THE NEW YORK TIMES COOK BOOK, Rev. ed.

As Claiborne notes in his new preface, the American food scene has changed drastically since his New York Times Cook Book brought many of us our first taste of quiche, ratatouille, and satay sauce back in 1962. For this edition, 40% of the recipes have been replaced and others modified to accommodate new tastes, newly introduced dishes (such as couscous), newly available ingredients (fresh ginger root, for example), and new technology. (Claiborne specifically mentions the food processor.) A surprising number of the old familiar dishes--including such tamed imports as a bland ""Mexican chicken"" and a Madras chicken with curry powder--remain basically unchanged (though he now simmers, rather than browns, the chicken for the ""Mexican"" dish--a heart-healthy advance). After 18 intervening years of exacting and sophisticated cookbooks from the world's cuisines, the undemanding, unintimidating nature of these recipes is notable. To call this conservatively updated mainstream cooking is not to dismiss the collection's appeal or value. The first edition greatly expanded that mainstream's awareness and options, and the update--regardless of how many other cookbooks Claiborne has authored and coauthored in the meantime--will undoubtedly please old friends and make new ones.