving off takeout, with short recipes and a quick primer on tools and terms. The trade-offs are a small, basic recipe set that will not stretch an experienced cook, and a jokey, gendered framing some readers may find dated.

How it compares

How to Cook Everything The Basics by Mark BittmanA much fuller beginner course, for someone who wants to really learn to cook$$

Cocktails Every Man Should Know (Quirk Books)Same pocket series and gift style, if the recipient is more into drinks than cooking$

Specs

Authors: Susan Russo and Brett Cohen
Publisher: Quirk Books
Series: Stuff You Should Know
Pages: 144
Size: 3.70 x 6.00 x 0.60 in
Formats: Hardcover (November 2010) and eBook (May 2011)
ISBN: 9781594744747 (hardcover)

Questions

How many pages is Recipes Every Man Should Know?

144 pages in a pocket sized hardcover about 3.7 by 6 inches.

What recipes are in Recipes Every Man Should Know?

Breakfast and egg dishes, sandwiches and burgers, chili, meatloaf, bar food, and desserts like bacon brownies and no bake cheesecake, plus a primer on kitchen basics.

Is Recipes Every Man Should Know good for beginners?

Yes. Reviewers describe the recipes as short and simple, and one self described kitchen novice cooked a full pork chop dinner from it.

Who wrote Recipes Every Man Should Know?

Susan Russo and Brett Cohen. Quirk Books publishes it in its Stuff You Should Know series.

Sources

Researched 2026-10-02. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.