I'm Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0 by Alton Brown
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Book Reviews of I'm Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0
Book Review: Superb book but arrived damaged, boo-hoo
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been putzing around (not as seriously as Michael Ruhlman "The Making of a Chef") with cooking lately (and became initiated into the chef's clan by having to research how to remove tomato sauce stains from my Egyptian cotton "Happy Chef" brand chef's jacket - goto Walgreen's and purchase a product called "Zout" - better than Oxiclean and the others)so it didn't take me long to find Alton Brown's "Good Eats" program on the Food Channel, and research what folks were saying about his books. This book has been given very good reviews, and based upon that (and the fact that while watching the show I really enjoy the humor and zany ways he explains WHY things occur in food)I purchased the book.
There's no difference between the book and his shows except that there's no need for hurriedly copying down recipe ingredients. The book is very informative, and very "digestible".
Unfortunately, Amazon's shipping department has gone down the tubes lately, as witnessed, once again, by a product which arrived damaged - the front (hard) cover took a hit during transport (or before?) and is creased. I returned it for a replacement which is scheduled to arrive in three days... we'll see. Amazon used to package shipments expertly, but I guess that they have to make budget cuts too. I don't know why, I order many things through them : ) .
So, five stars for the book, 3 stars for the packaging - at least it got to me and didn't get lost.
Enjoy!
Book Review: Science textbook for your kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
When I was a kid I chanced upon what I thought was a science programme on TV ~ it had bubbling pots with steam rising out of them, charts, diagrams and a quirky dude explaining and making sense of it all. That was the day I "met" Alton Brown, culinary teacher extrodinaire! I was hooked.
Today I'm still an ardent fan of his cookshow GOOD EATS - love 'em - so when I found this book on the shelves of a bookstore I did not hesitate to buy it. I have not been happier with my purchase. This book is packed with useful and insightful information every home cook and aspiring chef needs to know about preparing a meal.
What I liked about this book is that it reads more like a science textbook rather than just a recipe book. It taught me how to check if my meat is cooked properly, it taught me how to ensure hygiene and food safety, techniques in browning, braising, broiling, heat control .... oh, and thelist goes on. I have never been one of those cooks who took instructions blindly. I wanted to know WHY and WHAT, HOW and WHEN. I cannot extol this book enough, its simply amazing. Over the years I have gained so much knowledge by watching his shows, and now I have this book! I have every confidence that when I follow his instructions the results are usually rewarding (after a few tweaks here and there). It is 'the' book to have if you really want to UNDERSTAND your food, instead of just cooking it and serve. Anyone who is serious about cooking could do with a copy.
Book Review: Not a Recipe Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great how-to-cook book, equally understandable to both new and uh... "experienced" cooks. AB (to his fans) takes great pains to thoroughly explain the HOWs and WHYs of cooking. Do you know the real difference between searing, grilling and braising? Not a kind of "well one's on a grill and the other is on a stove" definition, but a solid understanding not only of the difference but WHEN and HOW to use each (along with boiling, broiling, etc.). You will with this book! And the book details the best approachs and equipment for each cooking method along with which foods are best prepared a particular way. But this is NOT a recipe book - there are recipes for in each cooking method section. As usual with AB, the recipes are quite good - I've tried several while practicing AB's methods. But the recipes are there to support your understanding of cooking method - a 'so this is how you can uses this method' demonstration. Of course, there is humor, AB style, and lots of it, especially in the side-bars. What do you expect - it's AB's book!
So if you've gotten curious about the uh... "engineering" of cooking (What's a braise? What temperature is best for broiling or roasting?) then you'll be happy with the book. If you enjoy AB, you'll be happy with the book. If you just want to add another recipe book to your collection, you may be disappointed.
Book Review: Hate I Waited So Long
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not a fan of purchasing Food Network personality cookbooks since you can usually get the recipes online for free. I did buy a signed copy of AB's Gear for the equipment info and I dearly love it. When I found a signed copy of this one (Crate & Barrel) I couldn't pass it up.
This book is all and more of the food science in the show. It's organized by cooking method. There are chapters on brining, sauces and eggs. The appendix is substantial, which I love. There are the famous meat diagrams with the quirky magnets. The Basic Culinary Toolbox is a very, very condensed version of Gear. The notes on sanitation are good, I don't think I 've seen them in a cookbook before. Top Five Activities, A Selected Reading List,resource guide and metric conversion charts round out the section.
This book is dense. You don't have advantage of the easy-to-follow, cool, teach-by-quirky-demonstrations method of the show. No wonder it won a James Beard award. This doesn't mean the material is incomprehensible; you just have to concentrate more. As with Gear, I could care less about the recipes. The book's worth is as a reference guide. I hate I waited so long to buy this.
This book is for the curious cook. If you aren't interested in the "why" and just want recipes, you'd probably find it frustrating.
Book Review: Excellent. Learn how to cook. Or improve your technique.
Summary: 5 Stars
Having been a long-time Good Eats viewer, I knew that this book would be a fun gift for my foodie geek spouse. And it was so good that he lent it back to me.
If you have little to no previous knowledge of cooking, or are unsure of your techniques, this book will teach you how to cook the correct way from the start. Lots of information, theory, science, and humor make this book easy to read and incredibly informative. For example, if you ever wondered where the Boston Butt came from, there are diagrams (on refrigerator magnets) displaying where each cut comes from on a pig, lamb, chicken or steer.
If you already have been cooking for years, have only previously worked in professional kitchens or are confident with your technique, this book will help you hone your style to the home kitchen. You will likely come away with the book with a better appreciation for ingredients you may never have considered. And you might also finally make peace with certain techniques that may have plagued you in the past.
The recipes vary in difficulty but the comprehensive instructions make the book fantastics for cooks of all levels. It's a great addition to any home kitchen, or perhaps even as an elementary level text on basic cooking technique.