The Bon Appetit Cookbook
by Barbara Fairchild
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barbara FairchildEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2006-08-28
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 816
Publisher: Wiley
Book Reviews of The Bon Appetit Cookbook
Book Review: This Cookbook was a "Must-Buy" for me!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a subscriber to Bon Appetit magazine for over 15 years and was very excited to see that they had published a cookbook. When I purchased it, I was definitely not disappointed! Recipes like "Spinach and ricotta gnocchi", "Potato, leek, gruyere, and oyster mushroom gratin", "Braised Greek chicken and artichokes" and "Lemon Curd with toasted coconut and blueberries" sound very tempting.
The magazine recipes that I have prepared over the years have turned out wonderfully. My mom and I always make our Thanksgiving meal from Bon Appetit recipes, usually from a stack of Thanksgiving issues we've been saving. I was delighted to see that our turkey recipe, "Roast Turkey with Herb Rub and Shiitake Mushroom Gravy" was included in the new cookbook. It's not something for every day, but it does make such a wonderful turkey that we've used the same recipe for about 10 Thanksgivings now. Not all of my favorites made the cut (there was a terrific "White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake" recipe that's not there), but the recipes they selected are probably the best of the best.
The cookbook is massive and contains over 1200 mouth-watering recipes covering all the basic sections of any comprehensive cookbook (appetizers, salads, meats, vegetables, desserts, drinks, etc). The text is almost entirely recipes, with only a paragraph or two here and there of commentary. Only a few pages of photos are tucked between the recipes, but that was not a negative for me since I'm really in it for the recipes (and it probably kept the cost of the book reasonable).
I have always found the recipes in Bon Appetit to be elegant and delicious. Only a few have hard-to-find ingredients (like a specific liquor I wouldn't have on hand), but most include specific quality ingredients, like shiitake mushrooms, bosc pears, or pecorino Romano cheese, so the cook can get the flavor and texture intended. For example, there is a delicious sounding Sicilian meatball recipe that calls for fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread instead of dried crumbs. The recipes are easy enough that most cooks could prepare without problems, but they are from-scratch and will require more effort than those in basic or "quick-prepare" cookbooks. However, there are plenty of recipes in this book that are simple enough for week-night cooking, and those that require extra effort and usually worth it!
Overall, I'm very pleased with this book and will probably use it quite a bit (which is saying something since I have 100+ cookbooks!) I would definitely recommend this book to cooks who want to prepare food that is delicious enough to impress!
Summary of The Bon Appetit Cookbook
It's high time that Bon App?tit, one of our longest-running cooking magazines, published a collection of its recipes. The Bon App?tit Cookbook offers over 1,200 formulas--a vast selection that includes dishes for every menu stop and occasion, with sections on bread, burgers, pizza and sandwiches. Characteristically, the majority of the formulas--like Chinese-Flavored Fried Chicken with Green Onion Ginger Dipping Sauce, and Spicy Steak with Corn Soft Tacos--reflect an inventive, cross-cultural approach. A wide selection of sweets, such as Chocolate Chunk, Orange and Hazelnut Cookies, and Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes, is also offered; there's even a chapter on drinks.Though most of the dishes invite good eating, and all are approachable, a surprising number, like Blue and Red Flannel Hash (with potatoes, hot sausage, pickled beets, and blue cheese) are overwrought or of questionable taste. Herbs are sometimes used excessively (a seafood-cake recipe for six calls for 1-1/3 cups of chopped cilantro), or in dubious combination, like rosemary and tarragon. Readers should also know that ingredients are sometimes not named in the methods, but are called for by number--for example, "add the first five ingredients"--obliging cooks to stop, search and count. In addition, recipe yields in a given chapter can vary by four servings or more. Though some of the larger-yield recipes, like that for cassoulet, are obviously meant for groups, others, like Greek Orzo and Shrimp Salad, which yields twenty servings, could be offered as appropriately for a family meal.
These things said, the book, which is photo-illustrated, will make a welcome addition to many cooking libraries, and should be especially handy when guests must be fed. Readers who have long loved and relied on the magazine will be particularly happy to have so many of its recipes in one place. --Arthur Boehm
