James Beard’s New Fish Cookery was published by Little, Brown in 1976, a thoroughly revised edition of his earlier James Beard’s Fish Cookery (1954). Fish was always close to Beard’s heart — he grew up in Portland, Oregon, where the Columbia River provided salmon of extraordinary quality, and Dungeness crab was a staple — and this book represents his most complete treatment of the subject.
The book is organized by species and by technique: each major fish and shellfish available in American markets receives its own section, with advice on selection, storage, and the cooking methods best suited to it. Beard’s strong opinions are on full display: he loathes overcooked fish (the dominant American failing), he insists on fresh ingredients, and he has no patience with the timidity that leads cooks to drown fish in heavy sauces rather than letting the natural flavor speak.
The range of recipes reflects Beard’s cosmopolitan education: he draws on French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, and Pacific Northwest traditions, adapting each to the American kitchen with the confidence of someone who has eaten widely and cooked professionally for decades.
Collecting James Beard’s New Fish Cookery
First edition (Little, Brown, Boston, 1976): Cloth binding, dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition in dust jacket: $15–$40
- Without jacket: $5–$12
- Original 1954 edition (Fish Cookery): $20–$60