The Joy of the New (Expanded) Joy of Cooking Book

(Gerry Furth-Sides) From the newest generation of the JOY family, for a new generation of cooks, comes a brand-new edition of America’s most enduring and trusted cookbook, the Joy of Cooking.   is a true celebration of foundational recipes that have stood the test of time, and an introduction to over 600 new recipes chosen with care to become classics.

Irma Rombauer’s great-grandson John Becker  and his wife, Megan Scott were a natural to update The Joy of Cooking, with what amounted to 2000 recipe testers.  Their culinary credentials match their heritage, which was born out in their research, updating and expanded not only the recipes but information to go along with it in this latest edition of JOY.

Think new ingredients and new ways of using them: Continuing to build upon the diverse array of dishes and cuisines covered in previous editions with timely (read: current, but not trendy) new subjects and recipes. Some examples: lamb shawarma, sous vide cookery, slow-rise artisan breads, kombucha, bulgogi, bitters.Constant improvement: Expanding and improving upon areas already covered, such as: cocktails; French mother sauces; fermentation, 30-minute recipes, pressure cooking (Instant Pot) legumes and stocks, etc.

Making room:Judiciously trimming back and consolidating classic recipes, eliminating duplication and redundancy

Old and new, a unified whole: Striking a considered balance between legacy material and new content. In short, providing the most accurate, up-to-date information and recipes in the most straightforward way without sacrificing personality or the sense of history that comes from a close reading of Joy.

A new, considered voice: This new edition has a contemporary voice, informed by culinary tradition, a family’s legacy, an encyclopedic coverage of ingredients and techniques, and–most importantly–a thoroughly vetted collection of recipes readers will want to learn how to cook.

 John Becker grew up surrounded by the natural and gastronomic splendor of the Pacific Northwest. Spending his childhood between Portland, Oregon and Cincinnati, John learned to appreciate a range of approaches to cooking. His father taught him the art of improvisation in the kitchen, and his mother instilled in him open-mindedness and a love of bold flavors and spice. After earning a degree obsessing over the writings of Irish Modernist James Joyce, John helped publish seventeen collections of literary essays.  He now devotes his time to projects involving the Joy of Cooking book. has now turned exclusively to matters culinary as a team with his wife, ensuring that Joy will continue to meet the high standards expected by its readership from his Portland home.

In his words, “Our strategy for revising this edition was the same Irma and Marion employed for the first six editions of Joy: vet, research, and improve our coverage of legacy material, while introducing new recipes, modern cooking techniques, and comprehensive information on ingredients now available at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. While writing this edition, we have kept the needs of the home cook foremost in our minds. The result is both a solid collection of delicious, thoroughly-tested recipes and an indispensable kitchen reference that will give curious novices the answers they need (and provide a useful refresher for seasoned cooks).”

Megan.Megan Scott is the newest member of the Joy clan. She has worked for the cookbook since 2010, when she and John met and immediately bonded over a shared love of blue cheese and Cheddar biscuits. Megan’s culinary education began in the South, where she learned to cook from a long line of matriarchs. She grew up in a farming family, shucking corn and snapping green beans for as far back as she can remember. She has been a cheesemaker’s apprentice, a baker, and an assistant pastry chef, and in addition to her work for Joy she is the culinary director of a creative culinary agency in Portland, Oregon.